An Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, on August 1, 2018. The UK has been a major contributor to the response from the very beginning, providing both financial and technical support to tackle the disease and prevent its spread. Our funding to the WHO, other UN partners and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) is supporting infection prevention and control, safe and dignified burials, community engagement and accountability, psychosocial support - particularly to survivors, and broader health systems strengthening.<\/p>
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The UK is also the leading donor for regional preparedness to prevent the spread of the disease to neighbouring countries Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. This UK support has helped to improve leadership and co-ordination, surveillance, infection prevention control and preparedness measures.<\/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" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-12T16:01:15.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Ebola"} , "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, which (a) countries and (b) regions of those countries have Ebola outbreaks; and what support his Department is providing to (i) tackle and (ii) prevent the spread of that disease.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "261465"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126611", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126611/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
No famine has currently been declared in South Sudan, although the risk remains high. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for South Sudan was published in January 2019. This projected that 6.87 million people, 60% of the population, would experience severe levels of food insecurity (IPC phases 3 to 5) between May and July 2019 \u2013 including 50,000 people experiencing \u2018Catastrophe\u2019, or famine-like, levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 5). The food security crisis in South Sudan is man-made, and driven by conflict. Without peace, the humanitarian crisis will continue to worsen.<\/p>
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We are at the forefront of the international response to the crisis, and UK aid is saving lives. Between 2016 and 2020, the UK is providing £122.3 million of emergency food assistance and £56 million of food security and livelihoods assistance to South Sudan. Our food aid is provided to the most vulnerable populations and reached more than 330,000 people in 2018. Where the context is more stable, we build resilience and tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity by working with traders and small producers to kick-start and scale-up markets, and with households to diversify their income sources. The UK is also putting pressure on all conflict parties to commit to the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.<\/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" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-21T14:54:17.91Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Sudan: Food Aid"} , "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 the level of famine is in South Sudan; and what food aid the Government is making available to that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "254110"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126613", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126613/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Sexual violence is widespread in South Sudan. In most cases perpetrators of sexual violence are men who are known to the victims. Rape is also regularly used as a weapon of war by all parties. The UK strongly condemns all forms of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV). We continue to lobby the Government of South Sudan to address SGBV and end impunity for perpetrators, and support organisations working to tackle the prevalence of SGBV in the country.<\/p>
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This includes a four-year, £14.8 million programme with the International Medical Corps, which has reached more than 850,000 women, men, girls and boys with SGBV interventions in South Sudan. Through this we are supporting survivors of SGBV, including in seeking justice, as well as trying to change damaging attitudes within communities. As attitudes and behaviours are shaped at an early age, our Girls Education in South Sudan programme also educates both boys and girls about healthy relationships.<\/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" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-21T14:54:57.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Sudan: Rape"} , "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 the Government is taking to tackle the prevalence of rape in South Sudan; and what programmes he has established to educate (a) women and (b) men that rape is unacceptable.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "254111"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126079", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126079/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government of Sierra Leone has not requested debt relief. Sierra Leone is not currently in debt distress, although it is at high risk. Any country wishing to pursue debt relief should do so through the existing multilateral fora.<\/p>
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UK bilateral aid to Sierra Leone includes ongoing support to increase revenue generation and improve public financial management to address their debt position.<\/p>
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In the last 6 months, the UK has supported decisions taken by the IMF and the World Bank to provide additional financial support packages for Sierra Leone. Through our contributions to the EU and African Development Bank, we are also providing further support to the Government of Sierra Leone to finance their development needs.<\/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" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-16T15:38:23.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sierra Leone: Debts"} , "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 the Government\u2019s policy is on the cancellation of debts owed by Sierra Leone; and what steps the Government is taking (a) nationally and (b) internationally to reduce that country\u2019s debt overhang.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "253484"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126080", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126080/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "