Global women’s rights at risk amid UK aid rollback

Global women’s rights are at risk, warn humanitarian groups, as newly appointed minister Baroness Chapman signals cuts to education and gender-focused UK aid programmes.

The remarks have triggered alarm across numerous women-focused aid organisations. According to Middle East Eye, a UK-based coalition of more than a dozen groups working on women, peace, and security has condemned the move. They warned that such cuts would constitute a serious retreat from the UK’s long-standing commitment to human rights, with potentially “devastating consequences” for women and girls globally.

Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) UK further cautioned that the proposed reductions threaten to withdraw “vital funding” from frontline, women-led organisations. The group stressed that this could reverse hard-won progress in areas including education, healthcare, protection from violence, and women’s political participation.

Organisations have voiced strong criticism over what they view as a dismantling of the UK’s previous prioritisation of women’s and girls’ rights. They argue that this shift not only jeopardises past achievements, but more importantly, puts the lives and futures of women and girls around the world at risk.

Baroness Chapman assumed her role following the resignation of Anneliese Dodds earlier this year. The former cabinet minister stepped down after the government announced its decision to reduce international aid spending from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income, reallocating funds to bolster defence.

Just months before her resignation, Dodds had written in Middle East Eye about the gendered impact of conflict and her commitment to ensuring that women and girls would “be at the heart of everything” she did.

Lady Chapman’s appointment, however, has marked a departure from that vision. Speaking before the International Development Committee, she made clear that financial constraints would require difficult choices.

“Inevitably, this means that in some areas and countries, there will be less to spend,” she said. “There is no point being anything other than completely open about this. I think that is likely to be on education and gender.”

The announcement has been particularly striking given the UK’s historical leadership on gender in global development. In 2000, the UK played a key role in championing the landmark UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security, which acknowledged the disproportionate effects of conflict on women and girls. Lady Chapman’s recent remarks are seen as a notable divergence from that legacy.

She has stated that the UK’s development strategy will now focus more narrowly on humanitarian crises, healthcare, and climate change. Emphasising a shift in priorities, she added: “The days of viewing the UK government as a global charity are over,” insisting that the country must transition into the role of an investor, “not just a donor”.

“We have to show the country that we have a strategy that matches their values, supports their interest and that I hope can make the country proud of what we do,” she said.

While Chapman noted that gender and education considerations would be “mainstreamed and integrated,” she also acknowledged the limitations of the new approach, stating candidly that she could not “promise to protect every good programme” — a comment that has left many organisations questioning the UK’s future commitment to gender equality in global development.

Middle East Eye/ GAPS UK/ Maghrebi.org