United Kingdom: The UK government has granted £1.5 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation to aid Ukrainian women and girls.
The services aid in safeguarding vulnerable people by providing access to essential sexual and reproductive health services, like mobile clinics and safe abortion care. Since July 2022, over 20,000 individuals have received medical care, and over 100,000 people have received sexual health information due to this funding.
The United Kingdom promised to provide £4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine after a full-scale invasion began. This includes £357 million in humanitarian aid to address the specific needs of women and girls living in conflict zones. The funding will be used to provide life-saving assistance to address gender-based violence, safe spaces, mobile medical clinics, and sexual and reproductive health services.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, along with Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, spoke via video message at the Restoration of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights Conference as a champion of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. To eradicate conflict-related sexual violence and ensure justice and accountability, Her Royal Highness called for survivors’ rights to remain at the heart of international efforts to ensure comprehensive support and hearings for survivors.
The Duchess stated that, “Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences. They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget the survivors. Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress and ensure that this crime isn’t an accepted part of conflict. Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.”
The UK is collaborating with international partners to ensure accountability for those responsible for atrocities. In addition, the UK has provided financial and technical support to the International Criminal Court. Expert investigators for war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence have also been deployed to the region. Further, an Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group has been established in collaboration with the EU and US.
While speaking at the Conference via video, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon remarked that, “The commitment of our Ukrainian colleagues and the courage demonstrated by ordinary citizens in the most challenging of circumstances are truly inspiring. The UK will continue to support them, including through the Office of the Prosecutor General, to secure accountability for the perpetrators and justice for survivors.”
Recently, the Defence Ministry of the UK announced aid of a £245 million munitions package for Ukraine. The UK government promised to spend a billion pounds over the next year to stock up and boost supply chains to produce urgently needed artillery ammunition to boost Ukraine’s stockpiles.
TRENDING | Britain announces aid worth £2.5 billion to Ukraine
