Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to protect human rights defenders throughout the world.

The FCO and DFID strongly support the vital role played by human rights defenders and civil society organisations in supporting sustainable and inclusive development.

DFID programmes support the protection and promotion of human rights across a range of areas such as health, education, peace and security, and the rights of girls and women. One example is the Jo Cox Memorial Grants that will support civil society at the grassroots to empower women to claim their political and economic rights and prevent identity-based violence in DFID priority countries. On International Human Rights Day in December the Secretary of State spoke at an Amnesty International UK event to highlight the work of five inspiring female human rights defenders.