Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to develop a departmental strategy to promote human rights and civic space.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights across the globe. We are committed to being a force for good in the world, with human rights, open societies, democracy, and the international rule of law acting as our guiding lights. We continue to review our policy and guidance in relation to civic space and human rights defenders within the broader strategic framing of open societies and human rights. It is too soon to discuss the outcome of that process but we continue to engage with key stakeholders on these important questions.