South Sudan
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
It is vital that it does, and I commit to the noble Lord that it will. We have the amazing services of my noble and learned friend Lady Harman to support us, hold us to account and offer internal challenge. I have every confidence that she will be able to do that. We need to have specific programming on violence against women and girls, but we also need to mainstream this approach throughout everything we do, so that the needs of women are met through all our activities and are not just left to a specialised team, important though that specialism will remain.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)
My Lord, sustaining peace and nurturing democracy often requires a strong civil society. What are our Government doing to nurture and strengthen civil society in South Sudan?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
This is essential. We work through the United Nations and other large organisations, but it is important, especially for communities that are difficult to reach or contexts that are difficult for large organisations to gain access to, that smaller civil society and mutual aid groups are empowered and supported by us in the international community. This way, we are able not only to reach more people but to build a capability, a network, a strength and a set of skills that can do enormous good for years into the future, perhaps after the international activity has reduced.
Israel: Royal College of Defence Studies
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I fundamentally disagree with politicians unilaterally declaring genocide anywhere. For genocide to mean anything, it must be protected as designated by a competent court. However much political pressure there is, or whatever our views might be, it really matters that we maintain that. As soon as you start ascribing genocide as a political act, then it becomes meaningless. We have to be very clear that that is a decision to be made by a court.
To be clear, though, this decision about the RCDS is not a reaction around international humanitarian law. It is because we are so deeply concerned; in a sense it is a diplomatic act. We hope that it is one that is noticed, and that it has some effect on the Government of Israel. We want this to result in a change of course by the Government of Israel. This is all about making sure that people in Gaza can be fed, get the medical interventions that they need and have the safety that they need. We want the hostages released immediately and we need ceasefire negotiations to resume.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)
My Lords, I support this temporary action by the Government, but would my noble friend the Minister agree that supporting such actions is absolutely not to support Hamas or to be antisemitic in any way? It is a means of putting pressure on the Israeli Government to cease their appalling actions in Gaza.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Hamas is a terrorist organisation. It does not believe in a two-state solution. We believe that Israel and the state of Palestine should live safely, in prosperity and security, alongside one another.