Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the rule of law and protect lawyers in (a) Iran and (b) other countries where those working on human rights are at risk.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We regularly raise human rights with the Government of Iran at all levels, and continue to take action with the international community by reminding Iran of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to guarantee procedural fairness in legal cases.
All Human Rights Priority Countries are required to have a Human Rights Strategy, which includes working with human rights defenders. Our Guidelines give guidance to our diplomatic network on how to support and promote their work. Depending on the local context, this might involve making public statements, attending trials, or working privately with host governments. The UK also supports human rights defenders through programmes within the Magna Carta Fund. Officials in London regularly meet those working on human rights to understand how we can support them best. Working at the multilateral level, in November 2017 the UK helped forge consensus on the UN General Assembly Resolution on Human Rights Defenders, bringing countries together to recognise and support their excellent work done around the globe.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) support religious pluralism, and (2) promote freedom of religion or belief, in Pakistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. Pakistan is one of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) human rights priority countries, as set out in the FCO 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report available at the gov.uk website.
We regularly raise the issues of freedom of religion and belief and the protection of minority religious communities, with the Pakistan government at a senior level. When the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan in August, she highlighted the importance of Pakistan delivering on its commitments to strengthen institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, and to advance the rights of minorities. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.
Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the British Government has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.
The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.
We continue to urge Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations, including engaging with the UN and other international bodies, and to ensure that the rights of minorities are respected.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. Pakistan is one of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) human rights priority countries, as set out in the FCO's 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report available at the gov.uk website.
We regularly raise the issues of freedom of religion and belief and the protection of minority religious communities, with the Pakistan government at a senior level. When the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan in August, she highlighted the importance of Pakistan delivering on its commitments to strengthen institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, and to advance the rights of minorities. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.
Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the British Government has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.
The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.
We continue to urge Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations, including engaging with the UN and other international bodies, and to ensure that the rights of minorities are respected.
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect people who defend human rights across the world.
Answered by Mark Field
In 2017 the then Foreign Secretary issued a revised version of the UK Guidelines on Working with Human Rights Defenders to the diplomatic network. In addition, all Human Rights Priority Countries are required to have a Human Rights Strategy which includes working with human rights defenders. The Guidelines give guidance to our diplomatic network on how to support and promote the work done by human rights defenders. Depending on the local context, this might involve making public statements, attending trials, or working privately with host governments. The UK also supports human rights defenders through programmes within the Magna Carta Fund. Officials in London regularly meet human rights defenders to understand how we can support them best. Working at the multilateral level, in November 2017 the UK helped forge consensus on the UN General Assembly Resolution on Human Rights Defenders, bringing countries together to recognise and support the excellent work done by human rights defenders around the globe.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will undertake a review of the Magna Carta Fund to assess the potential merits of expanding the teaching of religious tolerance in Middle Eastern countries.
Answered by Mark Field
The Magna Carta fund has recently extended its support for Hardwired, a project which promotes Freedom of Religion or Belief in curricula in the Middle East and North Africa. More broadly, 'Respect in Education' is a key part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's strategy to promote Freedom of Relgion or Belief. Projects within the Magna Carta Fund are routinely reviewed and assessed.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how British (1) foreign policy, and (2) aid programmes support persecuted minorities in Pakistan
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is a fundamental part of the British Government's work, including in Pakistan.
We remain concerned by the treatment of minority communities, including religious minorities, in Pakistan.
We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of advancing the rights of minorities during her telephone call with Imran Khan in August following his election as Prime Minister of Pakistan. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.
Under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.
We ensure that our development assistance, delivered through the Department for International Development (DFID), targets the poorest people in Pakistan regardless of race, religion, social background, or nationality. DFID Pakistan does not disaggregate results or budgets by religion.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, how much of the £1 million free speech funding allocated to support freedom of expression projects globally has been spent to date.
Answered by Mark Field
On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on www.Gov.uk in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids.
The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network.
30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on www.Gov.uk. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year. Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, how organisations apply for the funding announced in that press release.
Answered by Mark Field
On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on www.Gov.uk in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids.
The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network.
30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on www.Gov.uk. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year. Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, what criteria applications for the funding announced in that press release are judged against.
Answered by Mark Field
On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on www.Gov.uk in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids.
The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network.
30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on www.Gov.uk. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year. Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, what body makes decisions on applications for the funding announced in that press release.
Answered by Mark Field
On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on www.Gov.uk in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids.
The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network.
30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on www.Gov.uk. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year. Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).