Key facts
- The UK government has axed the Strengthening higher education for female empowerment (SHEFE) program after two years.
- The program had a £45 million budget and aimed to provide higher education access to 1 million girls across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
- The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) withdrew the tender for the project.
- The decision to cut the program is linked to an increase in defense spending.
- Critics argue the move undermines the UK's commitment to women and girls and reverses progress on gender equality.
The British government has withdrawn funding for a significant higher education program aimed at empowering women and girls, just two years after its announcement. The Strengthening higher education for female empowerment (SHEFE) initiative, with a budget of £45 million, intended to provide access to higher education for 1 million students across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had previously emphasized the FCDO's commitment to prioritizing women and girls. However, the decision to axe SHEFE has drawn criticism from various stakeholders, including Bambos Charalambous, MP and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on global education, who expressed alarm over the move, linking it to broader aid cuts. Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, co-founder of the International Parliamentary Network for Education, stated that the government's actions contradict its stated commitment to marginalized girls.
Concerns have also been raised about the Home Office blocking new study visas for individuals from Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar, and Cameroon, further limiting opportunities for women. The cuts to SHEFE are part of a larger trend of reduced funding for international education programs, with previous cancellations including the Education for All program in South Sudan and cuts to work in several African countries. The FCDO's Girls' Education Department has seen a 51% reduction in funding.
Analysis suggests that international aid to education is projected to fall by $3.2 billion by 2026, potentially leaving 6 million more children out of school. This trend follows a reduction in the UK's aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income by 2027. An FCDO spokesperson confirmed that the aid cuts are intended to fund an increase in defense spending, asserting that national security is the government's primary duty, while also stating that funding to tackle violence against women and girls remains protected.