Positive News: informs, inspires, empowers
  • Home
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Volunteer
  • Contact us
Justice

Gender equality now considered in UK aid spending

Picture
by Nicola Slawson

The UK government has pledged to support the rights of women and girls in international development funding. The new bill will mandate that Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening take gender into consideration in all decisions relating to how overseas aid is spent.

According to the BBC, women perform an estimated 60 percent of the world’s working hours, yet earn only 10 percent of the world’s income and own just two percent of the world’s land.

“Ensuring justice for women and girls is a fundamental human rights obligation and one of the most urgent issues of our time,” said Jacqui Hunt, director of Equality Now, an international human rights organization.

Jacqui welcomed the UK’s lead in linking development and humanitarian funding to gender equality, and urged other countries to follow suit.

“Recognition that one of the key priorities for successful international development is the empowerment of women and girls helps to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential and contribute,” said Jacqui, who stressed that rather than just supporting women, the legislation would lead to a win-win situation for both genders.

The new International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014, which came into force on May 13, was originally proposed by Member of Parliament William Cash. Only 10 percent of private members’ bills become law in any given year. However, this bill received cross-party support as well as endorsement by Justine Greening, Prime Minister David Cameron and non-government organizations including WaterAid, Plan International and The Gender Rights and Equality Action Trust.


More Information:
...........................
Reported by Positive News UK

Posted October 2014
Picture

Picture
If you like this story, please consider taking out a gift-based subscription. 

Picture
Why Positive News? 
to Nurture Hope
to Exemplifies Solutions
to Inspire Action

to Celebrate Positive Change!

We envision a world in which people treat each other with respect and kindness, where we consider the Earth to be our home to care for and to enjoy. And we see that this world is in the process of emerging. Positive News is a reflection of this widespread movement and tells its powerful stories.

Picture
Picture
Picture

popular stories

  • Aluna: a message from the agents of the Earth
  • Trees communicate with each other
  • The dangerous things you should let your kid do

  • War has not existed for the majority of human history
  • Sharing news about solutions is a revolutionary act
  • A new movement frees  communities from corporate control
  • The happiest facts of all time
  • The man who planted a forest
  • Teens invent a pee-powered generator
  • Thousands are being freed of debt
  • New Leaders for a New Generation 
.    Planet     .
.     Peace    .
.    Youth     .
.       Art       .
People Power
.      Justice    .
.  Happiness .
New Economy
.  Generosity .
  • Home
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Volunteer
  • Contact us