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<p>The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts to eradicate sexual violence
in conflict. We are committed to using UK expertise to help national Governments prevent
and prosecute those responsible for sexual violence in conflict, to improve care for
survivors, and to provide training to improve their military and police capability.
The UK, together with the UN, has worked closely with the Federal Government of Somalia
(FGS) in the development of its national action plan for addressing sexual violence,
which it announced at the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) Summit in London
in June this year.</p><p>The UK has in addition put £1 million this year into funding
projects in Somalia to provide care and support to survivors including:</p><p>o Improving
the response to and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence in three districts
of Mogadishu (Yaqshid, Bondhere and Karaan), including the integration of support
services (psychosocial, legal, and economic) within existing medical clinics;</p><p>
</p><p>o In Lower Juba, increasing the capacity of local authorities to prevent and
respond to cases of sexual violence, improve access to health facilities for survivors
and improve the documentation of sexual violence cases;</p><p> </p><p>o Support for
survivors of sexual violence in camps for Internally Displaced Persons in Mogadishu.</p><p>The
UK was extremely concerned by recent allegations relating to the conduct of soldiers
operating as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM). My
hon friend the member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge MP), the Minsiter
for Africa, raised these allegations with the AU and the relevant troop contributing
countries, and an investigation is due to start imminently. The UK already supports
pre-deployment training programmes for AMISOM on prevention of sexual violence, international
human rights laws, and best practice in assisting women and children in the aftermath
of violent conflict.</p><p> </p>
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