Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Accepted
Ensure civilians in armed conflict are protected and given access to essential aid
Recommendation
The Government should ensure that it is taking all possible steps to ensure that civilians in armed conflict are protected and given access to shelter, food and healthcare. The Government should use the offices of the UN to urge warring parties to respect protected spaces such as schools and hospitals. (Conclusion, Paragraph 113)
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the implicit premise of the recommendation, stating it already steadfastly commits to upholding international humanitarian law and protecting civilians in conflict. They detail ongoing efforts as penholder, consistently pressing for humanitarian access in the UN Security Council and taking private diplomatic action to protect civilians.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Disagree. 48. While HMG recognises that national interest does need to be considered through the perspective of a penholder, HMG does represent its national interest in seeking progress on protecting civilians in armed conflict within UN Security Council products. The UK national interest is neither at odds with supporting Protection of Civilians matters, nor does it preclude the UK pursuing further action to protect civilians in other forums. HMG remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding international humanitarian law (IHL) and protecting civilians in conflict, including through lobbying strongly for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. 49. As the Committee’s evidence has illustrated, in many conflict-affected countries, humanitarian access is increasingly unsafe, delayed and otherwise restricted, leaving millions of vulnerable people deprived of life-saving protection and assistance. In our own national statements and as a penholder, including on the Protection of Civilians file, the UK consistently presses for the UN Security Council to condemn such restrictions and call upon States and other relevant actors to grant rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. We call on States to protect civilians and meet their basic needs in line with their obligations under IHL, which serve as a critical tool in setting a universal standard for the protection of people in conflict zones. The UK takes private action to complement our public statements in the UN Security Council via direct lobbying with relevant parties.