The UK meets regularly with the full range of stakeholders in Zimbabwe from across the political spectrum including members of the ruling and opposition parties, judiciary and civil society. British Embassy officials last met with Vice President Chiwenga in September 2018.<\/p>
We have made our views clear to the Government of Zimbabwe following the January 2019 violence. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Zimbabwe last met Foreign Minister Moyo on 20 February and I spoke to him on 30 January. I reinforced our calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to investigate all allegations of human rights violations and urged them to follow the due process of law for all those arrested in connection to January's protests.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-13T17:11:44.84Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Foreign Relations"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department maintains an ongoing dialogue with the Vice-President of Zimbabwe; and what representations his Department has made to the Vice-President of Zimbabwe on the January 2019 violence in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229107"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082595", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082595/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The funding for the expansion of the diplomatic network is coming from £90 million of additional resource over two years agreed by the Treasury to support the Government\u2019s Global Britain ambitions. The expansion is planned to cover a period beginning in 2018 and ending in 2020. This funding will not be taken from elsewhere in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office\u2019s budget. Expansion beyond March 2020 is subject to the forthcoming spending review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-15T11:33:13.533Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Diplomatic Service"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, where the funding will come from for the proposed expansion of the UK\u2019s diplomatic network; over what period that expansion will take place; and whether that funding will be taken from elsewhere in his departmental budget.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229109"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082596", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082596/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bThe Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) was set up to develop the ways in which governments could coordinate their diplomatic efforts, share information, and work together at the international level to achieve LGBT equality. As ERC co-chair we are keen to expand the current 40-strong membership to include any country seeking to work with existing ERC members to promote and protect the human rights of LGBT people globally.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-14T11:28:50.267Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Equal Rights Coalition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to expand the membership of the Equal Rights Coalition among (a) African, (b) Asian and (c) other countries during the Government\u2019s term as co-chair of that coalition in 2019-20.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229110"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082597", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082597/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We remain concerned by the continued detention of Oyub Titiev, Head of the Chechnya division of Non-Governmental organisation Memorial. The UK most recently raised this issue in January 2019, when we joined other EU member states in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in calling for Mr Titiev\u2019s immediate release. In November 2018, the UK was one of 16 participating States to invoke the OSCE Moscow Mechanism to investigate human rights abuses in Chechnya. We continue to prioritise the promotion and protection of human rights in Russia, and will continue to make our concerns clear in bilateral interactions at all levels, where appropriate.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-15T11:39:39.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Oyub Titiev"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Russian counterpart on the continued detention of Oyub Titiev.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229111"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082598", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082598/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are currently no plans for a State Visit by President Bolsonaro. The UK is a strong champion of LGBT rights and our view on LGBT phobia is clear. We continue to work closely with Brazil, making clear where we disagree.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-15T11:56:58.08Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Brazil: State Visits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will guarantee that President Bolsonaro of Brazil will not be accorded the honour of a state visit to the UK during his term in office because of his record of hate speech against members of the LGBT community.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229112"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082599", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082599/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK is looking forward to taking over as co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) in June, partnering with Argentina, and to helping shape the ERC's work to advance global LGBT equality. We will celebrate advancements in the rights of LGBT people around the world, including in Cuba where the newly adopted constitution includes protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, and which allows for a future debate and potentially legislation legalising same sex marriage. We are committed to the expansion of the current 40 strong ERC membership and will consider plans for new members when we take over as co-chair from Canada.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-15T11:58:51.043Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cuba: Equal Rights Coalition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he will formally invite Cuba to join the Equal Rights Coalition during the Government\u2019s term as co-chair of the coalition, in light of the recent progress the Cuban Government has made on LGBT rights.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229113"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082600", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082600/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bI have not made any such representations. The British Government regards the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) as the authoritative global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse human rights impacts with business. The United Kingdom has a strong legal and policy framework to promote and protect human rights for all individuals, including indigenous people. We continue to work overseas and through international institutions such as the United Nations to improve the situation of those facing discrimination. In 2007, the UK supported the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and in May 2017 the European Union\u2019s Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions on indigenous peoples.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-14T11:33:50.23Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Indigenous Peoples"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his international counterparts for the rights of indigenous peoples to be embedded into the proposed International Treaty on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "229114"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082601", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1082601/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the Chinese Government\u2019s deepening crackdown; including credible reports that over one million Uyghur Muslims have been held in re-education camps, and reports of widespread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities.<\/p>
Ministers and senior officials have been raising our concerns directly with the Chinese authorities for some time, and will continue to do so. Lord Ahmad stressed the UK\u2019s concerns about Xinjiang during his address at the 40th<\/sup> session of the UN Human Rights Council in February 2019. I raised our concerns about Xinjiang with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during my visit to China on 22 July 2018. The Foreign Secretary also raised our concerns about the region with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to China on 30 July 2018.<\/p> During China\u2019s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 6 November 2018, the UK made a statement which described our concern about the treatment of ethnic minorities in China, including Uyghurs. We issued a specific recommendation, calling on China to not only implement the recommendations by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on Xinjiang, but also to allow the UN to monitor the implementation.<\/p>