Human Rights Council, 29th session: UK Statement on Item 2/3
The UK delivered a statement during the General Debate at the Human Rights Council on Item 2/3.
The Human Rights Council takes place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. Credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre
Thank you, Mr President,
The UK supports the EU statement and would like to make some additional remarks.
The UK welcomes the work of OHCHR in the area of Business and Human Rights. OHCHR’s focus on accountability and remedy is particularly important and we look forward to their final report.
We welcome the report on good practices and major challenges in preventing and eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM). We have noticed some inaccuracies as to how the UK law is described and will submit corrections separately.
The UK remains committed to supporting efforts to end female genital mutilation, and has committed £35 million through our FGM programme. In July 2014, the UK Government, together with UNICEF, hosted the Girl Summit in London. This was a decisive moment in breaking the silence on FGM and Child, Early and Forced Marriage. To achieve its vision of ending FGM within a generation, the UK supports a holistic approach as set out in the recommendations of the report.
Finally, we would like to welcome OHCHR’s latest report on Discrimination & Violence against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity.
It is unacceptable that LGB&T people should be subject to the continuing, pervasive, violent abuse, harassment and discrimination that the report describes. More must be done in all geographic regions to end the disturbing pattern of violence which so many people face.
We believe that many of the report’s recommendations provide a useful roadmap that can help countries meet their human right commitments.
Furthermore, we agree that the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms must remain regularly informed of this issue, debate it and find solutions to ensure that all human beings, irrespective of their sexual orientation, enjoy the human rights protection and freedoms to which they are entitled.
Thank you, Mr President.