Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 June 2026.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on Discrimination against Women and Girls. Delivered at the 62nd Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

The UK is committed to protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls in all their diversity – including through tackling discrimination. The Foreign Secretary has placed women and girls globally at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy and is committed to championing their ability to live in a world free from violence and discrimination.

Women and girls are disproportionately targeted by AI-enabled harms, including deepfakes and online abuse at scale. The lack of safety-by-design in AI is intensifying technology-facilitated gender-based violence, with real-world impacts on safety, participation, and wellbeing.

States should adopt a human rights based approach to AI, with gender equality at its core. 

Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) is a major international development programme, co-funded by the UK, Canada and Sweden, that aims to ensure AI works for inclusive, safe and equitable development outcomes in the Global South. Through AI4D Africa, the UK has supported women-led AI research and strengthened the pipeline of female AI leaders. 

Madam Vice President,

How can Member States work with the UN to ensure that protection from discrimination is embedded in the design of AI systems?

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2026.

Statement by Jennifer MacNaughtan, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Children in Armed Conflict.

First, the scale of grave violations and abuses against children in armed conflict remains deeply shocking.

The 9,465 grave violations against children, attributed to Israeli armed and security forces, are utterly unacceptable, as are the grave violations against Israeli children. 

The impact of the conflict in Gaza on children is a moral outrage. 

It is also deeply concerning that hundreds of Palestinian children remain in Israeli detention, many reportedly without charge, for months.

In Sudan, millions of children are displaced, out of school, and facing violence amid a deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

In Ukraine, Russia continues its attacks against civilians, including children, against critical infrastructure, and refuses to return over 20,000 forcibly deported Ukrainian children.

We call on all parties to cease grave violations against children and to comply fully with their obligations under international law.

Second, protecting education is critical. 

Attacks on schools deny children their right to education and expose them to heightened risks, including recruitment and exploitation.

The United Kingdom is proud to support Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education, providing millions of children with critical education and psychosocial support.

We call on all parties to refrain from deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on schools and to fully implement the Safe Schools Declaration. 

And we call on those who have yet to endorse it to do so.

Third, tackling sexual violence against children in conflict, which disproportionately affects girls, is essential. 

From South Sudan, to DRC, to Haiti, sexual violence is being used as a tactic of war alongside other grave violations.

This causes children long-term physical and psychosocial harm. 

The United Kingdom will continue to champion the rights of child survivors, child witnesses, and children born of rape in war. 

Improving prevention and protection of children from sexual violence is critical, as is delivering survivor-centred responses. 

Perpetrators of sexual violence should be held to account.

Madam President, the United Kingdom remains steadfast in our commitment to the Children and Armed Conflict mandate.

We call on all listed parties to engage constructively with the United Nations and the Special Representative to agree and implement action plans in order to end and prevent further grave violations against children.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2026.

The UK will support Gazan students to take up places at British universities and continue efforts to medically evacuate critically ill children for treatment in the NHS.

• Government supports high-achieving students from Gaza to take up scholarships at UK universities
• Government is facilitating new evacuations for critically ill children needing specialist NHS care
• announcement is part of the UK Government’s sustained response to provide immediate support amidst the humanitarian catastrophe and support the rebuilding of Palestinian society

Young people in Gaza whose education has been disrupted by conflict will be supported to study safely at top UK universities. 

The Foreign Secretary has outlined in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament today that a group of high-achieving students holding fully funded scholarships and meeting the Immigration Rules will be helped to leave Gaza to continue their studies in the UK.

They build on more than 100 fully funded scholarship students that government supported to come to the UK this academic year, ensuring talented young people and adults can continue their education. 

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:  

The UK must continue to support students and injured children from Palestine.

Talented young people from across Gaza must not be denied their chance to study because of the horrendous conditions and restrictions they still face. We will continue to run special arrangements to help Chevening scholars and other students with places at world-class UK universities to support the next generation of Palestinian leaders. We’re also helping some of the most vulnerable children to leave Gaza and get expert medical attention in the NHS, building on similar evacuations we facilitated last year.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with continued restrictions on aid flows, unsanitary conditions and inadequate access to medical care. Hospitals are destroyed or only partially functioning, and over 1000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire was announced. New international energy is urgently needed to revive the 20-point peace plan and pursue a two-state solution which delivers stability and peace to Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The group includes a number of Chevening Scholars. This prestigious programme, funded by the Foreign Office, awards scholarships for fully-funded Masters studies to individuals with leadership potential, helping to secure the future of the next generation of Palestinian leaders. 

The statement also outlined new evacuations of critically ill children, with immediate family members, in need of specialist medical support available in the UK following a pause due to the regional conflict. 

The humanitarian situation remains dire in Gaza, with many people in urgent need of medical care. Most hospitals in Gaza are no longer fully functioning after nearly 3 years of war and many key supplies remain scarce.  

In 2025 a cross-government taskforce supported 50 sick and injured children to leave Gaza with their immediate family members and receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.  

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:  

Behind every place is a person whose education has been put on hold by this appalling conflict. 

This Government is acting to help students from Gaza return to learning in safety and stability. Restoring not just education, but dignity and opportunity. 

Education is a lifeline. It restores hope, unlocks potential, and builds the foundations for the future.  We will continue to stand with those whose futures have been disrupted and do everything we can to help them rebuild.

The UK has worked with the World Health Organization to identify patients in urgent need and match them with specialist treatment in the UK. 

The government continues to press Israel to allow those who need urgent medical care to leave Gaza temporarily for treatment. 

All those arriving in the UK will undergo security checks and provide biometric information ahead of travel. 

Background

• universities with eligible students will be contacted with further guidance on next steps. Due to the complexity of the situation, timelines remain uncertain and cannot be guaranteed
• the Government will also support the evacuation of eligible dependants of some students in line with the Immigration Rules
• full eligibility criteria will be published in due course

Health Secretary and Social Care Secretary James Murray said:

No one can fail to be distressed by the devastating impact the war has had on the children of Gaza. Every child deserves the chance to heal, to play, to simply be able to dream again. 

These young patients have witnessed horrors no child should ever see, but this marks the start of their journey towards recovery, and reflects the very best of our NHS values – compassion, care and expertise.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

This country proudly provides safe harbour to those in need. 

I am proud the Government is giving medical support and a new life to children suffering in Gaza. 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2026.

Ankur Narayan, Counsellor for Politico-Military Affairs at the UK Delegation to the OSCE highlights verified evidence of Russia’s violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, including rising civilian casualties, crimes against children, and the use of sexual violence, and calls for Russia’s withdrawal, accountability, and the return of deported Ukrainian children.

Mr Chair, during the last meeting of this Forum, on 10 June, the representative of the Russian Federation said that, in the context of civilian casualties, there are “gaps in the knowledge of International Humanitarian Law” of other States. We agree that civilian casualties are a tragedy.  We agree that IHL is an important issue.

That is why my statement will focus on both issues today. The OSCE’s Code of Conduct compels every participating State to ensure their armed forces abide by international law. I will highlight three elements: civilian casualties; the treatment of children; and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. I will only cite independently-verified, internationally-respected sources.

Firstly, on civilian casualties. Last week, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission confirmed that May 2026 was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022: at least 274 killed and 1,763 injured — a 93 per cent increase on May 2025. Long-range missiles and drones accounted for 45 per cent of May’s casualties, falling overwhelmingly on urban centres such as Kyiv and Dnipro, far from the front line. Along the front line itself, short-range drones killed and injured more civilians in May than in any month since the full-scale invasion began. International humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate attacks, including those which are expected to cause excessive civilian harm in relation to the anticipated military advantage.

Secondly, on the treatment of children. On 12 March the OHCHR’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that Russian authorities have committed two distinct crimes against humanity against Ukrainian children — deportation and forcible transfer, and enforced disappearance. The Commission has verified that at least 1,205 children were taken from their homes. Four years on, 80 per cent have not been returned – instead they have been placed across 21 regions of Russia and the temporarily occupied territories. The Commission reported that it was “a policy conceived and executed under the leadership at the highest level of the Russian Federation state apparatus”. International humanitarian law affords children special protection in times of armed conflict. This includes protection from their forcible transfer or deportation from occupied territory.

Thirdly, on sexual violence. ODIHR’s Eighth Interim Report sets out the conflict-related sexual violence committed in areas under Russian control, the arbitrary detention of civilians, and the use of children in hostilities. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has separately documented the widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian authorities. This includes the use of sexual violence. International humanitarian law protects civilians from violence and exploitation. It also requires that all prisoners of war are treated humanely in all circumstances.

Mr Chair, the UN, ODIHR and other international organisations continue to catalogue irrefutable independent evidence of Russia violating international law and international humanitarian law. As per the Code, such breaches are a “direct and legitimate” concern for us all and we must act in solidarity with the affected State. The United Kingdom once again calls on Russia to withdraw fully from Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders, to return every deported child, and to engage with independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of international human rights law.

Thank you Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2026.

Joint Statement for the Annual Discussion on Women’s Rights: Domestic violence against women and girls. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer.

Thank you Vice President,

The UK delivers this joint statement on behalf of Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain and South Africa.

Across the world, violence against women and girls persists, with one in three experiencing physical and/or sexual violence over their lifetime. We must address this global and national emergency.

The UK together with Australia, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain and South Africa have launched an International Coalition to End Violence against Women and Girls. We will collaborate to prevent all forms of gender-based violence, including online and offline, so that women and girls can live free from fear, no matter who or where they are.

Through this coalition, we will accelerate action by strengthening national responses, sharing expertise, and enhancing global leadership to prevent violence, protect victims and survivors and hold perpetrators to account.

Moreover, as the world faces increasing conflict, we will look to strengthen global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence in humanitarian crises.

Progress requires sustained political leadership and a multistakeholder approach. We call on all States to step up efforts to end gender-based violence, including by scaling up evidence-based prevention and response activities, and ensuring accountability for all perpetrators.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 June 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN General Assembly meeting on HIV/AIDS.

The United Kingdom welcomes this High-Level Meeting and its political declaration.

The UK is proud to have contributed to the significant progress the world has made in tackling HIV over the past decades, reducing transmissions by 65% since 1995 and deaths by 74% since 2004. 

This progress is particularly significant amongst children, where there has been a 69% reduction in transmissions since 2010.  

Each of these numbers affects lives, people, and futures made possible brining hope to us all.

This hope continues today, with new, innovative long-acting antiretroviral technologies also offering transformative potential, improving adherence, reducing stigma, and expanding HIV services.  

The UK continues to support key partners in this work, including the Global Fund, World Health Organisation, Unitaid, and UNAIDS. 

We also recognise the important roles that UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA play in delivering the response on the ground.

But we are concerned about this progress reversing if we do not refocus our effort to end AIDS and ensure no one is left behind. 

This is particularly critical for key populations and for women and girls. 

Engagement, inclusion, and partnership with these groups and others at the grassroots of the HIV response remains essential. 

Three things will be particularly important. 

First, we need to continue to work together, including across the UN, to strengthen health systems, prevent new infections, and end AIDS-related deaths. 

Second, we need stronger country-led, sustainable responses. 

National leadership, integrated services, and efficient use of resources will be critical. 

And third, community-led organisations must remain at the heart of the response. 

Their leadership, resilience, and expertise are essential to reach those most in need and sustain long-term progress. 

Innovation and evidence will continue to underpin successful partnerships, working with key populations, addressing structural barriers created by stigma and discrimination, and tackling drivers of new transmissions.  

So colleagues, we must act with urgency to refocus our resources where they will have the greatest impact, and remain steadfast in our shared commitment to ending AIDS.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 June 2026.

Statement by Jennifer MacNaughtan, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on the Central African Republic.

President, I will make three points.

First, the United Kingdom welcomes the continued progress on peace and security in the Central African Republic, with the support of MINUSCA. 

This includes the holding of national and local elections in December 2025, and the disarmament and demobilisation of over 1,300 ex-combatants since last July.

We urge further efforts to consolidate progress. 

This includes a halt to abuses of human rights and restrictions on civilian movement by some armed groups.

We call on all parties to uphold their commitments under the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation and to work to translate recent gains into sustainable peace and inclusive governance.

Second, the spillover of the Sudan conflict into the Central African Republic remains deeply concerning, with renewed armed activity along the border. 

The United Kingdom condemns reports of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Vakaga, resulting in displacement and human rights abuses.

We call on the Government of the Central African Republic to strengthen further state presence in affected areas and to work with regional partners to enhance border security to protect affected communities. 

Third, the protection of civilians remains a serious concern, especially in the Haut-Mbomou and Vakaga Prefectures. 

Reports of conflict‑related sexual violence and grave violations against children continue at scale. 

Women and girls remain disproportionately affected, while children are subject to recruitment, abduction, and other abuses.

We call on the Government of the Central African Republic to strengthen accountability, prevent violations, and work with the UN to implement national action plans.

Finally, the United Kingdom reiterates its strong support for MINUSCA and its vital role in protecting civilians and supporting lasting stability in the Central African Republic. 

As the Mission adapts its posture, we encourage the Government to continue to work with MINUSCA and assume greater responsibility for its security and governance.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 June 2026.

Explanation of Vote by Jennifer MacNaughtan, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on UN Peacekeeping Operations.

The United Kingdom welcomes the unanimous adoption of this resolution, and we thank Denmark and Pakistan for their efforts.

This resolution makes clear that accountability for attacks against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations is essential. 

This year has seen unacceptable attacks on Blue Helmets.

Our deepest sympathies are with the families of those killed and injured.

We stress the importance of ensuring that investigations into recent incidents progress.

And we commend the courage and professionalism of personnel serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

Finally, President, the United Kingdom is committed to ensuring that UN Peacekeeping remains an effective tool in support of international peace and security. 

And we look forward to receiving the Secretary-General’s report on the future of all forms of peace operations.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 June 2026.

The United Kingdom and E4+deliver a joint statement on the situation in El Obeid, Sudan.

We, the Foreign Ministers of like-minded partners (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, UK), are deeply concerned by reports of a continued assault on El Obeid, despite calls for a halt to the attack and protection of civilians.  

Last year, the world witnessed with horror the atrocities in El Fasher –  crimes that are assessed to bear the “hallmarks of genocide”. We must not allow such failures to be repeated.   

In recent weeks, repeated drone strikes on El Obeid have killed civilians and driven acute shortages of fuel, food and water. With the rainy season fast approaching, humanitarian workers continue to provide life-saving assistance but are being deliberately targeted. 

There are now credible signs of an imminent offensive. This is a critical moment, and the international community must act.  

We call on the RSF to halt its attack immediately. Civilians must be able to leave safely, and all parties must ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. The RSF and the SAF, and their allies, must de-escalate, uphold international humanitarian law, and honour their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration. 

External support continues to sustain this conflict. We call on those fuelling the conflict to cease, and those with influence must exercise it now to avoid further bloodshed.  

We will continue to work closely at the UN Security Council and with regional and international partners to secure a clear and unified response: the violence must end, civilians must be protected, and those responsible must be held to account. We remain committed to supporting a credible path to peace through the Quintet-led process and call on all parties to engage in good faith.