The UK’s Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) program, a £45m initiative aimed at keeping 1 million girls in school across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, has had its tender withdrawn, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The program was unveiled two years ago by the outgoing Conservative government.
The SHEFE program was designed to increase access to higher education for 1 million students worldwide.
Cutting them now risks undoing years of fragile gains.”
The FCDO cited “revised fiscal priorities” as the primary reason for the cancellation, a move that aligns with broader UK aid cuts announced earlier in 2026. The Department for International Development (DFID), now merged into the FCDO, had previously faced pressure to reallocate resources toward “immediate humanitarian crises,” including conflicts in the Middle East and climate-related disasters. A leaked internal memo obtained by The Guardian suggests that officials viewed SHEFE as “a long-term investment with uncertain returns,” despite its alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).
Cutting programs like SHEFE undermines the UK’s reputation as a leader in humanitarian aid.”
The termination has drawn criticism from international allies and advocacy groups. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) noted that the program had contributed to an increase in female enrollment in partner institutions during its first year. “The loss of this initiative will exacerbate existing inequalities,” said UNESCO spokesperson Maria Alvarez. “We urge the UK to reconsider its position and explore alternative funding mechanisms.”
Historically, the UK has been a major donor for global education, contributing significant funds annually to programs supporting girls’ schooling in low-income countries. However, recent years have seen a shift toward “targeted” aid, with funds redirected to emergency relief and security-focused projects. The SHEFE cancellation follows similar cuts to the UK’s Girls’ Education Challenge, which ended in 2025 after a decade of operation.
For the girls who relied on SHEFE, the impact is immediate. In Pakistan, where the program funded 15 new scholarship hubs, students like 17-year-old Ayesha Khan reported uncertainty about their futures. “We were finally able to dream of becoming doctors or engineers,” Khan said. “Now, it feels like our hopes are being taken away.”
The decision also raises questions about the UK’s role in global gender equity.
As the FCDO prepares to outline its new aid strategy, advocates are pushing for transparency in the decision-making process. A parliamentary inquiry launched this week seeks to examine the criteria used to evaluate programs like SHEFE, with critics arguing that the termination was rushed and lacked consultation with stakeholders. “We need to understand why this was deemed expendable,” said Labour MP Sarah Thompson. “This isn’t just about money—it’s about values.”
The fate of SHEFE’s remaining funds remains unclear. The FCDO stated that “unspent resources will be reallocated to areas of immediate need,” though no specifics were provided. For now, the program’s termination stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of international development efforts in an era of economic uncertainty.
