Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Rejected
Paragraph: 46
The Government must introduce a cross-departmental strategy for preventing and responding to mass atrocities globally,...
Recommendation
The Government must introduce a cross-departmental strategy for preventing and responding to mass atrocities globally, both within and outside of conflicts. It must strive for greater consistency of purpose across Government. The strategy must: a) support development by considering prevention at all stages of the policy cycle, recognising that prevention must begin before judicial determinations, and should continue even if atrocities are committed; b) clarify training, tools and methods to prevent atrocities, including the role of the UK’s new sanctions regime; c) demonstrate and formalise how the UK will act in concert with like-minded international partners, particularly the United States; d) be inclusive to the many groups at risk of atrocities and recognise the wider circumstances that can drive discrimination and persecution, such as grievances, political marginalisation and criminal economies; e) prioritise the mitigation of atrocity risks across the whole of Government, including trade, supply chains, arms exports, education, asylum and border policy; f) take account of new threats and challenges, including new technology, climate change and the wide range of conflict actors; and g) build on the UK’s positive efforts to secure justice for Ukrainian victims and consider how these can be applied to other contexts.
Government Response Summary
The government is committed to working in partnership with a diverse range of CSOs and local organizations to understand best practice approaches and specific country contexts, but cannot commit to producing an atrocity prevention strategy at this time.
Paragraph Reference:
46
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
25. Civil society organisations (CSOs) play a critical role in atrocity prevention efforts. Although we are not able to commit to producing an atrocity prevention strategy at this time, the Government is committed to working in partnership with a diverse range of CSOs and local organisations to understand best practice approaches and specific country contexts. We will continue to work closely with CSOs by, for example, building on the work currently underway on strengthening monitoring atrocity risks and learning from their valuable expertise through information and training sessions for colleagues across FCDO. Representatives from Protection Approaches, the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide, Search for Common Ground, and other organisations have delivered learning sessions, and FCDO officials have attended roundtable events organised and attended by CSO partners. Skills and capabilities