Getting more women into power gives voice to a marginalised section of society, creates female role models and leads to legislative change and policies that tackle gender inequalities and discrimination. Peace settlements are 35% more likely to endure for more than 15 years if women have been involved in negotiations.<\/p>
<\/p>
Increasing women\u2019s political participation and leadership is a foundational pillar of DFID\u2019s Strategic Vision for Gender Equality, launched in March 2018, and is a top priority in the current cross-Government National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.<\/p>
<\/p>
Just 24% of national parliamentarians around the world are women. DFID programmes are supporting women to participate in politics.<\/p>
<\/p>
In Nigeria, DFID\u2019s \u2018Women in Politics\u2019 programme supports women elected to the National Assembly, including establishing the first women\u2019s caucus as a forum for advocacy, policy development and training. In Afghanistan, DFID support has helped women provincial councillors who often face intimidation and violence in their work.<\/p>
<\/p>
Women\u2019s voice and leadership can make a real difference on issues that matter to them.<\/p>
<\/p>
DFID has supported Amplify Change to fund women-led organisations that help women to claim their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Grantees have driven change to policies and laws, such as the Registration of Marriage regulation in Afghanistan; improved access to SRHR services, information and products, such as providing 7000 girls in Tanzania with menstrual products; and transformed social norms including significant contribution to the eradication of child marriage in Cote d\u2019Ivoire.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-29T14:29:57.73Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Females: Equality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to improve women's participation in leadership positions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "256930"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127839", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127839/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK is recognised as an international leader for our work to promote gender equality. DFID\u2019s Strategic Vision commits us to build on our strong foundations of working to end violence against women and girls, support universal sexual and reproductive health and rights, improve girls\u2019 education, and enable women\u2019s economic and political empowerment. We are also stepping up our support of girls and women in conflict and crises, increasing our focus on adolescent girls, and harnessing the potential of technological innovation for gender equality. Our impact on gender equality is measured by our influence as well as our level of spending.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-29T14:27:37.78Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Females: Equality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to increase the proportion of UK aid which has gender equality as a primary or secondary objective as measured by the OECD's gender marker.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "256931"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127840", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127840/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bThe French Government has chosen to focus on inequalities throughout their G7 Presidency this year. We are working across the G7 workstreams to ensure continued progress on gender equality, particularly in the Sahel and across Sub-Saharan Africa. We will push for ambitious Summit outcomes that tackle violence against women and girls, promote girls' education and women's economic empowerment, and support movements to end child marriage and FGM. Our focus is on accelerating the pace of change to ensure that all women and girls are empowered and play an active part in all aspects of society.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-30T15:29:14.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Women's Rights"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote women's rights issues at the forthcoming G7 summit in Biarritz.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "256949"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126817", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126817/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office has been working closely with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Asylum Advocacy Group (AAG) for many years, to help improve their approach to religious based claims and have recently worked with them recently to develop and produce a specialist training package.<\/p>
The Asylum Learning and Development Team started to deliver the specialist training package on religious claims on Monday 8 April 2019, which will be mandatory for all asylum decision-makers.<\/p>
The aim of this course is to ensure that where religion or belief is raised in an asylum claim, decision makers appropriately consider all the available evidence in accordance International, European & Domestic law and Home Office policy, when interviewing asylum seekers and making decisions on their claims.<\/p>
In order to alleviate any concerns about the way in which vulnerable claims are dealt with, a review has been commissioned to investigate the way claims based on religious grounds and LGBT+ are assessed. The aim and approach of the Review will be to ensure that empathy and religious literacy is considered by Decision Makers when assessing these highly complex claims, acknowledging the impact of their decision whilst ensuring appropriate rigour is applied as these routes can be open to fraudulent claims.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "254746"} , {"_value" : "254747"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-22T13:03:17.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Religion"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to improve his Department's ability to assess asylum applications made on the grounds of religious or belief-based persecution.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "254745"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126818", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126818/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office has been working closely with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Asylum Advocacy Group (AAG) for many years, to help improve their approach to religious based claims and have recently worked with them recently to develop and produce a specialist training package.<\/p>
The Asylum Learning and Development Team started to deliver the specialist training package on religious claims on Monday 8 April 2019, which will be mandatory for all asylum decision-makers.<\/p>
The aim of this course is to ensure that where religion or belief is raised in an asylum claim, decision makers appropriately consider all the available evidence in accordance International, European & Domestic law and Home Office policy, when interviewing asylum seekers and making decisions on their claims.<\/p>
In order to alleviate any concerns about the way in which vulnerable claims are dealt with, a review has been commissioned to investigate the way claims based on religious grounds and LGBT+ are assessed. The aim and approach of the Review will be to ensure that empathy and religious literacy is considered by Decision Makers when assessing these highly complex claims, acknowledging the impact of their decision whilst ensuring appropriate rigour is applied as these routes can be open to fraudulent claims.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "254745"} , {"_value" : "254747"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-22T13:03:17.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Humanism"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to improve his Department's ability to assess asylum applications made on the grounds of humanist beliefs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "254746"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126819", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126819/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office has been working closely with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Asylum Advocacy Group (AAG) for many years, to help improve their approach to religious based claims and have recently worked with them recently to develop and produce a specialist training package.<\/p>
The Asylum Learning and Development Team started to deliver the specialist training package on religious claims on Monday 8 April 2019, which will be mandatory for all asylum decision-makers.<\/p>
The aim of this course is to ensure that where religion or belief is raised in an asylum claim, decision makers appropriately consider all the available evidence in accordance International, European & Domestic law and Home Office policy, when interviewing asylum seekers and making decisions on their claims.<\/p>
In order to alleviate any concerns about the way in which vulnerable claims are dealt with, a review has been commissioned to investigate the way claims based on religious grounds and LGBT+ are assessed. The aim and approach of the Review will be to ensure that empathy and religious literacy is considered by Decision Makers when assessing these highly complex claims, acknowledging the impact of their decision whilst ensuring appropriate rigour is applied as these routes can be open to fraudulent claims.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "254745"} , {"_value" : "254746"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-22T13:03:17.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Religion"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided to all asylum decision-makers on how to assess religious and belief-based persecution claims.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"} ], "uin" : "254747"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124692", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124692/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The law is very clear that employers must make reasonable adjustments for employees and job applicants who meet the Equality Act 2010\u2019s definition of disability, namely having a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on the person\u2019s ability to do normal daily activities. Where a disability is not obvious, it will be necessary for the employee or job applicant to declare their condition, but at that point the onus passes to the employer to meet its legal obligations.<\/p>
<\/p>
To help employers comply with the law, the Government has issued guidance on the duty to make reasonable adjustments, here: https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers<\/a><\/p> <\/p> In addition, guidance on this subject has been issued by Acas and by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has also published a statutory code of practice for employers. Where employers fall short on their obligations, legal remedies exist for employees and job applicants, together with Acas\u2019s early conciliation service, which aims to settle disputes before they reach the employment tribunal.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-22T15:13:27.967Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Employment: Disability"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that employers provide reasonable adjustments to the workplace so that people with hidden or invisible conditions are able to (a) access and (b) stay in employment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"}
], "uin" : "250748"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124693", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124693/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Discriminatory behaviours and practices in the workplace, including those related to disabled employees and job applicants, are both unacceptable and unlawful. Protections for disabled employees and job applicants exist in the Equality Act 2010 and remedies are available where breaches occur. Acas and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, have published comprehensive guidance to assist employees identify discrimination and other unlawful conduct and then enforce their rights. This guidance can be found at:<\/p> http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1859<\/a>; and https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/disability-discrimination<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for ensuring that the Equality Act 2010 is enforced and has become involved in cases where a particular principle of law is concerned or where there is evidence of widespread or systematic discrimination.<\/p> <\/p>