Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) protect Hazara Muslim communities in Afghanistan from violence and (b) support Hazara Muslims refugees to help them to travel to the UK.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans and to protect minority groups, including Hazaras, from attacks. On 7 October, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution to extend the UN Special Rapporteur's mandate to monitor and report on the situation for another year.
The Government is working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to resettle refugees through UNHCR's standard resettlement categories, based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities. The first arrivals have already been welcomed to the UK and we will continue to receive further UNHCR referrals for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote access to safe abortion and post-abortion care in Nigeria.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK does not provide direct support for abortion or post-abortion care in Nigeria. The UK-funded Lafiya programme supports strengthening health systems, as well as a broad range of primary health care interventions that includes maternal and child health, family planning, and HIV and AIDS response.
The UK's Women's Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) programme, which works across 17 African countries including Nigeria, has prevented 5.9 million unsafe abortions since 2018. This £260 million programme delivers voluntary family planning services and reproductive health and rights, with a focus on reaching those most in need - young people, women living in extreme poverty and people with disabilities. It has also prevented 16.5 million unintended pregnancies, supported 9.5 million women and girls to use modern methods of contraception, and averted 45,080 maternal deaths.
The UK funded Global Financing and Reproductive Health Supplies programme (through support to FP2030 and UNAIDS) also plays a vital role in strengthening countries' own ability to deliver life-saving maternal, reproductive and child health services.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade on the (a) reported recent human rights violations in the Kingdom of Swaziland and (b) potential implications of those reports for (i) trade, (ii) overseas development aid and (iii) other relationships with that country.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Following the violent confrontations in 2021, the UK remains disappointed by the lack of progress towards meaningful dialogue in Eswatini to address the restrictions on democratic and civil rights. The High Commissioner raised our concerns with His Majesty King Mswati III and senior Ministers earlier this month, and explored ways in which the UK and other international partners could facilitate constructive engagement. The Prime Minister also raised the political situation with the King at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda.
The International Labour Organisation has recently facilitated a bipartite dialogue between representatives of employers and workers to address outstanding questions of labour rights and mistreatment. This has provided a platform for constructive exchange and the High Commission is supporting efforts for further inclusive exchanges with other stakeholders.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the (a) Trade Union Congress of Swaziland's complaint against the Government of Eswatini for violating conventions 87 and 89, (b) death of Mr. Sabelo Dlamini, a worker taking part in a Trade Union protest and (c) other attacks on trade unionists reported in that complaint; and what recent assessment she has made of the extent to which Swaziland meets the human rights requirements of the Commonwealth.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Following the violent confrontations in 2021, the UK remains disappointed by the lack of progress towards meaningful dialogue in Eswatini to address the restrictions on democratic and civil rights. The High Commissioner raised our concerns with His Majesty King Mswati III and senior Ministers earlier this month, and explored ways in which the UK and other international partners could facilitate constructive engagement. The Prime Minister also raised the political situation with the King at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda.
The International Labour Organisation has recently facilitated a bipartite dialogue between representatives of employers and workers to address outstanding questions of labour rights and mistreatment. This has provided a platform for constructive exchange and the High Commission is supporting efforts for further inclusive exchanges with other stakeholders.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the The Joint Statement: International Just Energy Transition Partnership Joint Statement, published on 2 November 2021, which announced an initial commitment of $8.5 billion for the first phase of financing, how much the Government is providing; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of that financial commitment; and from what budget that funding is coming from.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is among the world's leading providers of climate finance, with a commitment to double our spend over the next 5 years (to £11.6 billion). The UK's contribution to the Just Energy Transition Partnership forms part of this. Together with USA, Germany, France and the EU, and in partnership with development finance institutions and leveraging additional significant support from the multilateral development banks and the private sector including capital markets, we are working with South Africa on the structures for the $8.5 billion package announced at COP26. This includes work on the investment plans that will underpin the package. The funding will come primarily from the FCDO budget.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to The Joint Statement: International Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa of 2 November 2021, what plans the Government has for other Just Energy Transition Partnerships to support other countries.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Just Energy Transition Partnerships are a key delivery mechanism for the Clean Green Initiative announced by the Prime Minister at COP26 in November last year, and will improve global energy sustainability and security by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. These partnerships will provide a single focal point to channel technical assistance, public finance, and - crucially - private finance to support a host country's energy transition ambitions.
Following on from the announcement of the Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa at COP26, we have been working closely with partners to reach agreement with other potential host country governments. We look forward to the announcement of partnerships with further countries later this year.