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<p>I am proud to work with the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing
Sexual Violence in Conflict, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks)
(Mr Hague), on the issue of sexual violence in conflict and see the leadership that
the UK is taking on this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working across
Government and around the world to ensure that we make significant progress in addressing
impunity and supporting conflict affected states in strengthening their responses
to these crimes. <br> <br>The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for
Witney (Mr Cameron), and Mr Hague regularly discuss the implementation of the commitments
from the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence, which took place in London in June
last year.</p><p>The Colombian government’s efforts internationally and at home have
demonstrated a clear commitment to tackling sexual violence. There is still more to
do and the UK is supporting three projects in Colombia through the Preventing Sexual
Violence Initiative:</p><p>1. Our Embassy is working with two non-governmental organisations
(NGOs), LIMPAL and Casa Amazonia, to directly support survivors of sexual violence,
train women’s organisations and connect them to government authorities.</p><p>2. We
are working with DeJusticia and the Attorney General’s Office to train prosecutors
to investigate sexual violence in armed conflict, in support of efforts to develop
new national standards for investigation and prosecution.</p><p>3. We are working
with NGO Casa de la Mujer to adapt and implement in Colombia the International Protocol
on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (launched at
the June Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict), with pilots in two municipalities
of the Pacific coast most affected by the armed conflict and with high incidence of
sexual violence.</p><p>In 2015 our Embassy will hold an event during the first week
of February to support the campaign against sexual violence, Survivors United for
Action, led by Jineth Bedoya. Bedoya is one of Colombia’s most respected leaders on
this theme and was a speaker at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.</p>
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