Extract from topical FCDO questions - May 2

Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind): Following the adoption of the global women and girls strategy, how is it being promoted and operationalised in Saudi Arabia, particular in terms of advocating for women’s and girls’ rights and amplifying the work of local women’s organisations in the region?(904738)

The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Mr Andrew Mitchell): Progress is being made on women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, with 37% of all those employed now women, which is a higher level than in Morocco  which was the outlier in all this. I can tell her that our excellent embassy team in Riyadh is running leadership and skills development programmes to help women, particularly those in the cyber sector and those who engage in sport.