Asked by: Anas Sarwar (Labour - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department provides for services for survivors of gender-based violence in the Central African Republic and efforts to empower women and girls in that country.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
DFID is supporting a number of agencies in the Central African Republic to provide services for survivors of sexual violence, including Save the Children, International Medical Corps, Mercy Corps, ICRC and UNHCR. DFID funds are supporting health projects where the clinical needs of survivors of sexual violence can be met, and women's listening centres in order to address some of the psychological needs of survivors of gender-based violence.
Women in the Central African Republic have been particularly affected by the ongoing conflict. DFID programmes aim to address these vulnerabilities, for instance by catering for the specific needs of mothers, pregnant and breastfeeding women, supporting women's associations in resuming income-generating activities or by mobilizing communities to reduce the risks of gender-based violence.
Asked by: Anas Sarwar (Labour - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the level of food insecurity in the Central African Republic; and what steps her Department is taking to promote short and long-term food security in that country.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
Food security assessments in Central African Republic (CAR) have shown that 1.7 million people are in need of food assistance. Food security has been affected by lack of access to agricultural land in 2013, attacks on crop reserves, poor rainfall, non-payment of civil servants and the collapse of trading networks.
DFID is funding the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Solidarites International and the ICRC for seeds and tools distribution to improve food security in the medium to long-term, as well as supporting cash and food distribution to address the short-term food security situation. DFID has contributed £18 million in 2014 to the crisis in CAR.
Asked by: Anas Sarwar (Labour - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of recent inter-communal violence in Bangui, Central African Republic on Muslims and other communities at risk in that country.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The roots of the conflict in Central African Republic (CAR) are complex and whilst the recent inter-communal violence is primarily targeting Muslim inhabitants, Christian communities have also fallen victim to sectarian killings. Much of the Muslim population of CAR has fled, including traders who were overwhelmingly Muslim.
DFID is funding agencies such as UNHCR, Mercy Corps and the ICRC to implement protection programmes in CAR, including conflict resolution and social cohesion activities. DFID has contributed £18 million in 2014 towards the crisis. The UK is also supporting the international efforts to restore peace and security and has welcomed the adoption of UNSCR 2149 authorising the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission (MISCA).
Asked by: Anas Sarwar (Labour - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the emergency response fund for the Central African Republic has so far been dispersed; and which international agencies have received such funding.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
DFID has contributed a total of £23m in humanitarian aid to the crisis in the Central African Republic since mid-2013, with £700,000 remaining to be distributed according to humanitarian priorities in the coming months.
DFID allocated £5m to support NGOs in CAR in November 2013 which was increased in February 2014 to £7 million in light of growing needs. The bulk of funding was awarded to five NGOs: Mentor, Save the Children, Solidarites, Mercy Corps and International Medical Corps. Since DFID makes quarterly payments to NGOs, not all funds have been disbursed.
In addition, DFID allocated humanitarian funds to the ICRC, Common Humanitarian Fund, UNHAS, UNHCR and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).