Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Eritrea about the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) organising concerts and festivals in (1) London, and (2) other European capitals; and what assessment, if any, they have made of those events.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We are aware of the events organised by the Eritrean Government and ruling party in countries across Europe, including the UK. After one such event organised by the Eritrean Embassy in London in September, clashes between attendees and protestors resulted in several arrests. Following this event, the FCDO has encouraged the Eritrean Embassy to communicate with their dedicated police liaison officer to ensure that any future events pass off peacefully.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Ukraine to support female victims of rape or sexual violence in Ukraine in accessing full, prompt, and safe abortion, sexual and reproductive health treatments.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to tackling conflict-related sexual violence and we are working closely with the Ukrainian Government on this issue, including through specialist UK expertise to support investigations. As part of the UK's £220 million of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, we are helping ensure legal support and crisis accommodation for victims and supporting the effective documentation of gender-based violence cases. UK funding to the UN Populations Fund is also expanding the provision of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights in Ukraine.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide practical support for the investigation of alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is providing assistance to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court to support its investigations and has already made a £1m voluntary contribution funded through the cross-Government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). This contribution will increase the OTP's collection of evidence capacity. We are also supporting the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) to investigate war crimes committed in Ukraine through a £2.5 million support package. This is to be delivered through the Atrocity Crimes Advisory group (ACA), which was established in May in conjunction with the EU and US to support the OPG with the gathering of evidence and prosecution of war crimes. The package includes the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams to the scene of potential war crimes, training of up to 90 judges, forensic evidence gathering and support from UK experts in sexual violence in conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing an international convention prohibiting the use of rape or sexual violence as a weapon of war, including enforceable and effective sanctions in response to any breaches.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It is unacceptable that sexual violence and rape continue to take place in conflicts around the world and are, in some cases, used as a method of warfare. Among other things, rape can be a war crime, a crime against humanity and a form of torture. Rape is prohibited under international humanitarian law, international criminal law, international human rights law and UN Security Council resolutions.
The UK is stepping up its ambition to end the culture of impunity that has pervaded acts of Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). In the first instance, we are focused on addressing the gaps in implementation of existing laws at the national level. We are also seeking further concerted action on the Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Convention, which is vital to strengthen the international legal architecture and prosecute atrocity crimes including some forms of CRSV. Both of these steps could pave the way for a CRSV Convention in due course.
The UK will host the international Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) conference in November 2022. This will be a key opportunity to show UK leadership and rally international support to agree further action on sexual violence in conflict to eliminate this crime, including stronger international action to promote accountability.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed the issue of Pakistan selling arms to the Myanmar military during his phone call with Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, on 1 June.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. On 27 March, the UK coordinated a joint statement with 48 signatories that committed us to working to prevent the flow of arms and equipment to the Myanmar military. We have also worked with partners to secure strong language on stopping the flow of arms at the G7, UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. Earlier this year, British High Commission Islamabad officials raised Pakistan's sale of arms to the Myanmar military with the Pakistani authorities.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will campaign for the adoption of a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council’s 50th session that (1) extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, (2) describes and condemns human rights violations in Eritrea, and (3) sets benchmarks for improvement.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Eritrea remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the UK. As in previous years, we will work with likeminded partners - particularly the EU as penholders of the resolution - to ensure the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea is extended at the upcoming 50th session of the Human Rights Council via a robust and credible resolution. We fully support the work of the Special Rapporteur and welcome both his report and his establishment of a set of human rights benchmarks for Eritrea to meet in order to show improvement.
At the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur the UK urged Eritrea to prioritise National Service reform; release all those in arbitrary detention; guarantee freedom of religion or belief for all faiths; and protect freedom of expression. We also continue to call on the Government of Eritrea to 1) allow the Special Rapporteur to visit Eritrea and cooperate fully with his mandate, 2) engage and cooperate fully with the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts in Ethiopia, established by the Human Rights Council at the 33rd Special Session on 17 December 2021 to investigate human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties to the conflict in Ethiopia, and 3) engage constructively with the recommendations of the 3 November 2021 UN-Ethiopian Human Rights Commission joint investigation report.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, in advance of the conference on the Horn of Africa drought on 26 April, to commit new funding to mitigate the effects of that drought.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure (1) girls' education in Afghanistan, and (2) the human rights of women in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has made clear its condemnation of the Taliban's 23 March decision not to re-open girls secondary schools, including through statements from the G7+, female foreign ministers and the UN Security Council. We continue to monitor the Taliban's actions and to raise the rights of women and girls in our political engagement with the Taliban, including pressing them to ensure full and equal access to education for all. Ministers and officials regularly meet Afghan women; on 24 March I [Lord Ahmad] met a diverse group of Afghan women leaders.
On 31 March the UK co-hosted a humanitarian pledging conference with the UN, Qatar and Germany which raised over $2.4 billion for the UN's humanitarian appeal. The Foreign Secretary announced £286 million of aid for Afghanistan for this financial year. We are committed that at least 50% of those we reach with our aid should be women and girls. Our humanitarian programmes will provide assistance to the most vulnerable. We are funding child protection support and supporting access to gender-based violence services.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help pursue a ceasefire in Tigray to support the delivery of humanitarian aid; what assessment they have made of the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia; and how the withdrawal is being monitored.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
On 24 March the Government of Ethiopia announced a humanitarian truce and committed to facilitating overland access to Tigray. This was followed by a similar commitment by the Tigray authorities. On the 1 April a UN humanitarian convoy comprising twenty trucks and one fuel tanker reached Mekelle from Afar region - the first overland delivery of aid to Tigray since mid-December 2021. As the Minister for Africa set out in her statement of 31 March, the UK welcomes this development and the UK acknowledges the important role the Afar authorities have played, alongside the Government of Ethiopia and the authorities in Tigray, in facilitating the convoy and prioritising the welfare of civilians.
The UK is committed to working with the Government of Ethiopia and authorities in Afar and Tigray to expand aid deliveries to areas affected by the conflict and to promote long-term peace and security.
Troops from Eritrea have caused significant suffering in Tigray and they have committed abuses which may constitute war crimes. Eritrean troops should withdraw fully from Ethiopia, to help bring about an end to the conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to prevent people's (a) lives, and (b) livelihoods, being affected by the drought in the Horn of Africa, and (2) to tackle the underlying causes of (i) conflict, and (ii) climate change, in that region.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa. In January, the Minister for Africa announced a £17 million package of emergency humanitarian assistance to address critical needs in Ethiopia (£5 million), South Sudan (£3 million), Somalia (£8 million) and Kenya (£1 million). In February, a further £5.5 million of support was allocated for Somalia, and in March a further £1.6 million to support the drought response in Ethiopia.
Our response to the drought builds on long-established resilience building programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya this includes support to the Hunger Safety Programme. This has provided 600,000 people in drought prone regions with regular financial assistance alongside efforts to promote strengthened national disaster management capacity. In Ethiopia, the UK funded Productive Safety Net Programme benefitted some 8 million people via financial welfare provision and community public works projects, which promote soil and water conservation.
The UK remains committed to promoting peace and security across the Horn of Africa.