§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 1998,Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation passed in the current session would affect women; what consultation she had with women's organisations; and if she will make a statement. [49090]
§ Clare ShortThe Department for International Development has not been responsible for any legislation passed in the current session. The Department assesses all its policies and programmes for gender impact, in line with the guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment that has been available since 1992.
394WOur White Paper, published in November 1997, reaffirmed our commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women by eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005; one of the key international development targets to which we subscribe.
We also played a key part in formulating the revised guidelines on gender, issued by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in April 1998.