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Human Rights Defenders

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Thank you for contacting me about human rights defenders (HRDs).

Regrettably, HRDs face unprecedented attacks in many parts of the world. Indeed, according to the NGO Frontline Defenders, 304 HRD's were killed in 2019 alone.

The UK is a proud champion of human rights and a strong supporter of those around the world who dedicate their lives to defending them. British officials and Ministers regularly assess how we can enhance our ability to assist HRDs to carry out their work safely and without fear, including in the context of the increased risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

I am assured that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) puts human rights and their defenders at the heart of its work. The UK recognises the essential role HRDs play and in July 2019 published a report titled “UK Support for Human Rights Defenders”, which publicly underlined the UK’s commitment to protecting them.

Support is provided to HRDs through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, most of which is allocated to projects by HRDs and civil society organisations. The FCDO also monitors repression of HRDs in its Annual Human Rights Report, the most recent of which was published last July. That report paid tribute to the courageous work of HRDs and listed support for them as a UK international policy priority.  

As I expect you are aware, the upcoming Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Affairs will inform the strategy of the UK's international policy in the decade ahead, including those of the FCDO. Given the Review is yet to conclude, I would not wish to speculate on its findings before they are published.

I am proud that the UK was the first country to produce a National Action Plan to implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It is based on  three pillars: the State's duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to protect human rights and access to remedies. Actions since its introduction include introducing the Modern Slavery Act and implementing the OECD 2012 Common Approaches.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Craig Whittaker MP

February 2021

Campaign Responses

  • Archived Campaign Responses
  • Abortion: Disability-Selective Abortions (EDM 521)
  • Abortion: 'DIY' Abortions
  • Abortion and Foetal Pain: EDM 1340
  • Access to the Countryside
  • Aid: Girls in Crisis
  • Aid: Parliamentary Scrutiny
  • Aid Spending
  • Animal Experiments
  • Animals as Sentient Beings
  • Arms Sales to Israel
  • Arthritis: 'Impossible to Ignore' (Versus Arthritis)
  • Assisted Suicide
  • Asylum Seekers: Various Issues
  • Badger Cull
  • Beer and Alcohol Duty
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Brexit: Food Poverty and UKGT
  • Brexit: Medical Supplies and Scientific Co-operation (including Galileo)
  • Brexit: UK-EU Travel
  • Build Back Better
  • Building Our Way Out (Shelter)
  • Cancer
  • Channel Crossings: Ending People Trafficking
  • Children's Well-being ('Good Childhood' Report)
  • China: Persecution of Uyghur Muslims
  • Cladding (McPartland Amendment)
  • Cleaner Air
  • Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
  • Coronavirus: People with Disabilities
  • Coronavirus: Test and Trace
  • Cycling and Walking: Update
  • Disposable Barbecues
  • Divorce Law Reform: Updated September 2020
  • Domestic Abuse Bill
  • Domestic Abuse: Migrants
  • Domestic Homicide
  • Domestic Abuse: Universal Credit
  • Duplicated Animal Tests (REACH)
  • Early Years Funding
  • Environment Bill (Updated)
  • Evictions of Palestinians in Disputed Territories (EDM 529)
  • Export of Riot Control Equipment to the US
  • Fox Hunting
  • Fuel Duty and Prices
  • Gender Recognition Act: Update
  • Green and Fair Recovery
  • HS2 and the Environment
  • Heat Pumps (Updated)
  • Hedgehogs
  • Homelessness: Crisis and Centrepoint
  • Homelessness: Social Housing (Shelter)
  • Horse Tethering
  • Human Rights Defenders
  • IVF
  • Immigration: Detention, Visas and Other Issues
  • Immigration Health Charge
  • Immigration: Points-based System
  • Israel: Peace Agreements with Bahrain and the UAE
  • Jagtar Singh Johal
  • Legal Aid: Asylum and Immigration Cases
  • Local Electricity Bill
  • Local Housing Allowance/Shared Accommodatio Rate
  • Microchipping Cats
  • MPs' Pay Update
  • Nazanin-Zaghari Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori: Update
  • Neonicotinoids
  • NHS Pay
  • NHS 'Privatisation'
  • Off-payroll Working (IR35)
  • Oceans: Global Action
  • Onshore Wind Energy: Update June 2020
  • Overseas Operations Bill
  • Peat Burning
  • Planning for the Future: CPRE and Other Campaigns
  • Planning for the Future: Woodlands
  • Pregnancy and Maternity Redundancy Bill
  • Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty and Trident
  • Radiotherapy 4 Life
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  • Rape Crisis Services and Domestic and Sexual Abuse
  • Reception Baseline Assessment (Primary Schools)
  • Rivers - Plastic Pollution
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  • Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill
  • Social Care
  • Social Care, Key Workers and the National Living Wage
  • Social Housing
  • Sunday Trading
  • Sunscreen and VAT
  • Supertrawlers and Sustainable Fishing
  • Support for People with Terminal Illness
  • Trade Bill: Anti-genocide Amendment
  • Trade Deals: Farming and Food Standards
  • Trade Deals: Food Standards
  • Trade Deals: NHS - New Clause 17 and Lords 11
  • Trade Deals: Parliamentary Scrutiny
  • Trophy Hunting Update
  • Transport Investment (#transformtransport)
  • Trespass Laws and the Right to Roam
  • Two-wheel Powered Vehicles
  • UK Internal Market Bill
  • UK Internal Market Bill: International Law
  • Visa-free Work Permits for Touring Artists
  • Whipping of Race Horses
  • Wildlife Licensing
  • Yemen: UK Involvement (Updated)
  • Youth Services

Craig Whittaker MP MP for Calder Valley

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