Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £1.8 million for Political Declaration of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) priority countries they announced will be given to Columbia to develop its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A significant delegation from Colombia attended the recent PSVI Conference in London, and I [Lord Ahmad] and the Minister for Development and Africa [Minister Mitchell] met with the delegation leader, Vice Foreign Minister, Laura Gil. The Minister for the Americas and Caribbean [Minister Rutley] also discussed PSVI with Foreign Minister Leyva on his recent visit to Colombia and met victims of sexual violence. The UK Government is committed to supporting the development of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans across the world, including Colombia as they develop their first National Action Plan, given their track record of championing the meaningful participation of women in their own peace process. The UK is in discussions with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their commitments in the Political Declaration of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference 2022, what support they will give to Columbia to develop its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A significant delegation from Colombia attended the recent PSVI Conference in London, and I [Lord Ahmad] and the Minister for Development and Africa [Minister Mitchell] met with the delegation leader, Vice Foreign Minister, Laura Gil. The Minister for the Americas and Caribbean [Minister Rutley] also discussed PSVI with Foreign Minister Leyva on his recent visit to Colombia and met victims of sexual violence. The UK Government is committed to supporting the development of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans across the world, including Colombia as they develop their first National Action Plan, given their track record of championing the meaningful participation of women in their own peace process. The UK is in discussions with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on next steps.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia in the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference; and the impact of the Minister’s attendance on the wellbeing of victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence attending the conference.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK invited Foreign Ministers from nearly 100 countries to the PSVI Conference. To address conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), we need to involve a range of states, to share experiences and we put survivor voices front and centre. All survivors were provided with full support, including wellbeing and psychological support, which was available throughout the conference. I also met personally with all survivors, and also directly with FM Gërvalla-Schwarz from Kosovo. They recognised the important role the UK was playing in providing a bridge for survivors to directly address issues with countries with whom they had endured serious conflict in the past.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he discussed voter (a) registration, (b) exhibition and (c) verification during his meeting with the President of Sierra Leone in November 2022.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and we work closely with civil society organisations in Sierra Leone to champion universal human rights, including freedom of speech and expression, and to advocate for their protection by the authorities.
The Foreign Secretary spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference on 28 November.
The British High Commission Freetown has recently observed the national voter registration process. The UK did not fund or provide assistance for the Mid-Term Census and we have made our views on its limitations known to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the President of Sierra Leone on people shot in a protesting in Freetown.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and we work closely with civil society organisations in Sierra Leone to champion universal human rights, including freedom of speech and expression, and to advocate for their protection by the authorities.
The Foreign Secretary spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference on 28 November.
The British High Commission Freetown has recently observed the national voter registration process. The UK did not fund or provide assistance for the Mid-Term Census and we have made our views on its limitations known to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Southern African Development Community countries on advancing gender equality.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Gender equality is a priority for this Government as demonstrated by its commitment to Women and Girls, including twelve years of quality education and the recent UK-hosted Conference Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. All Ministers with responsibility for development, including the Foreign Secretary, raise these issues with their Southern Africa Development Community counterparts. For example, in October, the Foreign Secretary raised preventing sexual violence in conflict with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and in November, the State Visit of the President of South Africa was used to highlight the UK-South Africa partnership on gender equality.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they made to the representatives of the government of Ethiopia during the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference; and what steps they are taking to ensure the protection of Tigrayan people subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is committed to preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence. As Ethiopia is a Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Focus Country, we highlighted the effects of conflict in Ethiopia as part of the programme at the PSVI Conference from 28-29 November. This was through a session focused on ethical documentation of conflict-related sexual violence by the media and an artwork exhibition organised by Amnesty International. We invited a range of representatives, including from civil society and the Ethiopian Government, to discuss the impacts of the conflict in Ethiopia. We have consistently called for an end to the appalling violations and abuses of human rights, including sexual violence, committed by all parties to the conflict in northern Ethiopia, and for the perpetrators of these acts to be held to account and support for victims.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37532 on Ukraine: Military Aid, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy on the inclusion of training in the Murad Code within the training provided to Ukrainian defence personnel of the speech by the First Lady of Ukraine to Parliament on 29 November 2022.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence recognises the important role that militaries can play in tackling and responding to Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). At the FCDO Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) international conference on 28 November 2022, the MOD committed to reviewing how the Murad Code could be integrated into the work of UK Defence. There are important factors to consider when providing guidance to militaries with the Murad Code. These need to be sufficiently considered and understood to ensure that the most appropriate actor is collecting and handling evidence and information on CRSV in any given context and that there is no risk of further harm to survivors. Specific training on the Murad Code is not currently being provided to Ukrainian defence personnel. Training provided to Ukrainian defence personnel through Operation INTERFLEX does include sessions on Human Security and the Law of Armed Conflict. Written information on dealing with Human Security issues, such as CRSV, is provided.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative regarding sexual violence in (1) Sudan, and (2) South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government are working in both Sudan and South Sudan to address Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Conference was an important opportunity to raise awareness and work together on these issues. The Government of South Sudan was represented at the conference, endorsed the CRSV Political Declaration and made a national commitment to prevent CRSV in South Sudan. South Sudan's Defence Minister and several civil society actors participated in panels on CRSV prevention, reparations and peacebuilding. The Prime Minister's Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict met the South Sudanese Ministerial delegation to press for urgent action to address CRSV in South Sudan.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to International Ministerial Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative 2022: national commitments, published on 29 November 2022, whether there are plans to publish national commitments from (a) South Sudan and (b) Jordan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference (28-29 November 2022) was a key opportunity to turn up the dial on the global response to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
The UK launched a new Political Declaration at the conference to strengthen the global response to CRSV. Endorsing countries were invited to make commitments outlining action they will take on CRSV. We have received 54 endorsements and 40 national commitments so far. The national commitments from Jordan and South Sudan are now available on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conflict-related-sexual-violence-political-declaration-at-the-2022-preventing-sexual-violence-in-conflict-initiative-conference/international-ministerial-conference-on-preventing-sexual-violence-in-conflict-initiative-2022-national-commitments).