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In the coming years, Belgium will invest an additional 43 million euros in the rights of girls and women around the world. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo announced this at the “Global Citizen Mandela 100” international charity concert in Johannesburg. Minister De Croo shared the stage with African heads of state and government, and music stars such as Chris Martin, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Pharrell Williams, Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo has launched, in partnership with Global Citizen, the international campaign #SheIsEqual. Their goal is to raise more than 500 million euros by the end of the year for gender equality, women's empowerment and women’s health. The Global Citizen campaign is supported by the governments of Belgium and Luxemburg, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Procter & Gamble.

Belgium takes an active role this week during the European Development Days, which will focus on the rights of girls and women. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo organizes together with the Be-cause Health platform a special session on the role that Europe must play on sexual and reproductive health and rights. He will also launch an international campaign which will focus on gender equality, women empowerment and women’s health.

Exactly one year after the launch of She Decides, we count 450 million euros extra financing for sexual and reproductive rights and health for girls and women.  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo is satisfied with the result, but also warns: "The battle isn't over. Too many girls and women still don't have the freedom to decide for themselves when, with whom and how many children they want."

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo received the First Lady of Benin Claudine Tallon. Mrs Tallon is on a working visit to our country this week in the framework of her Claudine Tallon Foundation, which aims to improve women’s and children’s rights in Benin. Last week, Belgium, Benin and Senegal organised a high-level event at the United Nations in New York on the use of digital data for better access to family planning.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo announced that Belgium will cooperate with its partner countries, Benin and Senegal, to improve access to family planning services through the use of big data and satellite imagery. Belgian data company Bluesquare and the universities of Brussels and Namur will also participate. Today, Belgium, Benin and Senegal jointly present the partnership at the United Nations in New York.

Joint statement by Belgium, United Kingdom and the Netherlands at the Family Planning Summit in London.

Speech of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo at the Family Planning Summit in London.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo today participates in the London Summit on Family Planning. During his speech, he made a remarkable appeal for more feminism among his male colleagues worldwide. Minister De Croo also announced additional contributions for the protection of girls and women in humanitarian crisis situations. Belgium also commits to digital technology in order to better map access to family planning in low-income countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo today signed two programmes in Benin, related to the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Belgium will be cooperating with UNICEF to help combat child marriages. With the support of our country, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be setting up an information project aimed at young people and women, covering sexual education and sexual violence. Minister De Croo also announced that Belgium will release a total of 60 million euros over the next four years in support of UNICEF's work and another 36 million euros for UNFPA.