Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
118. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the priorities of the Government on a sexual and reproductive health policy ahead of the Generation Equality Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33914/21]
View answerThe Generation Equality Forum hosted by the Government of France and convened by UN Women will take place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July. Ireland has engaged closely with the preparatory process, including through my participation at the virtual high-level event hosted by the Government of Mexico in March.
The Paris Forum will launch a series of ambitious actions to further progress gender equality. Ireland has actively championed girls' education and gender transformative education in the preparations for Paris. This builds on a 2020 Irish initiative, called the Drive for Five, working with UN Women, the Malala Fund and others.
Ireland will submit a number of commitments under the Generation Equality process, covering both domestic and international policy areas. They will include work to end gender-based violence, to increase access to sexual and reproductive health services, and to increase funding to women’s rights organisations.
A key element of this is the provision of comprehensive sexuality education in and out of schools. My Department will invest at least €1.5 million in comprehensive sexuality education in the next 3 years. In recognition of the transformative role of education for gender equality, I have also pledged €60 million to the Global Partnership for Education over the next five years. €10 million of this is earmarked to the Girls’ Accelerator Mechanism.
