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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones visits Ukraine to address the United for Justice Conference.

• Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones visits Ukraine to address the United for Justice Conference, underlining the UK’s commitment to holding Russia to account for crimes committed throughout the war  
• Minister also made “harrowing but essential” visit to Bucha and Irpin, towns that saw civilian suffering at the start of the war 
• In line with the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, the UK is also seeking Ukrainian expertise to turbocharge counter-drone technology development 

“Russia must be held to account for its crimes”, the Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls stressed on a visit to Kyiv yesterday [Thursday 7 May]. She was in the city to address the United for Justice Conference, an event aiming to coordinate global efforts to investigate, prosecute, and ensure accountability for international crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  

In Kyiv, the Minister also met with frontline organisations directly supporting survivors of sexual violence, which Russia has used as a weapon of war. The visit also furthers the government’s commitment, under the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, to support Ukraine in the reform and recovery of its justice system.  

Addressing the conference, Minister Davies-Jones expressed the UK Government’s “unwavering” commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people in securing justice and accountability. The UK is supporting Ukraine politically, financially, and practically, including with £16.5 million in funding for domestic war crimes investigations, providing Ukraine with the skills and expertise it needs to drive this action forward.  

While in Ukraine, Minister Alex Davies-Jones also visited the towns of Bucha and Irpin, defining sites of civilian suffering caused in the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion and during Russian occupation. Russian forces occupied Bucha until early April 2022, during which widespread war crimes including conflict related sexual violence were reported. The Minister visited the memorial at the town’s mass grave site, which pays tribute to the Ukrainians who were killed during the occupation.  

Irpin became one of the heaviest-hit areas during Russia’s early invasion of Ukraine and was a front-line battlefield in February 2022. The Minister visited the “Bridge of Life” in Irpin, which was exploded by the Ukrainian armed forces to prevent Russian troops and tanks from entering Kyiv city. The remnants of that bridge were the only route through which Ukrainians could seek evacuation and leave Russian occupation, and many Ukrainians were killed trying to make their way there. 

Reflecting on the visit, Minister Davies-Jones said: 

While here in Ukraine I’ve heard powerful testimonies from survivors and seen the harrowing evidence of war crimes firsthand. Working daily with survivors of violence at home, I know that behind every statistic is a person whose life has been changed forever. >  The courage it takes to speak out, to bear witness and to demand justice is something I deeply commend.  

Ukraine is still living under daily attack, and the UK stands firmly with its people in that same pursuit of the justice, accountability and freedom they deserve. Russia must be held to account for its crimes.” 

The Minister also reflected on the expertise Ukraine has to share with the UK, forged through the experiences of government under the pressures of the full-scale invasion. The Minister announced the opening  of a new competition worth £5m by InnovateUK, an initiative that  will accelerate counter-drone research in the UK, with a hope to encourage further technological partnerships between our nations.    

The visit follows the Deputy Prime Minister’s trip to Ukraine to mark the first anniversary of 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine in January this year. Whilst there, he announced £6.5 million investment to support research and development on stopping drones smuggling contraband into prisons – including phones, drugs and weapons. 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

UK Statement at Palau’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you Mr President and a warm welcome to the delegation of Palau.

The United Kingdom welcomes Palau’s efforts to strengthen its anti-trafficking legal framework, including updating its Anti-Human Smuggling and Human Trafficking Act. We also commend Palau’s progress in updating its Family Protection Act to improve access to services and address gender-based violence. 

We encourage Palau’s continued engagement with the UK and other international partners to support the effective establishment of a national human rights institution and ratification of CEDAW.

We recommend that Palau: 

1. Updates relevant legislation to set the minimum age of marriage to 18, without exception.
2. Amends the Anti-Discriminatory Act to explicitly prohibit all forms of disability-based discrimination and establish clear procedures for the investigation and remedy of complaints.
3. Aligns the minimum age of employment with the end of compulsory education, in line with ILO Minimum Age Convention standards.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

Statement by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, at Somalia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The UK commends Somalia for its engagement with the UN human rights system. We recognise the progress Somalia has made by establishing a National Independent Human Rights Commission.

We remain deeply concerned about reported differentiation of the age of “responsibility” and the age of “maturity”. It is essential that the rights of children, individuals below the age of 18, are protected. 

We remain concerned at the ongoing loss of civilian life due to conflict and insecurity, continuing cases of sexual and gender-based violence, and restrictions on freedom of expression, including the detention of journalists.

We recommend:

1. Prioritising protecting the rights of children, protecting the rights of all individuals under the age of 18.
2. Ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and undertaking its swift implementation.
3. Ensuring freedom of speech and strong protections for journalists operating in Somalia.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

The UK welcomed Armenia’s successful hosting of the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, reaffirmed UK support for Armenia’s democratic resilience, and highlighted the agreement of a new UK–Armenia Strategic Partnership.

Thank you, Mr Chair.  And I thank the delegation of Armenia for updating us on the European Political Community Summit held in Yerevan earlier this week.

The UK warmly welcomes Armenia’s hosting of the EPC and commends the Armenian authorities for the smooth organisation of the Summit. We were pleased that the OSCE was invited to attend and that the Secretary General was able to participate.

My Prime Minister met Prime Minister Pashinyan in the margins of the Summit. He commended the significant steps taken to secure peace in the region and thanked Prime Minister Pashinyan for his leadership on the issue.

My Prime Minister also underlined the UK’s steadfast support for Armenia’s democratic resilience – including through practical co-operation on counter-disinformation, cyber security, and supporting an independent judiciary and media.

As the next step in deepening our relationship, our leaders agreed a new UK–Armenia Strategic Partnership, marking a step change in the bilateral relationship and taking cooperation to a new level across defence and security, economic growth, and democratic resilience.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

The Democracy Defenders Award recognises the contribution civil society makes to promoting democracy in the OSCE region. PromoLex promotes democratic values, developing a strong civil society and implementing internationally recognised human rights standards in Moldova.

On behalf of the Democracy Defender Initiative, I would like to inform the Permanent Council of the following matter.  

In 2016, the Democracy Defender Award was established to recognize the enormous contribution that civil society makes to defending and promoting democracy in the OSCE region.  The Award honours outstanding contributions to upholding the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.  

In keeping with this tradition, we are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2026 Award is PromoLex.  

PromoLex focuses on promoting democratic values, developing a strong civil society, and implementing internationally recognised human rights in Moldova. The organisation is made up human rights activists who work to provide legal assistance, strategic litigation, research, and human rights monitoring.  It is also a leading actor in election observation, contributing to the integrity and transparency of electoral processes through monitoring, independent reporting, and advocacy for electoral reform in line with international standards.” 

The 10th Anniversary Democracy Defender Award Presentation and Seminar will take place on 13 May 2026.     

In addition to the official presentation of the 2026 Democracy Defender Award, the Seminar, featuring a panel of expert speakers, will explore how civil society can help address democratic backsliding and build democratic resilience in the OSCE region. Invitations have been distributed, and we encourage Delegations’ response and attendance.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

The UK Government stands with the people of Solomon Islands following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Maila.

We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected and commend the leadership of the Solomon Islands Government, local authorities and communities for their swift response, alongside humanitarian partners.

UK support is helping people recover, rebuild, and stay safe in four key areas:

Supporting children and families to recover

Under this area the UK has provided US$150,000 to enable United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to repair damaged homes and schools and restore access to clean water through its Today and Tomorrow Initiative. This support will help children return to learning, improve safety, and ensure families have access to basic services as communities recover.

Rapid financial support for the national response

Given the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Maila, Solomon Islands has received a rapid payout of US$500,000 through the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC). UK support to this regional insurance mechanism helps Pacific governments access immediate funding after disasters, easing pressure on national finances and enabling faster response for affected communities.

Meeting urgent needs in the hardest-hit communities

Through UK-backed support from the Start Fund, World Vision is helping 2,000 of the most vulnerable people with clean water, sanitation, shelter and food security. This assistance, supported by over US$270,000 in funding, is helping families meet their most critical needs.

In addition to this support, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $2.5 million to support urgent needs in Solomon Islands. The UK is a longstanding partner to the CERF and is the largest overall donor to the fund since its inception in 2006, contributing more than $2 billion in total over the years.

Reaching thousands with lifesaving assistance

As a partner to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund, the UK is supporting the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society to deliver health, water, sanitation, shelter and protection assistance to around 7,500 people. A pay out of US$350,000 has been allocated to those that have been severely affected. 

The UK remains committed to standing alongside Solomon Islands as recovery efforts continue.