Found: She has also worked for 16 years for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. 2.Introduction

Found: who meets the conditions for the duty to remove will also have any asylum application or relevant human

Found: challenges delaying or preventing removal, potentially including appeals made to the European Court of Human

Found: Rights Law Centre.

Found: length bodies (ALBs) that monitor government performance in certain areas, such as the Equality and Human

Found: Rights. 2022.

Found: International agreements cannot on their own ensure that prisoners’ human rights are protected, that

Found: LFR also has the potential to raise wider human rights considerations.

Found: Rights, the right to a private and family life.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Robert Carr Fund in advancing human rights of inadequately served populations.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is proud to be a long-term funder of the Robert Carr Fund (RCF), we consider it to be a very effective mechanism that supports the leadership, priorities and rights of some of the most marginalised people, in order to expand their access to the HIV, SRHR and health services they need.

Robert Carr is the world's leading international fund focused on funding global and regional networks led by, involving, and serving people who face a higher HIV risk than the general population, systematic human rights violations, and barriers to information and HIV and SRH services.

Working with community-led and grassroots organisations is key to achieving the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy. Our investment into the Robert Carr Fund, along with other organisations such as the Global Fund and UNAIDS, is important in helping countries to implement actions and make progress towards targets under the Strategy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of funding the Robert Carr Fund to support the achievement of the targets in the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2024-27.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is proud to be a long-term funder of the Robert Carr Fund (RCF), we consider it to be a very effective mechanism that supports the leadership, priorities and rights of some of the most marginalised people, in order to expand their access to the HIV, SRHR and health services they need.

Robert Carr is the world's leading international fund focused on funding global and regional networks led by, involving, and serving people who face a higher HIV risk than the general population, systematic human rights violations, and barriers to information and HIV and SRH services.

Working with community-led and grassroots organisations is key to achieving the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy. Our investment into the Robert Carr Fund, along with other organisations such as the Global Fund and UNAIDS, is important in helping countries to implement actions and make progress towards targets under the Strategy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Robert Carr Fund in advancing HIV and health outcomes for inadequately served populations.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is proud to be a long-term funder of the Robert Carr Fund (RCF), we consider it to be a very effective mechanism that supports the leadership, priorities and rights of some of the most marginalised people, in order to expand their access to the HIV, SRHR and health services they need.

Robert Carr is the world's leading international fund focused on funding global and regional networks led by, involving, and serving people who face a higher HIV risk than the general population, systematic human rights violations, and barriers to information and HIV and SRH services.

Working with community-led and grassroots organisations is key to achieving the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy. Our investment into the Robert Carr Fund, along with other organisations such as the Global Fund and UNAIDS, is important in helping countries to implement actions and make progress towards targets under the Strategy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 entitled Anatomy of a Genocide, published on 25 March 2024, A/HRC/55/73.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas in line with International Humanitarian Law, as we have said from the outset. Our view is that Israel's actions in Gaza cannot be described as a genocide, but we also remain clear that formal determination of genocide should be based upon the final judgment of a competent court.

There must be a reduction in civilian casualties. All parties must act within International Humanitarian Law. We want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and destroying homes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Taliban leaders they have sanctioned using Magnitsky-style sanctions since 2021; and how many sanctions they have imposed in response to the suppression of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK continues to meet our obligations under the United Nations sanctions regime relating to Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Sanctions (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which came into force on 31 December 2020. The Government has not introduced any Global Human Rights sanctions against the Taliban since they took power in 2021, but we keep all evidence and potential designations under close review. More broadly, officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers on human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including against women and girls.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of rape of Israeli women by members of Hamas in its attack on 7 October 2023, and the implications for international law.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October 2023 detail abhorrent acts of violence against Israeli women and girls. The UK stands in solidarity with all of the victims and survivors.

We condemn sexual violence unequivocally and without exception. These reports must be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims.

The international community should be clear in condemning sexual violence wherever it occurs, including in Israel.

Conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made recent representations to his Ugandan counterpart on the (a) detention and (b) treatment of climate protesters in that country.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Through our High Commission in Kampala, we have previously raised concerns around detentions of climate protesters in Uganda; both I and the High Commission regularly engage with the Ugandan government on human rights, both bilaterally and with likeminded countries.

The UK continues to work with Ugandans to advocate for democratic freedoms and respect for human rights. We are also committed to working with partners in Uganda to address the effects of climate change.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department has taken to help support persecuted Christians in South Sudan.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We condemn the persecution of any individual or group based on their religion of belief. South Sudan is an FCDO Human Rights priority country, and we continue to call on the Government of South Sudan - including through the UN Human Rights Council - to end impunity for human rights violations and abuses, and establish the necessary justice and accountability mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate engagement and meetings between faith communities and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. I and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce MP, regularly meets with members of different faith communities to discuss freedom of religion or belief around the world. She also attends each meeting of the UK FoRB Forum, which brings together around 80 civil society groups working on the issue. Over the last year, she has hosted a series of round table meetings focussing on different countries of concern, at which various faith groups have been well represented.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Gender Apartheid Inquiry report Shattering Women's Rights, Shattering Lives: Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Inquiry Into The Situation Of Women And Girls In Afghanistan And Iran, published by the International Bar Association on 4 March, with particular reference to the forthcoming 79th meeting of the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee in April.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO is aware of the report. There are complex legal and political questions which arise in considering any new crime of 'gender apartheid'. We are considering these questions and consulting legal advisers and subject matter experts. The situations of women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran are distinct and we will consider the unique circumstances of each country when assessing the recommendations of the Inquiry.

We have repeatedly condemned Taliban and Iranian policies and actions that restrict the rights of women and girls. Officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers to reverse their harmful policies on women and girls. Since Iran's mass protests of 2022-23, we have sanctioned 94 individuals or entities for human rights abuses, including senior decision makers responsible for Iran's oppressive hijab law. We will continue to work with the international community to address women and girls' rights issues in Afghanistan and Iran.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton in a press release on 19 March that the new Article 23 National Security Legislation in Hong Kong "undermines Hong Kong’s implementation of binding international obligations including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", what steps they are taking to ensure that human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong are protected.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We will continue to raise our strong opposition to the continued erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and China's ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration in international fora and at the highest levels of government. The Foreign Secretary last did so with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 16 February. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva also set out our concerns at the Human Rights Council on 20 March, noting the view of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the law was likely incompatible with international law. We will monitor the application of the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in Hong Kong closely and not hesitate to speak out in defence of international rights and norms.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have examined, and from which organisations, to determine that (1) Georgia, and (2) India, are safe countries.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As with all our country assessments to inform asylum and immigration decision making, we have drawn on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific action they have taken to mitigate risk factors, and prevent atrocity crimes, in response to the conclusion of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia in October 2023 that “eight of the Common Risk Factors for atrocity crimes are present in Ethiopia and that there is evidence to suggest that certain indicators of majority of the Specific Risk Factors for atrocity crimes are also present”; and what steps they are taking to support continued international scrutiny and independent investigations into past and ongoing violations in Ethiopia.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has repeatedly called for those responsible for atrocities in Ethiopia to be held to account. The UK was strongly supportive of the establishment of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE). The UK has deployed an expert to support the drafting of Ethiopia's national Transitional Justice Policy and we are working to promote a survivor-centred, gender-sensitive approach. We fund UNOHCHR to deploy international human rights monitors and build early warning networks of CSOs and human rights defenders. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme, we are supporting the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and facilitating dialogue between groups from across Ethiopia.  We regularly convene with likemindeds to coordinate support and ensure accountability for atrocities and human rights violations and to ensure the effective, full implementation of the Tigray peace agreement and the Transitional Justice Policy once finalised.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of efforts since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in November 2022 to achieve justice and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray, and what support they are providing to those efforts.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia. We have consistently called for an end to the appalling gender-based violence committed across Ethiopia, including sexual violence, particularly during the Tigray conflict. We therefore welcome the recent agreement to implement a comprehensive national Transitional Justice policy aimed at accountability, redress for victims, reconciliation, and healing. The UK has called for the perpetrators to be held to account and the importance of a victim-centered, gender-sensitive approach. We will work with the Ethiopian Government and civil society in their efforts to hold perpetrators to account, including building the capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission through the UK's Human Rights and Peacebuilding programme (HARP).

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's strategy on Open Societies, Democracy and Human Rights.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO acknowledges the commitment made in the International Development White Paper to publish an Open Societies and Human Rights Strategy. The Strategy is in draft, and it will be published in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what explanation they have received from the Sudanese authorities for an air strike on a school in South Kordofan state on 14 March, which resulted in the deaths of 11 children and two teachers and multiple injuries.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Our senior diplomats have used meetings with senior decision-makers in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other groups to raise concerns about credible reports of human rights violations. The UK continues to urge the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire, engage in a meaningful peace process, and grant immediate humanitarian access. The UK is also funding open-source investigation experts to use satellite imagery and social media to verify and preserve information relating to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. It is essential that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are held to account.

Found: Consular services for cases involving human rights

Russia’s supreme court ruled the ‘international LGBT movement’ as ‘extremist' in November 2023. We are concerned this is leading to the increased persecution of people suspected to be LGBTQ+.

Found: influence to pressure the Russian government to abandon anti-LGBTQ+ measures - Urge the United Nations and human

Found: how the government intends to apply its obligations under Article 2 (right to life) of the Human

Found: are of the view that non-compliance with the victims’ code also constitutes a breach of the Human

Found: 206, leave out line 26 to end of line 2 on page 207 and insert— “(a) the rule of law, respect for human

Found: This law, rushed through the legislative process, is likely incompatible with international human rights

Found: “Human Rights Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Found: “Human Rights Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Found: for employers on supporting people with a range of disabilities in the workplace • the Equality and Human

Found: for employers on supporting people with a range of disabilities in the workplace • the Equality and Human

Found: businesses that support the warring parties must be held to account, alongside those responsible for human

Found: Mr Kara-Murza is a champion of human rights.

Found: These include everything from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Office for Environmental

Found: A committed human rights activist striving for a democratic Russia, and an outspoken critic of the war

Found: Ms Sanchez, violence and criminality – including the killings of former combatants, social leaders, human

Found: protections for pregnant women and new parents, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the Equality and Human

Found: manufactu rers, national electricity grid developers and operators, environmental, climate change, and human

Found: equivalent Headcount Full-time equivalent Headcount Full-time equivalent Northern Ireland Human

Found: equivalent Headcount Full-time equivalent Headcount Full-time equivalent Northern Ireland Human

Found: drivers joining the profession could result in a reduction in days lost to sickness. 37 Human

Found: Judges Reforming the Law of Apologies in Civil Proceedings 6 Disability Rights UK Equality and Human

Found: Output % of OC contracts which include a human rights, modern slavery and ethical trading commitment

Found: They were shorter than full inspections and looked at key areas based on our existing human rights -

Found: private and family life is a human right protected in law (Article 8 of the European Convention on Human

Found: “Human Rights Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Found: Forces, you must go on to consider whether refusal of the application would breach Article 8 of the Human

Found: safe, child and gender sensitive manner with due respect for the young person’s dignity and their Human

Found: They were shorter than full inspections and looked at key areas based on our existing human rights -

Found: the option of merging the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland with the Scottish Human

Found: coherence are also addressed, along with four key priorities: international development, climate justice, human

Found: Human rights defenders in general face high levels of risk as a result of their work.

Found: Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Advisory Board: December 2023

Found: Kingdom’s position against the backdrop of the ICJ ruling; UN Security Council, General Assembly and Human

Found: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has made a statement condemning the blockade of Gaza, saying

Found: Finance): Please send to Director for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights DirectorforEIHR@gov.scot

Found: Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human

Found: Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human

Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to introduce a bill on ending conversion practices.

Answered by Roddick, Emma - Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees

The Scottish Government is committed to introduce legislation to end conversion practices in Scotland that is as comprehensive as possible within devolved competence.

Conversion practices, which aim to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, are damaging and destructive acts that violate people’s human rights. Whilst our proposals will protect people from the harms of conversion practices, our approach also recognises and respects established rights and freedoms. This includes freedom of thought, conscience and belief and private and family life as well as parents exercising their rights and responsibilities in relation to their children.

Our public consultation, containing detailed proposals, ran for 12 weeks and closed on 2 April 2024. Responses to that consultation will now be analysed and considered.

Future legislative programmes will be announced in relevant Programmes for Government in the usual way.