Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Human Rights Watch account of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls by African Union forces in Somalia.

The UK was extremely concerned by the allegations contained in the Human Rights Watch Report. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), urged a full investigation into these allegations with the African Union and the foreign ministers of relevant troop contributing countries. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence experts recently met with staff from Human Rights Watch to discuss the report and further possible action to address the issues it raises.