Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative has a three-year funding cycle.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in November 2022, is backed by £12.5 million of funding over three years (2022-25). More than £4 million was spent on PSVI in Financial Year 2022-23. The UK regularly uses our UN Security Council (UNSC) platform to call for an end to Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CSRV). In July, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, chaired an UNSC Open Debate on CRSV, where he drew attention to the implementation gap between international legal architecture on CRSV and realities on the ground.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he plans to take to support international investigations into reports of gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas during the attack on Israel of 7 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The reports of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli women and girls and other civilians are horrifying. We unequivocally condemn gender-based violence in Israel and wherever it occurs in the world. Conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime. We are regularly engaging with partners, including the UN, on this issue and call for these reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims.
The UK is a global leader in preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Phase 1 of our pioneering What Works to Prevent Violence programme resulted in reductions in violence of around 50%, proving that violence is preventable. The UK is continuing our work to end gender-based violence in phase 2 of the What Works programme, in which we are investing £67.5 million. In addition, in November 2023, the UK announced £33 million of further funding to support our efforts in tackling gender-based violence. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in 2022, sets out the work we are leading globally to prevent Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and strengthen justice for all survivors.
The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon gave a statement on 15 December regarding the reports of sexual violence by Hamas, calling for them to be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, when the UK last raised global responses to Conflict-related Sexual Violence in the UN Security Council.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in November 2022, is backed by £12.5 million of funding over three years (2022-25). More than £4 million was spent on PSVI in Financial Year 2022-23. The UK regularly uses our UN Security Council (UNSC) platform to call for an end to Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CSRV). In July, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, chaired an UNSC Open Debate on CRSV, where he drew attention to the implementation gap between international legal architecture on CRSV and realities on the ground.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many experts in preventing sexual violence in conflict have been deployed in the field under that Initiative since February 2021.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Team of Experts (ToE) is a group of independent experts deployed to support UK, international and local efforts to address Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV).
Since February 2021, there have been 13 PSVI ToE deployments. For example, in Ukraine, experts are assisting domestic investigations and prosecution of international crimes and supporting the development and implementation of a national CRSV Action Plan. Prior to the 2022 PSVI Conference, experts developed and delivered plans to meaningfully engage survivors. In Ethiopia, experts supported civil society capacity building to strengthen local responses to CRSV.
Dec. 15 2023
Source Page: Lord Ahmad on reports of sexual violence perpetrated by HamasFound: Lord Ahmad on reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much of the £12.5 million allocated to the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in November 2022 has been spent; and if he will publish a breakdown by project of this spending.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in November 2022, is backed by £12.5 million of funding over three years (2022-25). More than £4 million was spent on PSVI in Financial Year 2022-23. The UK regularly uses our UN Security Council (UNSC) platform to call for an end to Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CSRV). In July, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, chaired an UNSC Open Debate on CRSV, where he drew attention to the implementation gap between international legal architecture on CRSV and realities on the ground.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to meet each of the four priorities on preventing sexual violence in conflict.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
One year on from the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, we have delivered impact across each of its four objectives. We have driven global momentum, launching the International Alliance on PSVI. We have launched 'ACT for Survivors', a national-level capacity building programme promoting investigation and prosecution of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) crimes. PSVI contributions led to vital legislative changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a judicial macro case prosecuting CRSV crimes in Colombia. Setting a gold standard internationally, we pioneer survivor-centred approaches to decision making through our PSVI Survivor Champions and Survivor Advisory Group.
Asked by: Baroness Thornton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN attended the ‘Hear Our Voices: Sexual and gender-based violence in the October 7th Hamas terror attack’ event on 4 December at the UN headquarters; and if not, why.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Three representatives of the UK Permanent Representation to the United Nations attended this event. The UK unequivocally condemns the reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli women and girls and other civilians; conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime. We are regularly engaging with partners, including the UN, on this issue and call for these reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims. The UK is committed to strengthening the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in 2022, sets out the work I am leading globally as the PMs Special Representative for PSVI, to prevent Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and strengthen justice and support for all survivors.
Dec. 07 2010
Source Page: UK Government National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 women, peace & security. 52 p.Found: military and other actors for committing sexual violence.