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Last Updated on Friday, 23 November 2012 11:32 Written by Communications Intern Friday, 26 November 2010 15:14

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Head of Section - Lord David Chidgey

Lord (George William) David Chidgey is Liberal Democrat former MP. He currently sits in the House of Lords, having life peer status. He has been a member of AWEPA since 2007.
 
In 2008 Lord Chidgey was named the Chairman of the Oversight Committee for the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, a think tank devoted to policy concerns throughout the Commonwealth.
 
 
 

 Activities  
 

Debate for Strengthening Parliamentary and AWEPA's work in the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan
17 October

Lord Chidgey, Chair of the United Kingdom AWEPA group has raised the issue of Parliamentary strengthening and AWEPA's work in the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan, in the debate in the House of Lords. You can find the full debate in Hansard, on line, via the House of Lords website: read more and a letter written to Lord Chidgey regarding this issue click here.

The AWEPA UK Section and the International Day of the Girl Child

11 Oct 2012
On 11 October Lord Chidgey, Chair of the United Kingdom AWEPA group, sent a letter to the Secretary of State for International Development, Hon. Justine Greening MP to bring to her attention the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child. In his letter Lord Chidgey furthermore asked what measures the Department of International Development is taking, or plans to take, within the international community, to prioritise adolescent girls and tackle child marriage, within the DFID programme. For the full letter click here.

In the Order Paper of 11 October there were also five Written Questions on the issue of child marriage. To read these questions click here.

In addition, there are two parliamentary inquiries into the issue currently ongoing in the UK. The first inquiry is being conducted by the House of Commons Education Select Committee into Child Protection in the UK, which includes the issue of forced marriages. The Committee has concluded its oral evidence sessions and a report is currently being drafted. Further information about the inquiry can be found via the following link.

The second inquiry is being undertaken by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health explicitly into the issue of Child Marriage. This All Party Parliamentary Group has conducted evidence sessions, and is currently in the process of compiling a report which will be launched and disseminated. Further information about this inquiry can be found here.
 

Meeting with the Elders
3 Jul 2012
AWEPA Governing Council Member for the UK, Lord Chidgey met with three of the ten Elders at a special meeting called by Parliamentarians from all parties interested in international development. The Elders, brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007, are globally recognised and trusted leaders who have been, and continue to be, drivers for change. The Elders present, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking in the Houses of Parliament, were disappointed by the lack of leadership at Rio+20.

Mary Robinson said “Sexual violence in conflict and women’s rights are key issues, where women continue to be treated as second class citizens.  With no leadership forthcoming to tackle the horrors of child marriage and FGM inflicted on young girls, we will have to think in terms of a coalition of the willing.”

David Chidgey has confirmed that, at the request of the Elders, AWEPA has adopted child marriage as a priority work area, along with FGM.  “We need to find ways of working more closely together, through AWEPA, through Parliaments, through communities, to tackle these issues, both in the Diaspora and in the wider world.  With Archbishop Tutu as the Honorary Chair of the Advisory Board of AWEPA, and Mary Robinson as a Board Member, AWEPA is in a strong position to take a leading role in the drive for change”.

For more information on this meeting, check The Elders website.

  

International Women's Day
“Effective Solutions for Agriculture Development through Empowered African Woman Scientists.”
7 Mar 2012 

Heidi Alexander, MP and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food Development take part in a briefing on the role of African woman in agriculture on the eve of the International Woman’s Day.
pdf Invitation 

 

Press

 

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