§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what her Department is doing to help children suffering grave psychological trauma as a result of conflict situations; [88635]
(2) what her Department is doing to help women and girls who have been victims of rape and sexual violence as a deliberate instrument of war; [88636]
(3) [hat her Department is doing to help children (a) orphaned, (b) seriously injured and (c) permanently disabled as a result of conflict situations. [88779]
§ Clare ShortArmed conflict often seriously affects the development of children including by the infliction of serious damage to their physical and mental health. Children are damaged through land-mines, direct targeting of their homes and schools, sexual violence including rape and being forced to take part in direct hostilities. The best way to protect children from the impact of armed conflict is to prevent, reduce and resolve conflict. My Department has intensified its work with other Government Departments to this end. DFID also provides humanitarian assistance to children displaced by conflict or who have lost their families. We support efforts by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to try to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law. DFID also supports the work of UNICEF, UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies of the United Nations, as well as humanitarian NGOs. Many of these provide direct assistance to children who have been subjected to acts of physical and mental violence and their families and communities. This assistance can take the form of the provision of a safe place to live, health care, education, psycho-social assistance and food aid. For instance my Department has a global commitment to UNHCR of £14 million per year. This is in addition to targeted contributions in response to specific regional situations.
254WSOur work with UNICEF, UNHCR and humanitarian non-governmental organisations is also concerned with increasing their capacity to respond appropriately to children who have been treated so egregiously in armed conflict situations.
Women and girls are targeted for sexual abuse and exploitation in situations of armed conflict, often as a deliberate strategy to terrorise them and their families. This issue was highlighted during the recent open debate on women peace and security at the UN Security Council in October when the UK had the Chair. The UK has also been instrumental in encouraging the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on this issue, which emphasised the use of sexual violence against women and girls. DFID is supporting the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in its multi-year programme to identify the causes and impact of sexual violence against women and girls in conflict situations. It also supports the UN Department of Peace-Keeping Operations and nongovernmental organisations to highlight gender issues, including sexual violence, associated with conflict.