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<p>The Government applies its Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) human
rights guidance to ensure that such assistance meets its human rights obligations
and values. This guidance was revised and re-published in January 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The
UK’s security and justice expertise is highly valued across the world and improves
the standards and capabilities of law enforcement and security agencies operating
in the most challenging environments. OSJA assessments are carried out before assistance
is rendered and evaluates the risk of any training provided being used in a way that
is not in line with human rights and British values. As the Foreign Secretary stated
in his written ministerial statement on 26 January 2017 (HCWS441), the new OSJA process
remains the most comprehensive and demanding tool of its type anywhere in the world.</p><p>
</p><p>As the lead Department for OSJA policy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO) engaged with a number of human rights organisations (including members of the
Foreign Secretary’s Advisory Groups on Human Rights) as part of the recent revision
of the OSJA guidance and will continue to do so with regard to its implementation.
The FCO will include information on the steps taken to implement OSJA across Government
when it publishes its Annual Human Rights Report.</p><p> </p><p>Defence personnel
consider the OSJA guidance for all new proposed assistance and extensions to existing
assistance, and where a substantial change in circumstances has significantly altered
the risk for existing assistance. The guidance is therefore considered in any country
where assistance is planned. Authority for activity underpinned by OSJA assessments
is made at different levels according to the risk, from personnel in-country to Ministers
in Departments of State. The Ministry of Defence does not hold data covering all Defence
OSJA assessments made in the last three calendar years.</p><p> </p>
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