The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022, relating to a meeting in Geneva on 13 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the Acting High Commissioner’s Oral Update on Xinjiang, Sudan and South Sudan.

Thank you Mr President,

Acting High Commissioner,

The former High Commissioner’s recent report on Xinjiang included credible evidence of arbitrary and discriminatory detention, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced sterilisations and abortions, and the destruction of religious sites. This report provides further compelling and harrowing evidence of the extent of China’s efforts to silence and repress Uyghurs and other minority groups in the region including acts that may constitute crimes against humanity. China must allow independent UN experts to conduct unrestricted visits to Xinjiang to verify the findings. The Council must not stay silent as an ethnic and religious minority is so brutally targeted.

Turning our attention to other countries, in Sudan, violence, the killing of protestors and other human rights violations continue. We are disappointed that important progress made on human rights since the 2019 revolution has been lost following last year’s coup. The UK urges the Sudanese authorities to allow peaceful protests, to deliver on their commitment to protect civilians, to implement the Juba Peace Agreement, and to hold those responsible for violations to account. All parties must recommit to Sudan’s democratic transition to deliver the peace and justice the Sudanese people deserve.

In South Sudan, the human rights situation is appalling, evidenced by harrowing reports of violence, killings and widespread sexual violence. The UK calls on the Government of South Sudan to hold the perpetrators of these abuses to account, end impunity, and protect civilians. A secure, stable and enduring peace is essential. The Government should now implement the 2018 peace agreement, meeting the timelines set out in their recently announced Roadmap.

We are also deeply concerned by the recent violence seen in Libya, most notably on the weekend of 26 August when 32 people were killed and over a hundred injured. The Libyan authorities must prioritise the protection of civilians and respect the human rights of all Libyans.

Thank you

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022, relating to a meeting in Geneva on 12 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the worsening situation in Sri Lanka.

Thank you Mr President,

The United Kingdom welcomes the High Commissioner’s comprehensive report.

We recognise the economic challenges facing Sri Lanka, and the hardships these have caused.

In coming together to protest about the economic situation, Sri Lanka’s people exercised their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of expression. We are dismayed that in response, violence was used against protesters. We are deeply concerned about the arrest and ongoing detention of protestors under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and continue to call for reform of the Act.

We are also concerned about reports of continued militarisation and intimidation impacting on communities in the north and east, including on families of the disappeared. We regret the limited progress made on accountability and justice as requested in HRC resolution 46/1. The domestic reconciliation and accountability process promised in 2020 has not emerged. For these reasons, OHCHR’s work collecting and preserving evidence must continue.

We welcome Sri Lanka’s recent commitments on respect for the rights of those from all religious and ethnic groups, including through political inclusion and constitutional reform. We stand ready to continue dialogue and support Sri Lanka with this and with the promised approaches to accountability, justice and reconciliation.

Thank You.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022, relating to a meeting in Geneva on 12 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the deteriorating situation faced by women and girls in Afghanistan.

Thank you Mr President,

Two months ago, this Council concluded that “the oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan is grave, institutionalized, widespread and systematic”. Tragically, nothing has changed.

To the human rights defenders across Afghanistan and to the Afghan women here today, let me begin by saying thank you. Thank you for continuing to shine a spotlight on the appalling situation you face. I am humbled by your courage and tireless determination.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls cannot attend secondary school. Women in Afghanistan are unable to move around freely. They are confined to their homes. In many cases they are unable to work. They are severely restricted from enjoying their human rights.

With girls kept out of school, and as parents struggle to feed their families, the risk of child early and forced marriage increases.

Without education for girls, there will be fewer doctors, teachers and entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.

The UK will continue strongly championing the voices of Afghan women and girls and continue to provide life-saving support and provide space for Afghan women’s voices.

Our message to the Taliban is clear. Listen to Afghan women. Allow girls to go to school. Allow women to work. Allow women humanitarian workers to deliver life-saving aid. To put it simply, uphold their human rights.

Mr President, this Council must unite and demonstrate, once again, that we stand with Afghan women and girls.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022, relating to a meeting in Geneva on 12 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador Rita French delivered her statement on the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Special Rapporteur,

Let me start by thanking you for your detailed and sobering update to this Council. It is a reminder to us all, on this first day of the fifty-first session of the Council, of how crucial your mandate is in providing a voice to millions of Afghans.

We share your grave concern about the, “staggering regression in women and girls’ enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights since the Taliban took power”. Indeed, in no other country have women and girls so rapidly disappeared from all spheres of public life, particularly secondary schools. We call on the Taliban to urgently reverse these policies and practices restricting the human rights of Afghan women and girls.

Special Rapporteur, we also welcome your efforts to shed light on the broader situation of human rights in Afghanistan. Religious and ethnic minorities continue to be targeted, including by terrorist groups. There are allegations of arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial killings at the hands of the Taliban. Media freedoms have been restricted and there are all too frequent reports of peaceful public dissent being violently repressed.

The UK remains committed to supporting the Afghan people. We urge the Taliban urgently to take steps to protect the rights of all Afghans. This includes ensuring inclusive dialogue, which truly reflects Afghan society.

Your role, Special Rapporteur, is vital to provide an independent voice for the Afghan people, including women and girls. We will do all we can to support you in your work and we encourage our fellow members of this Council to do the same.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022, relating to a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on 12 September 2022.

Thank you Mr President,

Let me warmly thank colleagues for this morning’s silence for Hr late Majesty Elizabeth the second.

The UK continues to condemn the military coup in Myanmar, the violence against the people of Myanmar, and the unlawful detention and execution of figures in the deposed civilian government and civil society by the military.

Security forces continue to commit atrocities throughout the country, with credible reports of torture, burning of villages, sexual violence, violence against children, and mass killings. 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine state, where they face systemic discrimination; are denied their citizenship rights and access to education and healthcare.

The UK will continue to apply pressure through international fora, targeted sanctions and other means to respond to the junta’s actions. We have also announced our intention to intervene in the ICJ case brought by The Gambia for Myanmar’s alleged breach of the Genocide Convention. We welcome the Mechanism’s cooperation with the Court.

The international community must support the IIMM to collect and preserve incidents of human rights violations. The UK has provided 500,000 pounds sterling of core funding, and established the Myanmar Witness programme.

Mr Koumjian,

What actions can the international community take to improve evidence gathering for alleged crimes relating to gender and children?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022. The speech had been made in Geneva, Switzerland on 12 September 2022.

Ambassador Simon Manley delivered his opening remarks in tribute of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and invited the Council to honour her memory in a minute’s silence.

Mr President,

Let me begin by thanking you and many of our colleagues here today in this hall for their words of condolence, tribute and support, in these last few difficult days for me and my country.

Mr President, this is a time of national mourning for the United Kingdom. Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second was, as I think we all know, a truly remarkable person, and an era has ended.

She was, if I may say, an internationalist before the word became fashionable.

And, throughout her long life of service to her country, the realms and the commonwealth, she visited more than 100 countries and touched the lives of countless people across the globe.

She was indeed my country’s greatest diplomat.

And in remembering her this morning, I wanted to quote some words from William Shakespeare from his play Henry the eighth which contains a prophecy by Archbishop Cranmer about the baby princess Elizabeth the first, in which he wrote;

She shall be, to the happiness of England,

An aged princess; many days shall see her.

And yet no day without a deed to crown it.

And indeed our late Majesty worked until the very last day of her life; devoted to the service of her people and her country.

If I may Mr President, I would like to ask you to join me in a minute’s silence in memory of her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2022.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly begins his first overseas trip in his new role today (Tuesday) – arriving at the United Nations in New York for high-level talks as part of the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA).

During his trip, alongside the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary will meet his global counterparts to take action on a series of global challenges, including Russia’s malign activity and building stability in the Middle East.

Ahead of arriving in New York, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

We live in an increasingly unstable, divided world. As Foreign Secretary, I will work to bring countries together to tackle aggression, overcome challenges and promote our democratic values. We will judge others on actions not words.

Every day the devastating consequences of Russia’s barbaric tactics become clearer. There must be no impunity for Putin’s hostility.

His main event of the week will be a special UN Security Council session on Thursday focusing on the situation in Ukraine and ensuring that Russia does not get away with its actions unpunished. The Foreign Secretary will give the UK’s intervention at the meeting, exposing Russian aggression and tactics as they seek to justify their illegal war.

Cleverly is due to have his first bilateral meeting in his new role with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken later today (Tuesday).

He is also due to meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Canada’s Melanie Joly tomorrow (Wednesday) and Australia’s Penny Wong on Thursday.

On arrival in New York, he is due to attend a global food security event hosted by the United States, European Union and African Union as 50 million people worldwide face being just one-step away from famine.

Also this week, the Foreign Secretary will join partners, including fellow G7 Foreign Ministers, for an event on nuclear safety, as concerns around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine continue to grow.

Stability in the Middle East will be a recurring theme on the agenda in New York, with discussions set to take place on Yemen, Syria and the Gulf.