HL Deb 13 May 1987 vol 487 cc625-7
Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to pursue their policy of integrating women more fully into their overseas aid projects.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)

My Lords, we recognise the importance of taking the role of women fully into account in all aid projects. Some of our projects include special components for women. We are prepared to contribute to projects specifically devoted to helping women.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that the position of women as workers, as traders and as thinkers is crucial to the whole development exercise? Does she further agree that women in the third world are a disadvantaged group? Is she aware that the reputable organisation War on Want has publicly stated that the British aid programme is damaging the interests of some women in the third world and it is anxious that the Ministry should say specifically what it is doing to assist women in the use of development aid from this country?

Baroness Young

My Lords, the noble Lord will be glad to know that I agree very much about the importance of women as traders and thinkers. He will be glad to know that we are well aware that almost 90 per cent. of food for domestic consumption in Africa is produced by women. The ODA's method of keeping statistics makes it difficult to provide precise figures on the amount of aid going to women in the developing world. However, all aid benefits women and some projects have special components for women. We are considering ways to prepare statistics on the proportion of aid going to help women. We want to do more. We have produced a booklet, of which I am sure the noble Lord is aware, which sets out 18 projects designed specifically to help women.

Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, would the noble Baroness be surprised to learn that I also agree with my noble friend Lord Hatch on this point? Will she tell us whether steps are in hand not only to obtain statistics on our aid to these countries but also to monitor the effect of the special projects for women? Does she agree that if we are to give the most effective aid to these countries, it is important to monitor, and in the light of the monitoring perhaps to adjust, our assistance?

Baroness Young

Yes, my Lords. The noble Baroness makes a good point. It is important that we should use our aid effectively and I can assure her that we take steps to monitor how it is used in the developing world.

Lord Paget of Northampton

My Lords, will the noble Baroness take pains to ensure that in the course of our interference with the affairs of the third world we do not interfere with the established rights of husband and wife in third world families?

Baroness Young

My Lords, the noble Lord's question begs a great many other questions. It is not a matter on which I would want to pronounce this afternoon.

Lord Walston

My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that the role of the VSO in these matters is of great importance. Is she aware that the number of volunteers who are women is considerable and that the part they play is enormously important?

Baroness Young

My Lords, I can confirm the importance of NGOs in their work both at home and in developing countries. It is something that we appreciate and have supported.

Lord Oram

My Lords, as the welfare of women is involved in practically every aspect of life in developing countries, should not every project undertaken by the Overseas Development Administration be monitored to see that it takes account of the needs of women? I believe that to be the procedure in the ODA in respect of family planning projects. Every one is vetted from that point of view. Would it not be suitable to use the same procedure in relation to women's questions?

Baroness Young

Yes, my Lords, the noble Lord is quite correct in what he says. All aid affects women in one way or another. The booklet to which I have referred, a copy of which is in the Library, gives examples of 18 projects. A recent example is our major support for the Open University in Pakistan, which helps to educate people excluded from formal education, especially rural women. This has been helpful. I accept his point about recognising within our administrative arrangements the importance of monitoring the work that is being done.

Lord Leatherland

My Lords, as the Government are abolishing many of the good things in life, can the noble Baroness give us a serious assurance that the Government have no plans to abolish women?

Baroness Young

My Lords, the short answer to the noble Lord is that I have always believed in the natural superiority of women over men and would not think of abolishing women.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her sympathy with the spirit behind this Question. Is she aware that in real terms overseas aid today is 20 per cent. less than it was in 1979, that only 20 per cent. of present overseas aid is spent in the interests of the poorest of the developing countries, and that therefore the amount that goes to women must be very tiny indeed? Would she consider, in support of what she appeared to be sympathetic towards in the question of my noble friend Lord Oram, the setting up in the ODA of a women's unit to ensure that every development project funded by this country is vetted before it is put into practice to see what its effect on women in the third world country will be, as has been promised by the Labour Party?

Baroness Young

My Lords, I would not accept the remarks which prefaced the noble Lord's supplementary question. We do not believe that a women's unit would be helpful within the ODA. We believe that it would marginalise the issue and that women could be forgotten in many projects. It is much more important to integrate women's interests in all development issues and to ensure that they stay in the mainstream. That is our view about this matter, and this is something to which I personally attach great importance. I believe it is an effective way of helping women in the developing world.

Lord Harmar-Nicholls

My Lords, does my noble friend think that it is a good thing that Question Time should develop to a point where the questioner on the Order Paper seems to have the right to give a winding-up speech as though he is answering a debate?

Lord Diamond

My Lords, would the Minister be good enough to use her offices to encourage the policy of integrating women more fully into their inheritance rights in your Lordships' House?

Baroness Young

My Lords, the noble Lord will know that that is very wide of the Question on the Order Paper.

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