Mar. 04 2024
Source Page: UK supports most vulnerable women and girls in UkraineFound: UK supports most vulnerable women and girls in Ukraine
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current situation regarding human rights in Ethiopia.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Violent conflict, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia, has led to widespread human rights violations and abuses, including arbitrary arrests, killings, torture, sexual violence and enforced disappearances. Whilst the situation in the Tigray region has significantly improved, two years after the end of conflict, we have yet to see whether a new transitional justice policy will correct the lack of accountability for human rights violations and abuses committed in Tigray and elsewhere. More broadly, whilst there is progress in social and economic areas, including access to health and education, civil society operates in a restrictive, shrinking environment.
Mentions:
1: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con - Life peer) as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, I saw abhorrent - Speech Link
2: Baroness Helic (Con - Life peer) I welcome the Government’s plan to host an event on conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan. - Speech Link
3: Baroness Goudie (Lab - Life peer) sexual violence in conflict areas and both within and outside Sudan—on the move or in countries of asylum - Speech Link
4: Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab - Life peer) The United Kingdom’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative is playing a crucial role in addressing - Speech Link
Written Evidence May. 08 2024
Inquiry: Implications of the war in Ukraine for UK DefenceFound: IUD0008 - Implications of the war in Ukraine for UK Defence Henry Jackson Society Written Evidence
Mar. 11 2024
Source Page: The UK is deeply concerned by Special Representative Patten's findings of sexual violence on 7 October: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: The UK is deeply concerned by Special Representative Patten's findings of sexual violence on 7 October
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of fatalities and people displaced in the conflict in Darfur, and what part they are playing in ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The limited access environment and ongoing internet and telecommunication disruptions in Sudan means that reporting on the ground is extremely restricted, so there is no accurate estimate of the number of people killed or injured. Recent estimates suggest that there are 5.2 million people internally displaced in Darfur. We continue to take a leading role in supporting processes for justice and accountability in Sudan. The Human Rights Council adopted the UK-led 'Sudan Core Group' resolution in October 2023, mandating the creation of a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM), which will ensure that credible allegations of human rights violations and abuses, including acts of conflict-related sexual violence by all sides, will be investigated impartially in order to support future accountability efforts.
Jul. 08 2024
Source Page: The UK calls on all parties to the conflict to uphold the humanitarian truce in the Democratic Republic of Congo: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: The UK calls on all parties to the conflict to uphold the humanitarian truce in the Democratic Republic
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to re-appoint a Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The current set of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) envoys is presently under review. FCDO Ministers will take decisions on envoys in due course, and appointments of any new envoys will be announced publicly.
Mar. 28 2024
Source Page: UK to nearly double aid for Sudan as humanitarian crisis deepensFound: After almost a year of conflict, 25 million people in Sudan need assistance, and the country is on the
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help tackle conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, there has been a significant escalation of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. The UK has reprioritised its official development assistance programming to focus on gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, protection of and care for rape survivors. We have also integrated CRSV into humanitarian assistance, making use of local Women's Centres, mobile clinics and internally displaced person's gathering points, for community engagement and service provision. In Sudan in 2023, over 26,000 people have been provided with sexual and reproductive health services, over 38,000 people have been given mental health and psychological support, and over 9,000 people have benefited from risk mitigation and response services.