UK Scraps $56M Global Education Initiative for Women and Girls After Two Years Amid Aid Cuts]

UK Scraps $56M Global Education Initiative for Women and Girls After Two Years Amid Aid Cuts]

A major UK-led higher education program aimed at supporting 1 million women across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East has been abruptly terminated after just two years, Officials said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) withdrew the tender for the Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) initiative, which carried a £45 million budget.

The program was launched by the previous Conservative government with significant promotion and was designed to expand access to higher education for women in regions where opportunities remain severely limited. Research shows that girls who receive higher education are up to six times less likely to marry as children and face reduced risks of partner violence, while also increasing their lifetime earning potential.

In recent remarks, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized her commitment to women and girls, stating they represent a priority for the FCDO and that she aims to work internationally to make women’s safety a global focus.

Labour MP Bambos Charalambous, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on global education, expressed concern over the cancellation, calling it a potential setback for efforts to empower women through education. “It’s alarming that a flagship program appears to have been scrapped due to aid cuts,” he said. “While FCDO acknowledges the transformative power of such partnerships, we must now consider how to rebuild support for similar initiatives.”

The decision comes amid broader restrictions affecting women’s access to education. The Home Office has blocked new student visas for applicants from Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar, and Cameroon, limiting opportunities for women in countries where educational access is restricted.

Critics argue the move reflects a weakening of the UK’s stance on global women’s education. Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly of the International Parliamentary Network for Education stated, “The government speaks of commitment to women and girls, yet repeatedly denies the world’s most vulnerable girls access to higher education—the single greatest factor in improving their lives and communities.”

This follows earlier cancellations, including a £150 million Education for All program in South Sudan and cuts to educational work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. The FCDO’s Girls’ Education Department has seen a 51% reduction in funding.

A representative from Bond, a UK-based network for international development organizations, warned that such cuts threaten progress on gender equality and efforts to combat gender-based violence globally. Recent polling indicates that most UK citizens support protecting programs aiding women and girls from budget reductions.

Education funding is projected to drop by $3.2 billion globally by 2026, according to UNICEF, potentially pushing 6 million more children out of school. The UK’s aid budget is set to decrease from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income by 2027, below the UN target of 0.7%.

An FCDO spokesperson said the aid cuts align with increased defense spending, adding, “National security remains our top priority. We remain committed to our values, including protecting women and girls—a Foreign Office priority this year—and violence against women and girls remains a protected area of funding.”

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