Thank you, Madam President.

Promoting 12 years of quality education for all girls is a priority for the United Kingdom. Everyone has a right to education, which is firmly grounded in UN instruments and enables the realisation of many other rights.

Educating girls is the solution to a number of problems: it can break the cycle of poverty, improve health and bring lifelong opportunities, not just for individuals and their families, but for entire countries.

We have already supported nearly 6 million girls in the last 4 years. In 2019, the UK pledged £515 million to help 12 million more children – half of them girls – get into school, with a further £90 million to support education in emergencies and crises.

Since the Leave No Girl Behind campaign launched in 2018, we have worked tirelessly to build international political commitment for girls’ education.

Our Foreign Secretary co-chairs the Platform for Girls’ Education, which recently launched a new report on Political Leadership, showing that sustained political commitment is essential if we are to ensure that the world’s most marginalised girls get 12 years of quality education.

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 by 2030, it is imperative girls’ education remains central to the political agenda.

Thank you.

Dr Stella Bosire was awarded the Commonwealth Point of Light award, at an event hosted by the British High Commission in Nairobi, focussed on empowering women. Cabinet Secretary Amb Amina Mohammed attended the event in her capacity as the Co-Chair of the Platform for Girls’ Education.

With the turn of 2020, the 10-year countdown to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals has started. Despite progress made in the last decade, millions of girls around the world are still being denied their right to learn. The Platform for Girls’ Education launched a new flagship policy paper on the importance of sustained political leadership to drive change for girls’ education. The research is the latest to be published through the Platform as part of the Leave No Girl Behind Campaign. Leave No Girl Behind is a global campaign calling for 12 years of quality education for all girls, especially the most marginalised. The release of this policy paper in the opening days of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council is a timely reminder of the world’s promise to deliver on every girl’s right to 12 years of quality education.

Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said:

Empowering young people is the best investment for our future. At an individual level, Heads of Government, Ministers and Parliamentarians should develop legislation and policies to accelerate progress for girls’ education, as they set political priorities, plans and strategies. Collectively, we can achieve this through cross-ministerial coordination – which is the collaboration of different ministries in the development of policies for girls’ education, cross-parliamentary coalitions, and cross-country coalitions which involves the sharing and scaling up of effective practices across our regions.

The event also brought together companies and organisations who are supporting the empowerment of women in Kenya, including through responding to barriers such as gender-based violence and access to healthcare. Dr Stella Bosire’s work was highlighted as an outstanding example of the difference one individual can make; she has supported over 20,000 women and girls living in poverty with education programmes, mentoring, work experience and reproductive and sexual health advice.

Jane Marriott the British High Commissioner said:

I am delighted that Dr Stellah Bosire has been named as Kenya’s Commonwealth Point of Light Award winner, and am proud to present her with this award on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen. Her tireless championing of sexual and reproductive health and rights, mentorship of some of society’s most vulnerable people and support for civil society organising in East and Central Africa are fully deserving of this recognition and acclaim. I hope Dr Bosire’s shining example inspires citizens from across the Commonwealth and beyond to volunteer their skills, knowledge and experience in support of others. Many congratulations to her.

The Home Office has today (Friday 6 March 2020) announced a further £8 million of funding to help vulnerable EU citizens apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

There have already been more than 3.2 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and nearly 2.9 million granted status, with over a year left to go.

Charities and local authorities will bid for further funding to provide face-to-face, online and telephone support to vulnerable people across the UK. This may include legal support, caseworker services or general advice as either individual or group sessions.

Last year, the Home Office awarded £9 million funding to 57 charities across the UK who have helped hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people already.

The further £8 million of funding for the 2020-2021 financial year will ensure important information continues to get through to those hardest to reach.

Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster said:

EU citizens are an integral part of our society, culture and community, and this is their home.

Supporting vulnerable EU citizens and their families is at the forefront of our approach to the EU Settlement Scheme.

This new funding means no stone will be left unturned in ensuring everyone gets the help they need.

As with all government funding, there will be a competitive bidding process to ensure the right support is provided to all parts of the UK and makes best use of public money.

The 57 charities currently funded by the Home Office will have their funding extended until the end of June 2020, to allow their work to continue during the bidding process for new funding.

Successful organisations will be fully supported by the Home Office and will be able to speak to caseworkers directly to discuss individual cases.

The bid process will begin shortly and more details will be announced in due course.

The EU Settlement Scheme was launched in March 2019 and gives EU citizens and their family members the status they need to live and work in the UK after 30 June 2021.

There is a wide range of support available online, over the phone and in person to help them apply.

This includes a helpline open 7 days a week where 250 staff based in Liverpool answer questions and help people apply. There are 1,500 Home Office staff working on the scheme in total.

Home visits and telephone support are available from a tutor for those lacking in digital skills or without internet access.

Owners of Amazon Alexa and Google Play devices can now get the answers to over 50 commonly-asked questions about electric vehicles (EVs), thanks to the new Electric Vehicles Voice App.

In partnership with media agency Wavemaker, the Go Ultra Low campaign has launched an app to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about EVs. From charging and range, to benefits, costs and environmental benefits, the app aims to promote and inform people about a wide range of information on EVs.

Voiced by Go Ultra Low ambassador, broadcaster, writer and adventurer Ben Fogle, the app can be accessed through Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant by asking “Alexa, open electric vehicles” or saying, “Okay Google, talk to electric vehicles guide”.

Research by Wavemaker found that 20,000 questions a month go unanswered or are answered incorrectly by Alexa and Google Assistant. As only 26% of people who consider an electric vehicle currently go on to purchase one, this sparked inspiration to create an app to change people’s mindsets, positioning them as desirable and redefining the technology as normal and every-day.

Since its launch, the app has answered a combined total of 1662 questions, with an average session time of 2 minutes and 52 seconds.

Future of Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said:

Electric vehicles are no longer an idea for the future, with more people than ever before opting for this new and exciting form of transport.

Whether you’re interested in costs or the environmental benefits, this new app supported through the government’s Go Ultra low campaign, will help to drive the uptake of electric vehicles.

This will in turn cut transport emissions and make our communities healthier, better places to live… all from the comfort of our own sofas.

This government’s is investing £1.5 billion in charging infrastructure, to encourage people to switch to clean transport that is powering the electric transition across the UK’s roads.

Head of Go Ultra Low Poppy Welch said:

If we want to help UK consumers make the most informed decision when it comes to switching to an electric vehicle, it’s important that Go Ultra Low understands the latest consumer behaviour and embraces new technology. Voice Search is a growing trend and this new service will help support potential EV customers in a completely different and innovative way. It’s been great working with Wavemaker and in the space of 5 weeks we’ve developed content, designed the user experience and built the app.