Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) are scheduled to attend the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) ministerial conference in November; how many are invited to speak from the Tigray region of Ethiopia; whether the government of Ethiopia will be represented; and what safeguards they will put in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the survivors.

As a Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Focus Country, we will highlight the effects of conflict in Ethiopia as part of the programme at the PSVI Conference from 28-29 November. We have invited a range of representatives, including from civil society and the Government, able to discuss the impacts of the conflict in Ethiopia.

Guided by the conference Survivor Advisory Group, we are working to ensure survivor perspectives are included throughout our planning and survivors have been invited to engage as speakers across the majority of conference sessions. All survivors attending and/or sitting on a conference panel are doing so by choice. The UK takes safeguarding extremely seriously, and has consulted extensively with survivors, survivor networks and support organisations on survivor participation, needs and care. Psychosocial support will be provided for anyone who may feel affected during the conference. We will also ensure support staff are adequately briefed to ensure survivors are safeguarded and signposted to additional support services where necessary.