Overview

This bill amends the International Development Act 2002 and the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006 to ensure that UK government development and humanitarian aid considers gender equality. It mandates that aid distribution considers the reduction of gender inequality and requires annual reporting on the steps taken to achieve this.

Description

The International Development (Gender Equality) Bill mandates that the UK Secretary of State must consider the impact of gender inequality when distributing development and humanitarian aid. Specifically:

• Development Assistance: When providing development assistance, the Secretary of State must consider how the aid can reduce poverty while also reducing inequality between genders.
• Humanitarian Assistance: When providing humanitarian aid, the Secretary of State must consider any gender-related differences in needs amongst those affected by disasters or emergencies.
• Annual Reporting: The annual report on the effectiveness of aid will now include information on the steps taken to address gender inequality in line with the changes made to the International Development Act 2002.

The bill allows for actions taken before its passing to be considered as fulfilling its requirements.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify changes to the overall budget for UK international development or humanitarian aid. Instead, it aims to change how existing funds are allocated and monitored to better address gender inequality.

Groups Affected

This bill will primarily affect:

• Women and girls in developing countries who are likely to benefit from aid programs designed to reduce gender inequality.
• The UK government's Department for International Development (DFID), which will need to adapt its aid distribution processes to comply with the bill's requirements.
• Organizations receiving UK aid, who may need to adjust their proposals and reporting to align with the new focus on gender equality.

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