Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark the occasion of the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
25 years on from landmark UN Security Council resolution 1325, the UK is proud of its global leadership on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. It is important that we mark this milestone, with women remaining disproportionately impacted by high levels of global conflict. We are grateful to members of this House for their unwavering commitment to this agenda over the last quarter of a century. We are proud that the UK's strong track record on WPS is due to our meaningful cooperation across Government, Parliament, and UK civil society as we strive together to implement UN Security Council resolution 1325. The UK is working closely with our domestic and international partners, including utilising our global network of posts, to ensure we appropriately mark the anniversary around the world. The UK is steadfast in its commitment to the WPS agenda and will continue to demonstrate this during the 25th anniversary and beyond.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to humanitarian organisations operating in conflict-affected areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to addressing the humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), allocating approximately £60 million this financial year. Much of this funding will support lifesaving humanitarian aid, including food and cash assistance, clean water access, malnutrition treatment, and supporting sexual and reproductive health services alongside United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UK remains engaged diplomatically with DRC, Rwanda, and other partners to promote peace and stability. We continue to urge all parties to uphold International Humanitarian Law, protect women and girls, and ensure humanitarian workers can deliver essential services.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that women in Syria, including those from minority groups, are included in peacebuilding and transitional justice processes, in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have consistently advocated for an inclusive political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, including women, and an improved response to sectarian violence. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues with the Syrian Government during his recent visit to Damascus and offered UK support. Syria remains a focus country in the UK's 5th National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, guiding our efforts in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325. UK funding supports Syrian women's rights organisations to promote gender equality, strengthen women's roles in peacebuilding, and increase their participation in political and public life. Thirteen years on from the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, the UK is proud of its leadership on this issue and continues to fund programmes in Syria which document human rights violations and support the trial and convictions of perpetrators of these crimes.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan, report to Parliament 2024 to 2025, published on 17 June 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK has a leading role in the drafting of the future UN Crimes Against Humanity Convention.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK welcomed the United Nations (UN) Sixth Committee's unanimous agreement in November 2024 to move to the negotiation of a legally binding Convention on Crimes Against Humanity. The UK sees real benefit in developing such a Convention, which has the potential to strengthen the domestic and international legal architecture on preventing and prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence and other atrocity crimes. The UK is unwavering in its leadership of the UN's Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and is committed to accelerating progress on the Crimes Against Humanity Convention through the UN, as outlined in our WPS National Action Plan.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 June 2025 on Afghanistan, HCWS703, what (a) recommendations and (b) actions were agreed as part of the dialogue on food insecurity.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As part of its response to the dire food security and nutrition situation in Afghanistan, the UK is convening a range of stakeholders to explore how we can collectively maximise the impact of our work on this issue. These discussions are ongoing and will conclude in October where we hope to secure joint commitments from donors and partners to work together to improve the situation, particularly for women and children.
As part of this initiative, my colleague the Minister of State for International Development has invited you and fellow interested MPs and Peers to join the United Nations Children's Fund, and partners for the UK Launch of First Foods Afghanistan in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 17 July - I do hope you will be able to join this important presentation and discussion.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any training provided in the United Kingdom or by UK personnel to members of the Israel Defence Forces includes content aligned with the principles of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security; and what steps they have taken to ensure such training supports the prevention of gender-based violence.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.
Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.
Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.
The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any training provided by the United Kingdom to members of the Israel Defence Forces includes instructions in international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflict; and what steps they have taken to ensure that that content is delivered and upheld.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.
Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.
Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.
The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what training they have provided to members of the Israel Defence Forces in the United Kingdom since 2020; how many personnel received that training in each year; and what were the stated objectives of the training.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. UK training courses promote British values, including respect for and adherence to human rights.
Fewer than ten Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK each year since 2020. The exact number of IDF personnel and which courses they are on is being withheld in order to protect personal information.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a mandatory Collective and Individual Training Objective in Command and Staff training for UK Defence, this includes training courses delivered to international defence students. The UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include both the theory and the practical application of IHL.
Likewise, the UK training courses being provided to Israel Defence Forces personnel include Protection of Civilians (POC), both at the tactical and operational level. At the tactical level, UK Defence courses include mandatory judgmental training to ensure that a distinction is made between combatants and civilians. At the operational level, POC is integrated into both theoretical and scenario-based training. This is to ensure both UK and Overseas trainees know their responsibility for the application of the Law of Armed Conflict in subsequent operational deployments.
The Ministry of Defence aims to incorporate content aligned with the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into all its training, including UK training courses offered to international students.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with international counterparts on tackling sexual violence on women in Mali.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to addressing sexual violence against women and girls in Mali, including through our bilateral programming. In financial year 2024/25, the UK allocated £800,000 to the Women in Law and Development in Africa for survivor support and economic empowerment initiatives, £300,000 to the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to strengthen protection mechanisms. These programmes provide trauma support, skills training, and leadership development for women.
The UK also co-chairs the Women's Empowerment Dialogue Group in Bamako alongside the International Organisation for Migration and UN Women, working with the Government of Mali and international partners to advance gender equality and tackle sexual violence. These efforts reflect the UK's broader commitment to women's rights in the Sahel.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Pakistan regarding reports that from 31 March it intends to return to Afghanistan all undocumented refugees, including women judges whose US visas have been revoked.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are aware that the Government of Pakistan has announced its intention to recommence deportations in April 2025. We are closely monitoring the Government of Pakistan's policy and are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure Pakistan adheres to its international human rights obligations. We continue to raise concerns with the Government of Pakistan regarding the humanitarian implications of the deportation of Afghan refugees. The visa process and issuance of documentation to Afghan refugees is a matter for Pakistani authorities, who ultimately reserve the right to decide the eligibility criteria for applicants.