Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka.

We welcomed the February 2014 report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka and its recommendation that the Sri Lankan government ‘establish a truth-seeking mechanism and national reparations policy in accordance with international standards as an integral part of a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to transitional justice'.

As noted in the Chairman's Summary of the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict held in London 11-13 June, and in line with the UN High Commissioner's recommendations, reparations are one of the most valuable ways of supporting survivors of sexual violence in conflict, often cited by victims and survivors of sexual violence as key to their recovery.

The UK was a main co-sponsor of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Sri Lanka passed on 27 March 2014, which establishes an international investigation into alleged violations and abuses of international law on both sides of the military conflict in Sri Lanka, in addition to calling for progress on human rights and reconciliation. The resolution expresses serious concern at continuing reports of sexual and gender based violence. We continue to offer our full support to the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in establishing an international investigation as mandated by the UN Human Rights Council.