We are deeply concerned by the ongoing situation in Northeast Syria. We remain in regular contact with our partner aid agencies to ensure they have the flexibility they need to meet increased humanitarian needs. The biggest challenge facing agencies is security of staff, with recent events resulting in NGO international staff being evacuated and local staff having to continue delivery under difficult circumstances. We continue to work with partners to ensure continued humanitarian access.<\/p>
<\/p>
Last financial year we provided over £40 million in humanitarian assistance in Northeast Syria, and intend to continue our support at that level this financial year; this funding is flexible and allows partners to direct resources to help those affected by Turkish military action.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Secretary of State has also been in contact with Sir Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, to identify any gaps in the humanitarian response, and ensure those affected by the situation in Northeast Syria are getting the support they need.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-23T16:34:53.003Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Syria: International Assistance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps he has taken to support aid agencies in northern Syria.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "1889"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150693", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150693/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID already includes elements in our capacity building programmes which benefit religious minorities in Pakistan. Our new Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme builds on the Aawaz Voice and accountability programme. It will continue to work with communities to promote rights of children, women, youth and religious minorities, protect them from exploitation, and prevent discrimination.<\/p>
<\/p>
Through our Skills Development Programme, we fund the Punjab Skills Development Fund to provide technical and vocational skills training to the poor and vulnerable, including those from minority communities. An exclusive skills scheme has recently been launched by this Fund for religious minorities. Under this scheme, 5,000 people from religious minorities (40% women) who are unemployed will be trained in a variety of trades.<\/p>
<\/p>
More widely, through UK Aid Connect, DFID is funding a consortium led by the Institute of Development Studies to address challenges in building tolerance and freedom of religion and belief. In November 2018, Lord Ahmad and Lord Bates launched a £12 million UK Aid Connect programme to promote and defend freedom of religion or belief. This will make poverty reduction programmes more inclusive by highlighting and redressing religious inequalities, with a focus on highly volatile contexts.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-25T12:29:10.893Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Religious Freedom"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will include modules on freedom of religion or belief in his Department's capacity building programmes in Pakistan and other countries with reported violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Helens South and Whiston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Marie Rimmer"} ], "uin" : "1914"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150694", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150694/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID Pakistan is making efforts to include the category of religious minorities into the data that it collects on vulnerable populations by improving government data collection and protecting the rights of minorities. We currently collect data on minority status when there is a specific need for it, such as for our programmes which specifically aim at helping minority groups. We recently had some success in collecting more and better-quality data on people with disabilities in Pakistan. We learned from that and will build on it to focus our energy on collecting data from other vulnerable and minority groups.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-25T12:30:57.93Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Minority Groups"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will include the category of religious minorities to the data that his Department collects on vulnerable populations in Pakistan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Helens South and Whiston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Marie Rimmer"} ], "uin" : "1915"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150695", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150695/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Nearly 6,000 people from religious minorities have received training through the Punjab Skills Development Fund\u2019s regular skill schemes. This Fund is launching an exclusive skills scheme for religious minorities from January 2020. Under this scheme, a further 5,000 people from religious minorities (40% women) who are unemployed will be trained in a variety of trades that will lead to work. Lessons from this experience will help the Fund further refine its interventions for minorities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-29T17:24:12.863Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Training"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if his Department will provide specific training courses for religious minority candidates under the Punjab Skills Development Fund in coordination with the Punjab Government.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Helens South and Whiston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Marie Rimmer"} ], "uin" : "1916"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150696", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150696/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Inclusion and respect for minority communities forms an integral part of our provincial and national education programmes in Pakistan. Through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Education Support Programme and the Punjab Education Support Programme II, DFID has also provided technical assistance to provincial governments to revise the school curriculum and remove discriminatory content from textbooks. Other work to promote tolerance and interfaith harmony includes: training nearly 100,000 teachers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab in equity and inclusion; funding the Alif Ailaan education campaign which focusses on religious minorities; and engaging with education civil society organisations to champion issues of inclusion and raise these with government.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-29T17:24:27.017Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Textbooks"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to (a) ensure that schools in Pakistan supported by his Department do not use textbooks with content that stigmatises religious minorities and (b) encourage provincial governments in Pakistan to work with religious minority groups to remove that content.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Helens South and Whiston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Marie Rimmer"} ], "uin" : "1917"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150384", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150384/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID does not currently fund for-profit organisations in Uganda to deliver education services. As a result, no recent assessment has been made of their performance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "1711"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-24T13:13:08.02Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Uganda: Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of for-profit organisations that deliver education in Uganda.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4408", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christian Matheson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "City of Chester"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Christian Matheson"} ], "uin" : "1710"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150385", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150385/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID does not currently fund for-profit organisations in Uganda to deliver education services. As a result, no recent assessment has been made of their performance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "1710"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-24T13:13:08.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Uganda: Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of his Department's funding for education programmes in Uganda is allocated to for-profit organisations that deliver (a) core education services in schools and (b) ancillary services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4408", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christian Matheson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "City of Chester"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Christian Matheson"} ], "uin" : "1711"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150456", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150456/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
A full answer to this question could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. DFID is committed to working with Civil Society Organisations based in developing countries. Funding is available through our country offices, and both streams of the latest funding round of UK Aid Direct were open to applications from the global south.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-24T13:39:23.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Third Sector"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 3 July 2019 to Question 272862 on Developing Countries: Third Sector, what proportion of the £1.3 billion allocated by his Department to fund the work of civil society was spent on civil society organisations registered in developing countries.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4403", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Law"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dundee West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Law"} ], "uin" : "1705"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150457", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150457/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
FCO and DFID have conducted a number of awareness raising activities for the \u2018UK Support for Human Rights Defenders\u2019 document both before and after its publication.<\/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>
The document has also been circulated on external websites such as Human Rights Watch, Global Witness, and the Business & 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>
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>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-24T13:14:48.767Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Human Rights"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4403", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Law"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dundee West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Law"} ], "uin" : "1706"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150459", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150459/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "