HC Deb 08 March 1990 vol 168 cc783-4W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number and percentage of overseas projects supported by the Overseas Development Administration in which 50 per cent. of intended beneficiaries are women.

Mr. Maude

Assuming that the project area has a normal gender balance, about 50 per cent. of the beneficiaries, either directly or indirectly, of most overseas projects are women. The Overseas Development Administration has an integrated policy on women in development which takes account of the role of women in all aid activities.

The ODA will be introducing the new statistical reporting system of OECD for women in development in 1990. This system has rigorous criteria for classifying projects which assist women but even this will not provide the data necessary to give a precise answer to this question.