Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the efforts of the government of Switzerland in convening a meeting of the parties to the Geneva Conventions.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to call for International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949, to be respected around the world. 196 States have ratified the Conventions and have obligations to respect and adhere to their provisions. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva met Swiss Government officials in December to discuss their plans to convene a meeting of High Contracting Parties. We are considering how to engage in preparations for the meeting, and await further information on its scope, objectives and timing.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission's report Findings of the investigations conducted by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan into violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and related crimes, committed in the Sudan in the context of the conflict that erupted in mid-April 2023, published on 23 October, documenting the  sexual violence committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces during the Sudanese civil war.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In October 2023, the UK led efforts at the UN Human Rights Council to establish the independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to gather and preserve evidence of credible human rights violations and abuses in Sudan. We further lobbied for the FFM's renewal in October 2024. The UK uses its position as penholder at the UN Security Council and as leader of the Sudan Core Group at the Human Rights Council to highlight human rights abuses and to call on both warring parties to adhere to their commitments in the Jeddah Declaration to adhere to international law as well as to their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians. During a UN Security Council meeting on 19 December, we condemned RSF attacks in North Darfur and called on both warring parties to adhere to international humanitarian law. The UK also supports the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and wider UN agencies and efforts to investigate and restrain Conflict-related Sexual Violence (CRSV) cases. We will continue to use findings from the FFM to raise awareness of human rights violations in Sudan.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the government of Sudan to prevent atrocities in that country; and whether they plan to deploy any members of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict team of experts to Sudan or neighbouring countries.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread and underreported in Sudan. Cases have increased significantly since the start of the conflict. As part of the UK's Official Development Assistance to Sudan and neighbouring countries, which now stands at £226.5 million, we provide support to survivors of SGBV through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund. On 26 September, the UK convened an event at the UN General Assembly with Dutch and Swiss partners to address SGBV in Sudan, drawing international attention to the plight of women and girls. We have also pivoted our existing programmes to focus more on prevention, protection and care for rape survivors, including the provision of clinical treatment, dignity kits and psycho-social services. While there is no plan to deploy members from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict team of experts at this time, we continually keep all available levers to prevent and respond to SGBV in Sudan under review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the £113 million aid package for Sudan announced in November will be committed to addressing conflict-related sexual violence.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread and underreported in Sudan. Cases have increased significantly since the start of the conflict, particularly in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan. As part of the recent £113 million uplift, we will continue to support the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) which provides flexible, multi-sector support to NGOs, including the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs). We have pivoted our existing programmes to focus more on prevention, protection and care for rape survivors, including the provision of clinical treatment, dignity kits and psycho-social services. While there is no plan to deploy members from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict team of experts at this time, we continually keep all available levers to prevent and respond to SGBV in Sudan under review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made regarding the implementation of the recommendations from the 2021 Ethiopia scoping mission by the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK is committed to preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). We worked with partners on the recommendations of the 2021 PSVI Team of Experts (ToE) scoping mission to Ethiopia. We enhanced domestic capacity to monitor and document CRSV cases, facilitated a PSVI ToE-led workshop for civil society, commissioned research into the dynamics of CRSV, collaborated with external partners to increase CRSV data analysis and coordination, and embedded longer-term gender expertise. We also provide financial support for gender-based violence services in Ethiopia, including psychosocial support to survivors and enhancing protection work.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what resources have been dedicated by the Integrated Security Fund to initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes and drivers of conflict.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) came into operation on 1 April 2024 and has a budget of almost £1bn for Financial Year 2024/25.

The Fund administers a wide range of activity to tackle the root causes and drivers of conflict, however these are not tracked as separate components or activity. Activity targeting these issues are embedded into a number of areas of programming including countering transnational threats, serious and organised crime, terrorism, state threat activity and climate security. Resources also comprise advisory support including conflict advisors, gender advisors as well as monitoring and evaluation advisors based in the UK and in Programme Teams in UK Missions overseas.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of funds committed to the Integrated Security Fund are dedicated to funding peacebuilding and mediation support programmes.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) came into operation on 1 April 2024 and has a budget of almost £1bn for Financial Year 2024/25.

The Fund prioritises spending on those geographies and thematic issues that pose the greatest direct threat to the UK. Activity focussed on peacebuilding and delivering mediation support are embedded into programmes across the ISF. These are not tracked as individual or separate components. ISF programmes offer an integrated approach to addressing conflict in a comprehensive manner, such as funding security sector reform assistance, addressing insurgency through rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and supporting peace agreement processes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of funds committed to the Integrated Security Fund have been dedicated to funding programmes and initiatives relating to (1) civil society peacebuilding and (2) women, peace, and security, since it replaced the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund in 2024.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) came into operation on 1 April 2024 and has a budget of almost £1bn for Financial Year 2024/25.

Support to civil society actors in conflict environments is a vital component of how the Fund delivers activity. These are not tracked as individual or separate components.

The Fund is meeting ambitious standards on both dedicated Women, Peace and Security programming and gender mainstreaming across the entire fund, ensuring women and girls’ needs are included in conflict and security responses. In Financial Year 2024/25 the ISF provides dedicated funding through the Gender, Peace and Security portfolio to progress those objectives. The ISF has a mandatory requirement whereby all programmes should include a project where gender is a primary objective for at least one project within the programme. We have also increased technical and advisory support, including through the Women, Peace and Security Helpdesk which is providing joined up advice across government on WPS.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Official Development Assistance has been dedicated to peacebuilding and mediation support programmes in each year between 2016 and 2025.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending on civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution, as defined by the Development Assistance Committee within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (sector code 15220), has declined in real terms in every year from 2016-2022 and has dropped from 2.7% to 0.8% of total ODA between 2016 and 2023. At the same time the prevalence of conflict has increased. Last September at the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister said, "We must put new energy and creativity into conflict resolution and conflict prevention, reverse the trend towards ever-greater violence, [and] make the institutions of peace fit for purpose." Data for subsequent years is not yet available.

Found: Democratic Republic of Congo: Rwanda 18 Nov 2024 | HL2313 Asked by: Baroness Helic To ask His