Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

28th July 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan

Alison Blake

by Alison Blake

British Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan

A childhood for every child

One of the themes running through my work during my time in Pakistan has been supporting the courageous women and men working for women’s empowerment and equality and an end to violence against women in Pakistan. Violent conflict is perhaps the greatest “anti-development” driver a country can face. Pakistan has not only suffered 40-50,000 deaths […]

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25th July 2014

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by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Consular Responsibility

A major area of work for any British Embassy or High Commission is consular responsibility: looking after British nationals when they’re abroad. This is one of the three priority aims of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – together with protecting national security and building prosperity (our foreign policy as a whole is geared towards strengthening […]

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24th July 2014 Brasilia, Brazil

BRICS Week Part 03 – Guest blog by Chevening India network

As the third and last part of our Chevening BRICS conversation, I am delighted to share a piece by Mr Tarun Singhal, currently Director Enterprise, Business and Strategic Alliance and Partnerships at Steria and who was in the Chevening Advanced Management Programme for Young Indian IT Professionals in 2000-2001 at the Manchester Business School. The […]

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23rd July 2014

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Making a reality of the common good

There are many definitions of “the common good”. It is an idea born from early Christian thought, especially the writing of St Augustine, and a key concept of Catholic Social Teaching. As a phrase, it is used regularly by successive Popes, including Pope Francis, to describe a worthy objective of man’s strivings in society. A […]

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23rd July 2014

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by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

Girls: Reaching their Full Potential

by Peter Millett and Robert Jenkins As parents we all want the best for our children. To reach full potential, girls need a loving and secure home environment, a good education and support that encourages their talents so that they can enjoy happy, satisfying and fulfilling lives. Early marriage prevents that from happening.  Girls who […]

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22nd July 2014

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by Sarah Dickson

Ambassador to Guatemala (June 2012 - June 2015)

La Cumbre de la Niña

Cuando Hugo Swire, el Ministro de Estado para América Latina, estuvo aquí recientemente habló con muchas personas sobre derechos de niños (lea más de esto aquí). Esto es un tema tan global que todos podemos compartir nuestras experiencias y conocimientos para hacer mejoras a las maneras en que apoyamos a los niños. Es por eso […]

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