Press Release
4 March 2008
UK announces £5 million in support of Afghan women
Speaking at an International Women’s Day panel organised by the NGO
(non-governmental organisation),
Gender
and Development Network, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander
announced an additional £5 million to the Government of Afghanistan’s
microfinance scheme. This brings the UK’s total investment in the scheme to £35
million.
The scheme has provided small loans to over 400,000 people so far – 280,000 of whom are women. By the end of next year, the scheme will have benefited some 400,000 women.
Douglas Alexander said:
"The UK is working hard to change the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan. These loans are giving women the chance to start or expand small businesses, engage in the economy, and gain a degree of financial independence that would otherwise be unattainable.
"Women’s equal participation in society is central to Afghanistan’s future. We have a long way to go before we achieve this, but we should not overlook the real progress being made by women and girls in Afghanistan. Under the Taliban it was illegal to teach girls – today there are more than two million girls in school."
Antenatal care for women in rural areas of Afghanistan has also improved. In 2003, just 5% of pregnant women received proper antenatal care. By 2006 the figure was over 30%.
Douglas Alexander reiterated the need for a step-change in how the international community works together to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Speaking on the panel alongside Kenyan Nobel prize winner Wangari Maathai, Douglas Alexander said:
"The international community needs to make better and faster progress on gender equality and women's rights. Without it we will not achieve the global goal of halving poverty by 2015 and we will struggle to meet any of the MDGs.
"We have not seen the progress that we hoped for in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Women make up a majority of the world’s poor and gender discrimination is a major factor in their continuing poverty. The UK will continue to work to improve the lives of women in developing countries, and we want to see others doing the same."
Notes to editors
1. Between 2001 and March 2007 DFID spent over £490 million on reconstruction and development in Afghanistan. DFID plans to spend around £107 million in 2007/8.
2. We have committed £450 million (between 2009 and 2012): £345 million is new money committed by DFID for development; £105 million will help fund stabilisation activities through Britain's cross-government Stabilisation Unit. The Fund totals £260 million for the three years 2008 to 2011 and will deliver short-term, high impact stabilisation programmes.
