Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

(asked on 9th March 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the use of sexual violence as a weapon in conflict.


Answered by
Alistair Burt Portrait
Alistair Burt
This question was answered on 14th March 2018

DFID supports the Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) through our research programme, specific projects to address violence against women and girls, and through the UK’s Humanitarian Reform Policy.

DFID’s flagship ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’ research programme focuses on addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls in conflict and humanitarian settings, including sexual violence. The focus of this research is on understanding how to stop violence before it starts, with evidence used across UK government programmes to prevent and respond to sexual violence in conflict.

DFID country offices are at the forefront of support to help reduce and mitigate gender based violence, including sexual violence in fragile and conflict affected states.

At the World Humanitarian Summit (2016) the UK pushed forward the implementation of global commitments to protect women and girls in emergencies to deliver specific measures to reduce their vulnerability to violence and exploitation. For example, agreeing the application by partner agencies of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) gender based violence in emergency guidelines.

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