UK unveils new global gender equality agenda

A new global women and girls strategy to tackle global gender inequality at every opportunity and celebrate International Women’s Day has been launched by the government of the United Kingdom.

UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, revealed this on Wednesday in a statement issued by Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer.

Cleverly said that the initiative, launched in Sierra Leone, would include combating attempts to roll back women’s rights and working with partners from around the world to do the same.

According to him, the strategy commits the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to ensuring that, at least, 80 per cent of its bilateral aid programmes include a focus on gender equality by 2030.

“Advancing gender equality and challenging discrimination is obviously the right thing to do, but it also brings freedom, boosts prosperity and trade, and strengthens security.

“Our investment to date has improved lives around the world, with more girls in school, fewer forced into early marriage and more women in top political and leadership roles.

“However, these hard-won gains are now under increasing threat. We are ramping up our work to tackle the inequalities which remain, at every opportunity,” Cleverly said.

He said that the new strategy put a continued focus on educating girls, empowering women and girls, championing their health, rights and ending gender-based violence.

Cleverly added that the strategy committed the FCDO to involving its entire network of High Commissions and Embassies around the world to deliver the strategy.

He said this would include the British High Commission to Nigeria developing plans and commitments specific to Nigeria and raising the most pressing issues with the government of Nigeria.

Similarly, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, noted that Nigerian women led on the global stage and across different sectors, adding that many women and girls, however, continued to experience high levels of exclusion and marginalisation.

“It is important that every girl and woman has the opportunity to reach her potential, live in freedom and exercise her rights.

“That is why the UK is investing in areas that we know are fundamental in transforming the lives of girls and women in Nigeria.

“Through our programmes and advocacy, we are supporting women and girls affected by the conflict in North East Nigeria and tackling gender-based violence,” she said.

Laing explained that the girls’ education programmes had already supported 1.5 million additional girls to access schooling in six states since 2012.

She said that the UK had also been supporting civil society to increase political representation and participation of women in the 2023 elections and to promote the inclusion of women in politics.

Laing said that alongside the strategy, the UK would also develop an ambitious new research offer to help the UK and its partners make investment decisions.