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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 July 2023.

    Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar, as delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

    Thank you, Mr President.

    Thank you, High Commissioner, for your valuable update.

    The people of Myanmar continue to suffer at the hands of the military regime. The military continues to target civilians with horrific tactics, including air strikes, torture and sexual and gender-based violence. Over 17.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including over 1.8 million displaced. Thousands of civilians, including children, have been jailed, tortured and killed. And over 10,000 political prisoners remain in detention.

    The pre-existing humanitarian crisis has been further compounded by the devastation of Cyclone Mocha. Reports of the military blocking humanitarian access to those in need is extremely concerning.

    Mr Vice President, humanitarian aid must not be weaponised. Full humanitarian access must be granted immediately.

    The UK will continue to apply pressure through international fora, targeted sanctions and other means to respond to the military’s actions. There must be an end to a culture of impunity. The UK is providing half a million pounds sterling to the Independent Investigative Mechanism and established the Myanmar Witness programme which reports on serious human rights violations.

    High Commissioner, what more can the international community do to improve our response to the risk of further mass atrocities?

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s war has left many Ukrainians vulnerable to human trafficking – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s war has left many Ukrainians vulnerable to human trafficking – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 July 2023.

    Justin Addison (UK Delegation to the OSCE) tells an OSCE joint committee meeting that the UK is committed to working with international partners to reduce the risks of trafficking.

    Thank you, Madam moderator. And thank you to the speakers for sharing your thoughts with us today. It’s really valuable to hear the perspectives from civil society. And it’s clear from what has been said that this issue crosses all three of the OSCE’s dimensions.

    As we have heard from the deputy minister, Russia’s unprovoked assault on Ukraine has left many Ukrainians vulnerable to human trafficking. Unfortunately, this includes highly gendered and toxic demand for sexual services, as criminals prey on the vulnerability of the displaced. The UK is committed to working with international partners to reduce the risks of trafficking for the most vulnerable, particularly women and children.

    In this challenging context, we thank the Office of the Special Representative for their leadership on anti-trafficking prevention and support to cyber and trafficking police, technology companies, and NGOs working to combat online exploitation. We also thank ODIHR for its important work.

    The Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons in April was an important milestone for the OSCE region, demonstrating the importance of national leadership and a global response to tackling human trafficking. Although progress has been made in recent years, there is still a long way to go. That is why the UK is committed to supporting Theresa May in her work to establish a new Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Such a commission will inject political momentum at this critical time, and will support the global community to achieve our shared goal of eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking by 2030. We encourage participating States who have not already done so to evaluate how they can support this important new initiative.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New global taskforce unveiled to bolster resilience in aviation workforce [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New global taskforce unveiled to bolster resilience in aviation workforce [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 July 2023.

    UK-led taskforce launched to address global skills challenges in aviation.

    • global Aviation Skills Taskforce launched to boost careers in aviation as demand for flights grows post-COVID-19 pandemic, creating a resilient workforce and helping to grow the economy
    • this taskforce will demand collaboration between international partners to address global skills challenges in aviation
    • comes as government has also signed 2 memoranda of understanding to work with Spain on accelerating the use of sustainable aviation fuel, establishing green shipping corridors and protecting seafarers

    The Aviation Minister has today (6 July 2023) launched a UK-led global taskforce at the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Gender Summit in Spain to boost careers in the aviation sector.

    Building on the success of the government’s existing domestic programme Generation Aviation, which aims to build a resilient and diverse workforce fit for the future, the UK is partnering with Airport Council International (ACI World), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) – demonstrating the importance of international collaboration to address global skills in aviation and aerospace.

    Alongside other countries and industry, the taskforce will aim to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in aviation and will retain and upskill the current workforce, as well as promote diversity – unleashing the sector’s economic potential and helping grow the economy.

    Aviation and Maritime Minister Baroness Vere said:

    Since the pandemic, demand for flights has grown but the sector is still facing challenges in recruiting and retaining the people it needs globally.

    It takes a united effort to fix that, which is why I am keen to work with international partners to attract the best talent to aviation and deliver a diverse and resilient workforce to overcome the challenges of the future.

    The UK has also committed to levelling up both the aviation and maritime sectors by working with Spain to grow the economy and boost the sectors’ standards and sustainability.

    Future-proofing our aviation sector doesn’t just sit with the next generation of aviators but requires leadership today. That is why Baroness Vere is also signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spain to promote sustainable aviation fuel to reduce emissions in the aviation sector by sharing knowledge and best practice and fostering high standards of sustainability globally.

    Building on our shared naval heritage, Baroness Vere is also signing the MOU to establish green shipping corridors and protect seafarer welfare.

    Earlier this year, the UK government implemented its Seafarers Wages Act, to increase pay and protect seafarers regularly entering the UK.

    As part of its Nine-point-plan to work with international partners to reform employment and welfare of seafarers, the UK and Spain will collaborate on protecting seafarers and raising standards on the Anglo-Spanish shipping routes, as well as sharing expertise to develop maritime standards.

    The environmental impact of shipping remains at the forefront of the government’s push to decarbonise transport, which is why the UK is also establishing green shipping corridors with Spain as part of the Clydebank Declaration. This will not only contribute to reducing carbon emissions but also promote sustainable economic growth and enhance global efforts to combat climate change.

  • PRESS RELEASE : NHS Recovery Summit held to help cut waiting lists [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : NHS Recovery Summit held to help cut waiting lists [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 July 2023.

    Health and Social Care Secretary will convene the next NHS Recovery Summit with health experts to help drive innovation across the NHS.

    • Summit will focus on digital innovation and technology to help deliver better care for patients and boost work to cut waiting lists – one of the government’s top 5 priorities
    • Ministers to host roundtable sessions across elective, urgent and emergency, primary and adult social care

    The Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay will convene ministers, clinical leaders and health experts for the next NHS Recovery Summit today (6 July 2023) to drive forward plans to help cut waiting lists and improve care for patients, in the week of the NHS’s 75th birthday.

    Health and social care ministers will host roundtable sessions covering elective, primary, urgent and emergency and adult social care, bringing together NHS chief executives and clinical leaders from across the country and experts from independent and charity sector organisations. This includes the Chief Executive of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s National Director of Transformation, Dr Tim Ferris and Dr Amanda Doyle OBE, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services.

    Demonstrations throughout the day will showcase how technology in the NHS is transforming care for patients and consider how to go further and faster in embracing new technology to improve access to services, as well as boosting use of NHS 111 and the NHS App to ease pressures and improve choice for patients.

    It follows on from the Prime Minister’s NHS Recovery Forum held in Downing Street on 7 January, which discussed a range of measures such as the expansion of virtual wards, greater use of pharmacy to ease pressures on general practice and more choice over elective care for patients, many of which have now been introduced across the health service.

    Waiting times have substantially reduced from the peak of winter pressures in December, and since then the NHS has published the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, the Primary Care Recovery Plan and the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to help put the NHS on a sustainable footing.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    The NHS is a national treasure and it’s important we take the chance to look at its achievements over the last 75 years, take stock of where we are now and look ahead to where we want to be in the future.

    Today’s summit is about keeping up momentum to recover health and social care services, by bringing together key experts to share knowledge and arrive at solutions to tackle the key challenges facing the NHS and social care, from embracing innovative AI tools to maximising the full potential of the NHS App for patients.

    I’m focused on improving care for patients through the use of technology to diagnose and treat patients more quickly – delivering on the government’s commitment to cut waiting lists.

    Examples of the tech being demonstrated include DERM AI, which is being used to assess skin lesions for cancer across the NHS. DERM has been shown to be 99.7% accurate in predicting skin lesions as non-cancerous. The number of people being referred for skin cancer is increasing year on year, with more than 600,000 people sent for a skin cancer check last year, almost a 10% increase on the year before. DERM could help to triage more patients faster, which could reduce the burden on clinicians and help people receive the care they need sooner.

    The government is investing in DERM and other technologies through the AI Awards, with £123 million invested into 86 technologies since 2020. Last month the government also announced an additional £21 million fund to roll out the latest AI diagnostic tools across the NHS.

    There will also be a demonstration of cutting-edge medical technology that can help the NHS improve care, such as Rezum – a minimally invasive procedure that uses water vapour to treat enlarged prostates, relieving symptoms without the need for an overnight admission as people can be treated as outpatients.

    Virtual reality headsets will be used to showcase Hospital 2.0 designs, demonstrating what the new, nationally designed hospitals of the future will look like as part of the government’s New Hospital Programme. This includes a design that will be adaptable to a variety of locations, featuring an open and light environment, single inpatient bedrooms and staff rest spaces.

    The landmark NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will deliver hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years, and the most radical modernisation and reform of the workforce since the NHS was founded in 1948.

    Significant progress has been made on elective care, as 2-year waits have been virtually eliminated and 18-month waits have fallen by more than 91% from their September 2021 peak. Community diagnostic centres have formed a vital part of this effort, with 111 already open across the country and over 4 million additional tests, checks and scans delivered since July 2021.

    In May, the government also announced plans to empower patients to choose where they receive their NHS care through the NHS App. Patients should be offered a choice of a minimum of 5 providers, where clinically appropriate, by their referring clinician, with information available about waiting times, distance to travel and quality to help them make their choice. Research shows that giving patients choice can cut up to 3 months off their waiting time by selecting a different hospital in the same region.

    As part of the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, the NHS has already rolled out 7,000 virtual ward beds to adults, and now they will be expanded to tens of thousands of children across the country to allow them to be treated from the comfort of their own home.

    The Primary Care Recovery Plan included £240 million for practices across England to embrace the latest technology to tackle the 8am rush and reduce the number of people struggling to contact their GP, alongside the introduction of Pharmacy First, which will see pharmacists treating patients for common conditions, as well as an expansion of blood pressure and contraception services within pharmacies.

    Work is also underway across community health services and intermediate care to improve social care this winter and beyond, supported by the Better Care Fund – including £1.6 billion of discharge funding over the next 2 years to ensure patients can leave hospital as soon as they’re ready.

  • PRESS RELEASE : For the first time, a Permanent Member of this Council, the Russian Federation, is listed for over 1200 grave violations against children – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : For the first time, a Permanent Member of this Council, the Russian Federation, is listed for over 1200 grave violations against children – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 July 2023.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Children and Armed Conflict.

    My thanks to our briefers, in particular Ms Violeta for your tremendous courage and valuable insights on the impact of conflict on children.

    The scale of grave violations outlined in the Secretary-General’s report is shocking. Over 8000 children were killed and maimed in 2022. Attacks on schools and hospitals increased by 112%. Violations in the Sahel increased by 85%, in Myanmar by 140%. And over 1,500 children were recruited and used in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These are not just statistics. These are the stories of real children and their families and communities.

    For the first time, a Permanent Member of this Council, the Russian Federation, is listed for over 1200 grave violations against children. A listing based on robust UN data that represents the tip of the iceberg. There is only one solution to ending the suffering of Ukrainian children: an end to Russia’s illegal invasion.

    We will continue to support the Government of Ukraine’s efforts to protect its children and bring them home after Russia’s forced deportations.

    International frameworks to ensure children’s rights such as the Safe Schools Declaration, the Children and Armed Conflict Working Group and the CAAC Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism need our full support.

    The United Kingdom is taking action. We support programmes delivering psychosocial support, safe spaces, and addressing the drivers of recruitment. And we are a major donor to Education Cannot Wait, helping over 8.8 million children achieve their right to an education.

    We will continue to drive the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. To remove barriers to justice, increase support for child survivors, and implement our commitments under the Platform for Action Promoting the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of conflict-related sexual violence.

    Children do not start wars but they continue to be the most vulnerable to its effects.

    We should do better.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Major agreement to deliver new cancer vaccine trials [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Major agreement to deliver new cancer vaccine trials [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 July 2023.

    Ground-breaking new cancer treatments have moved a step closer with the signing of a major agreement between the government and BioNTech SE.

    • Government signs agreement with BioNTech SE to provide up to 10,000 patients with precision cancer immunotherapies by 2030
    • NHS England’s new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad aims to improve access to personalised treatments and clinical trials
    • BioNTech SE to set up laboratories and a regional hub in England to support the development of immunotherapies

    Ground-breaking new cancer treatments have moved a step closer with the signing of a major agreement between the government and BioNTech SE.

    Building on a memorandum of understanding signed in January, the partnership will provide cancer patients with improved access to the latest cancer trials and therapies currently being developed.

    The government has signed a long term partnership agreement with the German-based company BioNTech – which previously developed a world leading COVID-19 vaccine with Pfizer – to ensure more patients can benefit from personalised cancer treatments.

    This includes UK-based clinical trials intended to help treat patients through the use of precision immunotherapies which work by stimulating the immune system to recognise and eliminate cancer cells. The aim is to provide access to personalised treatments for up to 10,000 patients by 2030.

    BioNTech SE has already begun conducting clinical trials in the UK. Further trials will be launching although the majority of patients are expected to be enrolled from 2026 onwards.

    To help deliver this research, BioNTech plans to set up new laboratories in Cambridge with an expected capacity of more than 70 highly skilled scientists as well as a new regional hub for the United Kingdom.

    The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

    This landmark new agreement takes us one step closer to delivering life-saving new cancer treatments for thousands of patients right across the country.

    The UK is a global leader in life sciences – helping to create thousands of highly skilled jobs and pioneering research – and it is testament to this success that BioNTech have chosen to make this significant investment here today.

    Personalised cancer vaccines have the potential to completely revolutionise the way we treat this cruel disease and it is hugely welcome that, thanks to today’s announcement, clinical trials will be rolled out widely

    Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay said:

    This partnership is a huge step forward in the fight against cancer.

    By working together with BioNTech on these innovative treatments we can make progress and save lives and I’m excited by the potential these trials have to both treat patients with cancer and those who have had it to stop it returning.

    This further demonstrates that the UK is an attractive location for innovative companies to invest and pioneer cutting edge treatments for our patients and underlines this government’s commitment to research and development.

    A new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) led by NHS England in partnership with Genomics England, will help to rapidly identify cancer patients who could be eligible for potential trials.

    It will work by creating a database of suitable NHS cancer patients who will be offered the choice to take part in personalised cancer vaccine trials.

    The partnership will aim to help patients with early and late-stage cancers and, if successfully developed, cancer vaccines could become part of standard care.

    Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS said:

    The NHS will not stop in its efforts to pioneer new treatments that could be life-changing for future generations. This is why we are developing our very first Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, enabling us to identify thousands of NHS patients suitable for cancer vaccine trials – giving them the earliest possible access to cutting-edge technology that has the potential to change cancer care forever.

    Thanks to advances in treatment and care alongside NHS awareness campaigns, cancer survival is at an all-time high, but the potential to stop cancer from returning is truly remarkable – and with the first patients set to take part in vaccine trials this autumn, we hope to find a way of vaccinating people against their own cancers and improve their chances of survival.

    Trials will focus on personalised mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies – a type of cancer treatment that activates the patient’s immune system and can either be designed to target shared abnormalities in a specific type of cancer or tailored to an individual’s tumour.

    Immunotherapies tailored to an individual are created by analysing a patient’s tumour to identify mutations that are specific to that individual’s cancer, then using that information to create an immunotherapy personal to that patient.

    The partners involved will work to make processes as simple and effective as possible with BioNTech aiming to start further clinical trials and make potential new therapies available in the UK as soon as possible.

    Professor Uğur Şahin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of BioNTech said:

    We are truly honoured to be an integral part of this landmark partnership, alongside the UK government, NHS England, Genomics England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

    The United Kingdom’s expertise in genomic analyses in cancer patients is a critical component of our shared endeavour to make mRNA-based and precision cancer immunotherapies widely accessible through clinical trials.

    If successful, this collaboration has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer not just in the UK, but also worldwide.

    Sean Marett, CMG, Chief Business Officer & Chief Commercial Officer at BioNTech SE, said:

    Through the development by the UK of a unified national contract approach for clinical trials that will let hospitals rapidly sign-up to clinical trials being undertaken in the UK by BioNTech, we are hoping to reach many UK cancer patients that wish to participate in clinical trials with new BioNTech investigational cancer treatments quickly and efficiently.

    Business & Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said:

    This government is supporting our life sciences sector to be among the best in the world, with no better example than our global leadership in developing and rolling out the first Covid-19 vaccines.

    Investment in life sciences is key if we are to become a science superpower by 2030, helping to grow the economy and provide substantial health benefits for the British public and the world.

    Patients will be asked by the NHS to consent to be put forward for clinical trials, and surplus tissue samples will be used to assess their eligibility.

    The detail of any suitable clinical trials will be made available to the participant and their treating clinical team to see if they would like to take part in the relevant trial.

    Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Chloe Smith said:

    I know from personal experience how it feels to face a cancer diagnosis. I was immensely fortunate to benefit from world-leading care from our wonderful NHS. There are brilliant scientists, researchers, and medics working on the kinds of lifesaving cancer treatments and therapies that this deal will deliver.

    This partnership is the perfect example of how our £94 billion life sciences sector is improving lives across the country. This deal will anchor high-skilled jobs and investment in the UK. But most importantly, it will deliver better outcomes for patients with cancer in England, ensuring that more of them can go on to live long, happy, and healthy lives.

    Chris Wigley, Chief Executive Officer of Genomics England said:

    Since the times of Darwin, Franklin, and Sanger, the UK has been a true world leader in genomic science and healthcare. To sustain that leadership, we have to continue to deliver more world firsts, more innovations, and more benefits to patients, both nationally and internationally.

    We talk about the Cancer Vaccine “Launch Pad” – the rocket that is being launched is access to ground-breaking personalised cancer therapies that can transform lives and improve outcomes for those affected by this terrible disease. It’s almost hard to comprehend, but there are medicines made just for you, to attack your very own cancer tumour.

    We’re thrilled that this partnership will see genomics extend beyond diagnosis and take us towards a future of personalised cancer treatment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government issues call for information on use of private telecoms [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government issues call for information on use of private telecoms [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 5 July 2023.

    The government has launched public call for information on the uses and security of private telecoms networks in the UK.

    • Government launches public call for information on the uses and security of private telecoms networks in the UK
    • The exercise will help develop understanding of the private telecoms market
    • The remit will cover technologies being deployed, the sectors using these networks, and the security measures taken to protect them

    The government has today (5 July 2023) launched a public call for information on the uses and security of private telecoms networks in the UK. These are networks that provide bespoke services to closed user groups and are different to public telecoms networks, which supply a standard service to individuals or businesses, relying on common infrastructure.

    The call for information will help the government develop its understanding of the private telecoms market, including the technologies being deployed, the sectors using these networks, and the security measures taken to protect them. This information will be used to determine if any government intervention is required to promote the security and resilience of private telecoms networks.

    The call for information will be open for 10 weeks and closes on 13 September 2023.

    Read further details, including how to submit a response to the Private Telecommunications Networks: call for information.

    While anyone can respond to it, the government would particularly welcome responses from telecoms providers, businesses that currently procure, or are planning to procure, and use private telecoms networks, and consultants, contractors, or academics involved in the industry.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The regime cannot ignore calls for change – UK and partners call out Iran over executions [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The regime cannot ignore calls for change – UK and partners call out Iran over executions [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 July 2023.

    The UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East has urged the Iranian regime to end the surge in executions, following a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.

    The UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East Lord (Tariq) Ahmad has urged the Iranian regime to listen to the calls from the international community and end the surge in executions, following a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council today.

    The UN Fact Finding Mission, set up by the Human Rights Council earlier this year to investigate Iran’s human rights violations, reported to the Council on human rights violations during recent protests in Iran.

    Following the meeting, more than 50 states, including the UK, signed a statement led by Costa Rica criticising the ‘alarming pace’ of executions in Iran.

    The regime has carried out more than 300 executions in 2023 alone. This is a shocking trend – executions are on track to exceed 2022, and more than double 2021’s figures. Analysis of the executions has shown that many are for minor crimes such as non-violent drug offences and the list included five individuals arrested following the death of Mahsa Amini.

    The statement called out the frequent reports of forced confessions, following torture and inhumane treatment, leading to death penalty sentences in Iran.

    Lord Ahmad said:

    The UK and our partners have today condemned the Iranian regime for their brutal use of executions to stifle dissent.

    The regime cannot continue to ignore the calls from the Iranian people, and the international community, for change.

    A moratorium on the death penalty must be the first step in the regime changing course and listening to the concerns of the Iranian people.

    The UK has more than 350 sanctions in place on Iranian individuals and entities in response to the regime’s actions, including on the Prosecutor General and Deputy Prosecutor General who are responsible for Iran’s application of the death penalty.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on human rights situation in Venezuela [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on human rights situation in Venezuela [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 July 2023.

    Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Venezuela, as delivered by Simon Manley, UK Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva.

    Thank you, High Commissioner, for your report. The UK notes your office’s improved engagement with the Venezuelan authorities.

    Nonetheless, we remain concerned by the continued deterioration of social, economic, and cultural rights. According to the last National Survey of Living Conditions (ENCOVI), 81.5% of the Venezuelan population live in poverty. More than nine million people have a chronic health condition and a strained public healthcare system does not have the capacity to respond.

    Human rights defenders continue to operate under a high risk of arbitrary detention and harassment. Civil and political rights must be protected, including the right to participate in public affairs. It is right that your office closely monitors the situation, given the upcoming electoral period and the ongoing practice of disqualifying candidates without due process.

    The Concluding Observations of the CEDAW in May also evidenced a challenging reality for women: unequal access to justice, little prevention of gender-based violence, and harassment of female rights defenders, journalists and opposition leaders and limited action against human trafficking.

    High Commissioner,

    What is your assessment on the adequacy of current guarantees and protections regarding civic space as elections approach? Is your Office engaging with the Administration to follow up on the recommendations issued by the CEDAW?

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – Statement on the Commission of Inquiry on Syria [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – Statement on the Commission of Inquiry on Syria [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 July 2023.

    Statement on the oral update of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. Delivered by UK’s Ambassador to the WTO & UN in Geneva, Simon Manley.

    Thank you very much Mr President.

    And thank you, Commissioners, for your update. It’s a sober reminder that the war in Syria is far from over and that the suffering of the Syrian people continues unabated.

    Just in recent days we have seen further indiscriminate airstrikes in northwest Syria that have resulted in further civilian deaths. Deaths that add to the toll of over 300,000 civilians killed since 2011. So let me once again implore all parties to abide by international humanitarian law and to seek peace through the process set out so clearly in UNSCR 2254.

    Mr President, the protracted conflict continues to limit women and girls’ ability to exercise their rights, as we have heard again today. Sexual and gender-based violence has increased and women have scarce recourse to justice.

    Mr President, the widows and the wives of the hundreds of thousands killed, missing or forcibly disappeared by regime forces suffer multiple hardships, often searching fruitlessly for their loved ones, stuck in a legal limbo. So let me, like others, warmly welcome the creation of the new Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria and encourage all States to support this mechanism, and all parties to co-operate with it.

    Commissioners,

    I would be interested to hear your further thoughts on the state of women’s legal rights in Syria, in particular the legal and customary discrimination that mitigates against justice for acts of gender violence.