Interviewed by The Independent, new International Development minister Lynne Featherstone stood by the target of giving 0.7% of GDP in international aid, and moreover setting that target in law:

Featherstone is adamant that the 0.7 per cent figure will be enshrined in law “as soon as we can get a legislative slot” and that Greening is “absolutely committed to it”.

Having been shuffled out of an equalities role in the UK, she will instead by taking up many equalities issues internationally in her new department:

Featherstone’s new brief at DfID covers women’s rights, including breaking the silence on the “eggshell” topic of female genital mutilation which is largely ignored by the mainstream.

She says there is now, for the first time, “huge momentum” within Africa to tackle the issue. She wants to see the practice eradicated – in the same way as foot-binding in China – within the next generation.

You can read the interview in full here.

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