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Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights visits Geneva (December 2015)

Baroness Anelay visited Geneva and participated in the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office and The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE
• Published: 11 December 2015
• Last updated: 3 February 2016 — See all updates

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

A summary of the side event is now available (PDF, 217 KB, 3 pages).

On 9-10 December, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Baroness Anelay, visited Geneva and participated in the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The focus was to further UK and international objectives on a range of pressing humanitarian challenges, including tackling sexual violence in conflict.

Baroness Anelay delivered an address at the General Debate of the International Conference, which praised the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement and set out the UK’s approach to International Humanitarian Law.

The Minister also hosted an event on sexual violence to explore linkages between work to investigate such crimes in conflict and humanitarian disaster settings.

During her visit, Baroness Anelay met with senior representatives from a number of organisations which carry out crucial humanitarian work including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration.

Baroness Anelay said:

I was delighted to visit Geneva to attend the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

The UK Government is proud to be a strong supporter of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and is committed to its working partnership with the British Red Cross.

I was also pleased to hold an event on sexual and gender based violence which helped identify how the application of tools to address sexual violence in humanitarian and conflict settings overlap and I am very grateful to all those who participated in the event.

In support of the Conference themes, the UK has made a number of collaborative pledges on activities we intend to undertake over the next four years.

We now look forward to the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 where we hope many of these issues will be built on.

Further information

• The 32nd Quadrennial International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent involves all States Party to the Geneva Conventions, as well as components of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the Movement): National Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

• The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the largest humanitarian network in the world. Its mission is to alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity especially during armed conflicts and other emergencies. It is present in every country and supported by millions of volunteers.

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay on Twitter @JoyceAnelay

• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice

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Published 11 December 2015
Last updated 3 February 2016 + show all updates

1. 3 February 2016

   Side event summary added.

2. 11 December 2015

   First published.