Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has taken steps to provide aid to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Palestine.

We are deeply concerned by allegations of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians. The UK has consistently called for these reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors, and for all parties to take a survivor-centred approach. Lord Collins, who was appointed as the Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI) on 15 November, attended the Conference of the International Alliance on PSVI in Colombia on 25-26 November and made a clear recommitment to the UK's support of PSVI. The UK is committed to alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank through partner agencies. Assistance includes support to pregnant women, distribution of dignity kits for women and girls, and mental health, and psychosocial support (MHPSS). The UK's partners, UNICEF, UNRWA, WFP and the ICRC, have gender sensitive strategies in place, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV) risk mitigation.