Q
Asked by Jim Shannon (Strangford)
Asked on: 16 November 2016
Department for International Development
53326
“To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s education projects in Pakistan in identifying and targeting girls from religious minorities.”
A
Answered by: Rory Stewart
Answered on: 23 November 2016
DFID Pakistan’s education portfolio is designed to provide inclusive education to all children, regardless of their location, gender, religion, or socioeconomic background. DFID has a range of mechanisms which support girls from religious minorities. Through these mechanisms we target girls from religious minorities amongst other groups. DFID liaises with the Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association to understand the needs of teachers and students from minority religions and address them through its various work streams. DFID supports a quota for children from minority religions for higher education scholarships through the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. The Sindh Education Non State Actors Programme is also building partnerships with non-government schools which aim to reach children from marginalised and minority communities, with a special focus on girls.