Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of gender-specific religious persecution of women from religious minorities abroad.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We recognise that women and girls from religious minorities can often suffer because of both their gender and their faith. That is why we ensure our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of human rights, including the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities experienced by women and girls from religious minority communities.
The UK is recognised as a global leader in tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in all its forms, by pioneering approaches around the world that have shown that VAWG is preventable. In the DRC, a project with faith leaders and community action groups halved women's experience of intimate partner violence from 69% to 29%. Preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence remains a top priority for the FCDO. In November, the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, launched the Declaration of Humanity by faith and belief leaders which calls for the prevention of sexual violence in conflict and denounces the stigma faced by survivors, including by children born of rape. Through UK Aid Connect, FCDO has supported the Creid programme (managed by the Institute of Development Studies) to work with women from religious minorities in five countries in Africa and Asia to understand the problems they face and identify effective approaches to tackle these issues.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question
To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the church is taking prevent the persecution of believers of all faiths.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The Church speaks up on behalf of all those who are unable to exercise their right to freedom of religion or belief.
The Church of England is part of an international consortium that has just received £5.6 million from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to equip parliamentarians and religious leaders in eight countries in Africa and Asia to meet these challenges. As part of the new project, the Church of England and other consortium members will be helping parliamentarians and religious leaders with technical assistance and other expertise they need to propose solutions to such terrible human rights abuses in their own countries
The Church of England is continuing to engage with the International Panel for Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion and Belief. More information about that work is available here: https://www.ippforb.com/
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Government's decision to reduce the aid budget on supporting freedom of religion and belief in the global south.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion of Belief (FoRB) for all and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's human rights policy priorities. On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister appointed Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, as his Special Envoy for FoRB. Mrs Bruce will work with ministers, officials and others to deliver the Government's goal of seeing everyone, everywhere able to have and practise a faith, belief, or no religious belief, in accordance with their conscience. In addition, UK aid is currently supporting the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID) to address key challenges in building religious tolerance in five countries in Africa and Asia, and the FoRB Leadership Network which work in eight countries in Africa and Asia.
We have taken the tough decision to spend 0.5% of our national income on global poverty reduction next year. It is our intention to return to 0.7% as soon as possible. Difficult budget decisions will be necessary; we are running a prioritisation exercise to ensure every pound we spend goes as far as possible and makes a world-leading difference. We will not pre-empt decisions about individual programmes.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the 2021 Open Doors World Watch List, what steps he is taking to address the rise in violence against Christians in sub-Saharan Africa.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. We remain deeply concerned about violations and abuses of FoRB in many parts of the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with governments, including at ministerial level. The Minister responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, underlined the UK's commitment to FoRB for all in a number of international meetings in November 2020, speaking at the Ministerial to Advance Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Ministers' Forum of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. We have also reviewed and taken note of the 2021 Open Doors World Watch List.
On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to FoRB by appointing Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, as his Special Envoy for FoRB. Mrs Bruce will work with ministers, officials and others to deliver the Government's goal of seeing everyone, everywhere able to have and practise a faith, belief, or no religious belief, in accordance with their conscience. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon will also be working alongside her to drive forward the implementation of the Bishop of Truro's recommendations on FCDO support for persecuted Christians in a way that improves the lives of those persecuted for their faith, belief, or for not holding a religion.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to reports of attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and increasing Islamic terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Congo, Kenya, Uganda and other countries in West and Central Africa, what support his Department has provided to multi-national responses to (a) resist extremism and (b) protect vulnerable minority Christian communities.
Answered by James Duddridge
We condemn all criminal and terrorist attacks on civilians, whatever their religion or belief. Attacks have caused immense suffering to local communities. The UK supports multi-national responses to tackle the threats from different terrorist groups in North East Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin and East Africa. For example, we support Nigeria and its neighbours in the fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa in North East Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin by helping fund the Lake Chad Basin Regional Stabilisation Facility to strengthen community security, provide basic services and support livelihoods. We have provided funding and operational support for the Multinational Joint Task Force, a regional force coordinating military efforts for regional security. In the Sahel, we are providing logistical support to the French-led counter-terrorism Operation Barkhane. We are increasing focus on the protection of civilians through our deployment to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and as one of the largest humanitarian donors. Additionally, the UK supports regional security and efforts to counter the threat posed by Al-Shabaab in East Africa, including through UK military training to forces from troop contributing countries to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali National Army. We are delivering a three year programme to strengthen regional, national and community level efforts to prevent radicalisation and recruitment across East Africa, including Kenya and Uganda. Across the continent, the UK continues to be a committed contributor to and supporter of UN peacekeeping operations.
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all (FoRB) globally, and promoting respect between communities. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with governments, including at Ministerial level. Defending FoRB was a core pledge in our successful campaign to be re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council, and we will continue to use our position to stand up for individuals who are persecuted for their faith, belief, or because they have no religious belief. We work within the UN, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Europe and other multilateral fora to promote and protect FoRB for all where it is threatened. In November 2020, the Minister responsible for human rights, Lord Ahmad (Tariq) of Wimbledon, underlined the UK's commitment to FoRB, speaking at the Ministerial to Advance Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Ministers' Forum of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Pew Research Center’s 11th annual study of restrictions on religion published on 10 November 2020, that Government restrictions on religion rose to a record high in 2018; and what steps he is taking to tackle restrictions on religion in the (a) Middle East, (b) North Africa and (c) Asia.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We have seen the Pew Research Centre's 11th annual study of restrictions on religion and are concerned by its findings. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. We remain deeply concerned about violations and abuses of FoRB in many parts of the world, including the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with governments, including at Ministerial level. The Minister responsible for Human Rights, Lord Ahmad (Tariq) of Wimbledon, underlined the UK's commitment to FoRB for all in a number of international meetings earlier this month, speaking at the Ministerial to Advance Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Ministers' Forum of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.
The Magna Carta Fund for human rights has been used to fund a series of projects around the world, including projects to combat intolerance. The FCDO has also supported research projects in a diverse range of geographic regions, including Asia and the Middle East. These projects have provided the Government with specific recommendations on how we might tackle the problem of persecution as it affects particular countries or groups
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his UN counterparts about freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Answered by James Duddridge
In North East Nigeria, terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) seek to undermine the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief by indiscriminately attacking those of all faiths who do not subscribe to their extremist views. The UK has led international condemnation of these groups at the UN, including drafting a UN Security Council press statement that was released on 16 June following terrorist attacks in Felo, Monguno and Nganzai, Borno State. We are also concerned by intercommunal violence across multiple states in Nigeria, which is having a devastating impact on communities of all faiths, although we do not assess religion to be a principal driver of the violence. We have engaged closely with the UN, federal government, state governments, the National Economic Council and other international partners to help address the drivers of violence in Nigeria and push for solutions.
The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. We remain deeply concerned about violations and abuses of Freedom of Religion or Belief in many parts of the world. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with governments, including at Ministerial level. We also regularly discuss Freedom of Religion or Belief with our international partners and through multilateral fora, including the UN, where we call out human rights violations. Defending Freedom of Religion or Belief was a core pledge in our successful campaign to be re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council, and we will continue to use our position to stand up for individuals who are persecuted for their faith, belief, or because they have no religious belief.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria to encourage the investigation of the number of Christians killed in that country since 2001.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government condemns all violence against civilians in Nigeria, irrespective of their religion. Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) seek to undermine the Nigerian constitutional right to freedom of religion or belief by deliberately attacking both Christian and Muslim communities and religious leaders. We assess that the majority of Boko Haram and ISWA's victims have been Muslim. Intercommunal violence across multiple states in Nigeria is having a devastating impact on communities of all faiths.
We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting all civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all. The Minister for Africa discussed the impact of violence in Nigeria with President Buhari's Chief of Staff in June. We will continue to engage with the federal and state authorities to stress the importance of transparent investigations that respect human rights and the rule of law.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to have with the government of Nigeria about (1) the abduction of Ezra Bako, Miracle Saitu Danjuma, Favour Danjuma, Happiness Odoji, and Christiana Madugu, from a school in Kaduna, and (2) Christian churches being attacked in Nigeria; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for those occurrences.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government condemns the reported attack on the village of Damba-Kasaya in Kaduna State and abduction of students and a teacher from the Prince Academy School. Attacks on schools and abductions of children are abhorrent and must stop. We call on the Nigerian Government to establish the full facts of the incident and to take urgent action. Our High Commission is following up urgently with the Nigerian authorities.
We also condemn attacks on places of worship. We are aware that churches have been targeted in incidents of intercommunal violence that predominantly occur in Nigeria's Middle Belt. We do not currently have sufficient information to establish the motives for the reported attack on the Baptist Church in Damba-Kasaya nor the identity of the perpetrators. We recognise that religious identity is often invoked in conflict, even where the root causes relate to other issues. Religious tensions are frequently stoked by the media and politicians, fueling reprisal attacks. The UK will continue to play a constructive role in calming these tensions and supporting solutions which meet the needs of all affected communities.
In North East Nigeria, churches have frequently been attacked by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa. These groups target both Christians and Muslims who do not subscribe to their extremist views. We are committed to helping Nigeria tackle the terrorist threat. We provide a comprehensive package of security, humanitarian and stabilisation assistance to help tackle the threat and support affected communities. We are firmly committed to standing up for freedom of religion or belief around the world. People should be able to worship freely and in safety regardless of their religion.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the reduction in the value of 0.7 per cent of GNI, by how much the capital transfers his Department plans to make to CDC will be reduced or increased from the originally planned transfers, for the calendar year (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
Answered by James Duddridge
In response to the reduction in value of GNI, capital investment into CDC in 2020 was reduced by 42% compared to that planned at the start of the year. CDC has re-prioritised its investment activities this year in response to the challenges of COVID-19. The capital invested by the Government is focused on ensuring that CDC continues to take a targeted response that preserves, strengthens and helps rebuild economies across Africa and South Asia to mitigate the economic and health impacts of COVID-19.
2021 ODA spending is subject to decisions in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
ODA prioritisation has ensured we remain prioritised on poverty reduction for the 'bottom billion', as well as tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls' education, UK leadership in the global response to COVID-19, and campaigning on issues such as media freedom and freedom of religious belief.