Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
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 potential implication for his policies of a suspension of food assistance to families in Gaza by the World Food Programme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to monitor the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza. The UK is a key donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), providing essential humanitarian support to Palestinian refugees across its five zones of operation. In financial year 2022/2023, the UK provided UNRWA with £18.7 million, including £13 million for UNRWA's Programme Budget for spend in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), Jordan, Lebanon and Syria; as well as £2 million for an employment programme for Gazan women and £3.7 million for food assistance, both under UNRWA's OPTs Emergency Appeal. The UK is not currently a donor to the World Food Programme in Gaza, but recognises the critical role they play in supporting vulnerable families to have access to sufficient food.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help international counterparts tackle gynaecological disease.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government acknowledges the severe morbidity women face from gynaecological conditions and the distress these conditions can cause. In 2021, we launched our Ending Preventable Deaths for mothers, babies and children approach. This centres the importance of working with our international counterparts to strengthen health systems and progress sexual and reproductive health and rights, both of which are hugely important to tackle gynaecological disease. Our programmes in this area include support for the rollout of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine to prevent cervical cancer through the global vaccine alliance (GAVI); and through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UK is supporting the procurement and delivery of reproductive health commodities such as hormonal contraceptives, which are also used to treat gynaecological diseases.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
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 implications for his policies of the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2686.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2686, co-penned by the UK and UAE, advances our commitment to the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), by addressing the discrimination faced by a range of minority groups in conflict settings, including religious groups.
Furthermore, the Resolution consolidates new internationally recognised Women, Peace and Security language and encourages States to ensure their education systems promote gender equality and help to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. This is in line with the UK's commitment, in our international strategy on women and girls, to use our UNSC membership to stand up against coordinated attempts to roll back their rights.
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, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of reports of schoolgirls being poisoned in (a) Iran and (b) Afghanistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Reports of poisonings of school girls in Afghanistan and Iran are disturbing. We, alongside our international partners, NGOs and the UN continue to monitor the reports. The Minister for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations Lord (Tariq) Ahmad has made clear that it is essential that all girls can exercise their human right to education without fear. We regularly press the Taliban on human rights priorities, including women's and girls' access to education. We continue to raise women and girls rights alongside broader human rights issues with Iran, at all appropriate opportunities.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 whether UK overseas development assistance provided to (a) International Planned Parenthood Federation, (b) United Nations Family Planning Association and (c) other organisations was used to carry out forced and coercive abortions in China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No UK overseas development assistance funds forced or coercive abortions in China. The UK proudly defends and promotes universal and comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) globally, providing international aid to trusted multilateral organisations such as International and Planned Parenthood Federation and United Nations Family Planning Association to help deliver this important work and help people, especially women and girls, have control of their bodies. We have a stringent due diligence process in our programming and partnerships to ensure our SRHR interventions are rights-based, voluntary and legal. We expect and have full confidence in our partners to align with this approach.
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 the situation for women and girls in China, particularly for those belonging to national, ethnic or religious minority groups; and what representations they have made on the issue to the government of China and relevant bodies of the United Nations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of human rights violations against women in China, particularly against ethnic and religious minorities. We will continue to press the Chinese authorities to uphold their human rights obligations. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary raised the human rights situation in Xinjiang at a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on 5 May 2023. Ending gender-based violence is a key priority for the FCDO, as reflected in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and is one of the three pillars in the new International Women and Girls Strategy.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the United Nations Human Rights Council against the appointment of Iran’s ambassador to the UN as chairman of its Social Forum 2023; and for what reason no alternative candidate was nominated by the UK.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Iranian Government is responsible for persistent, widespread and serious human rights violations and can have no international credibility in this sphere. This is why we worked with partners in December to ensure Iran was expelled from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The Social Forum is a subsidiary body of the UN Human Rights Council which the UK does not traditionally attend. The chair rotates between members' ambassadors according to region and this year is the turn of the Asia-Pacific region. The UK will continue to work closely with our partners to hold Iran to account in international fora; to that end we regularly meet with UN representatives, both in the UK and overseas through UK Missions in Geneva, New York and around the world.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to allocate Official Development Assistance to people displaced by violence in Las Anod.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The humanitarian impact of the ongoing fighting in Las Anod has been severe with more than 180,000 people displaced from their homes. We are closely monitoring the situation and providing a range of support. The UK-supported Start Fund is delivering through Oxfam to provide support to displaced households. Over 1,200 families will receive two months of food assistance, and 2,330 households will receive support to access emergency water supplies. We have also pivoted funding to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide needed dignity and menstrual hygiene kits to almost 5,000 women and girls displaced by the fighting in Las Anod. Our health programme delivered through UNICEF is also working in the regions hosting displaced people, providing essential health and nutrition support.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to call for the release of Matiullah Wesa, head of Afghan education NGO Pen Path; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) clarify where he is being held, (b) clarify the reasons for his arrest and (c) help ensure he has access to legal representation and contact with his family.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government has repeatedly condemned the Taliban's decisions to restrict women and girls' education. We are committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and regularly press the Taliban to provide full and equal access to education for all. We support the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan's call for the Taliban to clarify where Matiullah Wesa is being held, the reasons for his arrest, and to ensure he has access to legal representation and contact with his family.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take in response to the remarks of the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on Iran at its 52nd Session regarding crimes against humanity and human rights violations in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK welcomes the report by the UN Special Rapporteur, which provides further confirmation of the extent of the Iranian government's human rights violations. Working alongside international partners, the UK has been at the forefront of ensuring the Iranian regime pays a political and diplomatic price for its brutality. The UK announced seven rounds of human rights sanctions, totalling over 60 Iranian individuals and entities since October 2022.
The UK has raised human rights both with Iranian representatives in the UK and directly in Tehran. The UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution on human rights in Iran, supported the creation of a UN Fact Finding Mission on Iran and helped ensure Iran's removal from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. We have raised human rights in both the Human Rights Council and UN Security Council. We take note of the seriousness of the report's findings, and remain committed to continue holding the Iranian regime to account for their actions.