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1136634

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to ensure that human rights are prioritized within his Department's approach to achieving the (a) SDGs and (b) other development outcomes.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	272857
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK is committed to respecting, promoting and protecting universal human rights. Respect for human rights is important in itself and for achieving stable, inclusive and prosperous societies. Human rights underpin freedom, democracy and rule of law and form the basis of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of the UK Aid Strategy and the Department’s new Single Departmental Plan which guide DFID’s strategic decision-making.</p><p> </p><p>The UK continues to be a strong advocate for Goal 16 on inclusive, peaceful societies, widely acknowledged as an enabler for all the other Sustainable Development Goals and for the protection and promotion of human rights.</p><p> </p><p>DFID programmes support human rights across a range of areas such as health, education, peace and security as well as through our support for inclusive and accountable governance. DFID puts the rights of women and girls at the centre of our development efforts through the 2018 Strategic Vision for Gender Equality. We support southern grassroots organisations to protect girls from issues like female genital mutilation and enforced child marriage and DFID’s support to the Jo Cox Memorial Grants includes a specific tranche to build civil society’s capacity to predict identity-based violence.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/07/2019 16:14:54 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1136635

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support to human rights defenders on the ground; and what plans he has to increase that support.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	272858
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>DFID works closely with the FCO on safeguarding of Human Rights Defenders. Support on the ground includes lobbying and programming for safe and open spaces for civil society and human rights defenders to operate. Officials monitor programme outcomes and regularly consult with civil society and directly with Human Rights Defenders to improve our response.</p><p> </p><p>DFID’s Governance for Growth, Stability and Inclusive Development paper, published in March, set a refreshed strategic direction for our work on governance, with a renewed focus on protecting democratic space, where this is under threat, and supporting the rule of law and civic freedoms. A new programme, led by a UK human rights organisation, Article 19, will pilot responses to shrinking civic space and pressure on independent media and civil society.</p><p> </p><p>This month, the FCO published a new document, ‘UK support for Human Rights Defenders’, which reflects the importance of human rights defenders and the support the UK provides to them through its network of embassies and high commissions. Human Rights Defenders and civil society organisations were consulted on the document prior to its publication.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/07/2019 16:15:55 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1136637

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he will take to ensure that, in line with the UN Statement of Common Understanding, a human-rights based approach is integrated within his Department's development co-operation and programming.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	272859
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK is committed to respecting, promoting and protecting universal human rights. Respect for human rights is important in itself and for achieving stable, inclusive and prosperous societies. Human rights underpin freedom, democracy and rule of law and form the basis of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of the UK Aid Strategy and the Department’s new Single Departmental Plan which guide DFID’s strategic decision-making.</p><p> </p><p>DFID country offices’ planning processes take account of interdisciplinary analysis, including a country’s progress toward achieving the SDGs, and our aid relationships involve consideration of partner governments’ commitment to human rights.</p><p> </p><p>DFID carries out, and regularly reviews, programme risk assessments, including the risks of unintended harm to people and to the environment, and our Supply Partner Code of Conduct sets high, legally enforceable standards for ethical behaviour and compliance with human rights by our suppliers in the delivery of DFID contracts.</p><p> </p><p>DFID’s position paper, Governance for Growth, Stability and Inclusive Development, published in March, set a refreshed strategic direction for DFID’s work on governance, including a renewed focus on protecting democratic space, where this is under threat, and supporting the rule of law and civic freedoms. It is a key reference document for future planning.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin grouped question UIN 272861 question first answered 11/07/2019 16:16:50 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1136638

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to ensure that his Department's strategic decision-making is explicitly guided by human rights principles and instruments.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	272860
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK is committed to respecting, promoting and protecting universal human rights. Respect for human rights is important in itself and for achieving stable, inclusive and prosperous societies. Human rights underpin freedom, democracy and rule of law and form the basis of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of the UK Aid Strategy and the Department’s new Single Departmental Plan which guide DFID’s strategic decision-making.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/07/2019 16:19:03 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1136639

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he will take to further integrate human rights considerations into his Department's country-level programming, particularly in human rights priority countries.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	272861
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK is committed to respecting, promoting and protecting universal human rights. Respect for human rights is important in itself and for achieving stable, inclusive and prosperous societies. Human rights underpin freedom, democracy and rule of law and form the basis of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of the UK Aid Strategy and the Department’s new Single Departmental Plan which guide DFID’s strategic decision-making.</p><p> </p><p>DFID country offices’ planning processes take account of interdisciplinary analysis, including a country’s progress toward achieving the SDGs, and our aid relationships involve consideration of partner governments’ commitment to human rights.</p><p> </p><p>DFID carries out, and regularly reviews, programme risk assessments, including the risks of unintended harm to people and to the environment, and our Supply Partner Code of Conduct sets high, legally enforceable standards for ethical behaviour and compliance with human rights by our suppliers in the delivery of DFID contracts.</p><p> </p><p>DFID’s position paper, Governance for Growth, Stability and Inclusive Development, published in March, set a refreshed strategic direction for DFID’s work on governance, including a renewed focus on protecting democratic space, where this is under threat, and supporting the rule of law and civic freedoms. It is a key reference document for future planning.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin grouped question UIN 272859 question first answered 11/07/2019 16:16:51 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1150457

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 11 July 2019 to Question 272858 on Developing Countries: Human Rights, what plans he has to raise awareness of the Government document entitled, UK support for human rights defenders, to (a) his Department's staff and (b) human rights defenders.
	tabling member constituency	Dundee West
	tabling member printed	Chris Law
	uin	1706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>FCO and DFID have conducted a number of awareness raising activities for the ‘UK Support for Human Rights Defenders’ document both before and after its publication.</p><p> </p><p>During its development a selected number of overseas diplomatic posts, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and human rights defenders were consulted. Following its publication and announcement at the Global Conference for Media Freedom in July, the document has been made available on GOV.UK in all six UN languages. The document has been sent to all posts in the UK diplomatic network encouraging them to use it in the course of their work with human rights defenders as well as to relevant policy staff in DFID headquarters.</p><p> </p><p>The document has also been circulated on external websites such as Human Rights Watch, Global Witness, and the Business &amp; Human Rights Resource Centre. The FCO and DFID will continue their outreach with human rights networks, NGOs and human rights defenders. Lord Ahmad has also written to Michelle Bachelet (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) to inform her of the document.</p><p> </p><p>The FCO and DFID will continue to look for opportunities to further promote and publicise the document including Human Rights Defenders Day on 9 December and Human Rights Day on 10 December.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 24/10/2019 13:14:48 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1190108

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that funding allocated by her Department to prevent and tackle the spread of covid-19 in developing countries is not used to (a) support the security sectors and (b) facilitate human rights abuses in those countries.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
	tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
	uin	39733
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2020 answer text <p>DFID has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and aid diversion. Our Smart Rules framework, including pre-disbursement due diligence checks, project monitoring requirements and risk management processes, is designed to ensure that we spend wisely in all our programmes, particularly those delivering in high risk environments. We work closely with our implementing partners to ensure that DFID funds, in line with the International Development Act, are directed only to the aid outcomes or recipients they are intended for, with effective safeguards in place to maximise value for money for the UK taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 01/05/2020 13:46:16 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

454254

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2016
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what metrics she uses in monitoring human rights abuse (a) by governments and (b) in countries in receipt of UK aid.
	tabling member constituency	South West Wiltshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Andrew Murrison
	uin	27995
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2016 answer text <p>DFID works closely with the FCO to assess and monitor the civil and political rights context in the countries where it has programmes. DFID draws on the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, which takes international human rights obligations as its starting point, and assesses FCO country specific updates to that report. It takes into account the views of a range of sources including EU and other development partners, and civil society reports.</p><p>DFID provides aid to governments when it is satisfied that they share Britain’s commitments to reducing poverty and to respecting human rights. Before providing aid to a partner government, DFID assesses their commitment to four Partnership Principles. These include a commitment to poverty reduction; respecting human rights and other international obligations; improving public financial management, promoting good governance and transparency, and fighting corruption; and strengthening domestic accountability.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 01/03/2016 17:09:24 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
	tabling member	1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison