Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many victims of sexual violence in Tigray have been provided with support by the UK government to date; and if he will make a statement.

The UK is deeply concerned by the growing reports of gender-based violence in the Tigray region and refugee camps. Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict remains a priority for this Government and we are committed to raising this issue in a variety of multilateral fora. Under our G7 Presidency, we have raised Tigray in a joint statement (2 April) and the Foreign and Development Ministers Communique (2 May), which condemned "rape and sexual exploitation, and other forms of gender-based violence," in Tigray and called for accountability.

British Embassy staff conducted a specific protection mission in Shire in Tigray on 4-7 April, including interviewing staff and volunteers supporting survivors of sexual violence. The mission included an assessment of the current gender-based violence response, specific emergency services provided in camps and the gaps that need to be filled. As the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon outlined during the debate on the Queen's Speech, on 11 May, we are currently identifying personnel from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Team of Experts who can deploy to the region to strengthen justice for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The UK is also supporting the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN agencies, specialised NGOs and 9 civil society partners to provide adequate essential services to survivors. We currently contribute to the UNICEF, International Red Crescent and national Ethiopian Red Cross response supporting a total of 545 survivors (542 females and 3 males) with case management services. 9,792 women, girls and boys at risk have already accessed gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions. Our partners also support 643 children who have experienced violence, and have been reached by health, social work or justice/law enforcement services and 16,488 women and girls have received material support. UK contribution is also supporting refugee survivors through UNHCR.