09/19/2024 | News release | Archived content
CARE is calling on the new Labour Government to commit to building a feminist future. With global challenges growing more complex, now is the time for the government to ensure that women are at the forefront of the UK's foreign policy and international development agenda.
Our key message is simple: we want the Government to help secure a feminist future. The first step is committing 20% of the UK aid budget to gender equality projects.
The next five years will be pivotal for global democracies, particularly in shaping foreign policy and international development. The success of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals hangs in the balance as the world faces unprecedented economic challenges, conflicts, and the climate crisis. Amid these global shifts, not a single country has achieved full gender equality, with growing anti-gender equality movements rolling back hard-won rights.
Women and girls bear the brunt of these crises:
Yet, current global strategies for gender equality are simply not moving fast enough. The UN estimates it will take:
At CARE, we refuse to accept this.
Despite contributing the least to conflicts and crises, women and girls disproportionately suffer the consequences. They also carry out a large amount of unpaid care work, which increases during crises and becomes a barrier to realising their rights and potential. While many women lead in their communities and at the global level, their efforts are undervalued and underfunded.
The new Labour Government has stated their intention to be "proudly feminist" in its approach to foreign policy and international development, offering a unique opportunity to reverse the rollback of women's rights and pave the way for a feminist future. But what does a feminist future look like?
A feminist future means creating an environment where women are the active drivers of change, not the passive recipients. For the UK Government to achieve this, it must integrate feminist policies across all areas, recognising and addressing the barriers that limit women's and girls' rights, both at home and abroad.
In addition to upholding women's fundamental human rights, working with women leaders can help drive:
However, the previous Government's UK aid cuts have disproportionately impacted gender equality initiatives. From 2019 to 2021, UK aid spending on gender equality halved, and less than 1% of climate finance from donor governments to climate-impacted countries targets gender equality. This has to change.
We know the Government can't end gender equality overnight, but while we work towards the long term goal of a feminist future for all, the Government can take five important first steps:
By the new Government committing to embedding gender equality across all its objectives, we can mark a turning point for both the UK and global progress. CARE is ready to support the Government in building a feminist future, connecting UK decision-makers with women's rights organisations (WROs) and feminist innovators around the world.
Over the next few months, we will be talking to government figures and new MPs, urging them to help create a feminist future where women are not only protected but are the leaders of the global response to the world's most urgent crises.
Show your support for a feminist future by liking and sharing our posts on your socials!