Transparency data

Supporting Human Rights, Democracy and the Rules Based International System: objectives 2019 to 2020

Published 19 September 2019

1. Overview

Human rights violations and abuses and the absence of the rule of law lead to unstable and less prosperous societies. They create a world where the safety of all individuals, including British Citizens, is at greater risk. The FCO works to tackle the root causes of human rights violations and abuses, strengthen institutions and governance, promote and protect human rights, and support democracy and the rule of law. This covers a wide range of activity in support of the FCO’s Strategic Objective to project our global influence. This work helps deliver the UK Aid Strategy by building prosperous and democratic countries, tackling the drivers of instability and insecurity, and addressing global challenges. It also helps advance UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. FCO objectives on supporting human rights, democracy and the rules based international system

The UK promotes and defends the full range of universal human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments. The UK strongly encourages all States to abide by and fulfil their obligations under international law. The principal funding vehicle for the FCO’s human rights work is the Magna Carta Fund (MCF). FCO objectives currently place a particular emphasis on:

• working closely with domestic and international partners to drive international efforts to combat modern slavery and ensure that this effort is recognised as a global moral imperative
• standing up for the freedom of people of any or no religion to practise their beliefs in peace and safety
• supporting the right of human rights defenders to carry out their work, while being able to voice their opinions freely and safely
• promoting the development and strengthening of democracy, including through the work of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
• opposing the death penalty and the use of torture as a matter of principle, in all circumstances

Under the rules based international system (RBIS), the UK focuses on strengthening relationships between States through international institutions and frameworks, with shared rules and agreements on behaviour. Specific objectives are:

• strengthening the efficiency and capacity of the United Nations, the world’s leading multilateral institution
• support increased levels of UK representation at all levels in multilateral institutions
• strengthening the rule of law across Commonwealth countries, a worldwide partnership of diversity and shared values
• supporting the International Criminal Court and other tribunals involved in global efforts to end impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern
• working with business and civil society, including to support adherence to the UN Guiding Principles on Responsible Business
• defending the right to freedom of media and freedom of expression as an essential component of any functioning democracy, leading to greater stability and prosperity

Gender equality: the UK government is committed to a foreign policy that consciously and consistently delivers for women and girls. This includes:

• the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) that seeks to support all survivors of sexual violence in conflict, including by tackling stigma; strengthening justice and accountability; and, preventing conflict-related sexual violence by tackling its root causes
• working with international partners to provide the opportunity for all girls to receive 12 years of quality education
• delivering HMG’s National Action Plan commitments on Women, Peace and Security, including promoting women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, as well as supporting them in resolving conflict, countering violent extremism, and building peace at the grassroots level
• supporting the right for all people, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, to live with dignity, free from prejudice, violence or discrimination

3. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and supporting human rights, democracy and the rules based international system

This programme strand is a blend of ODA and non-ODA. ODA scoring within this programme is limited to ODA-eligible countries. Amongst others, the majority of the 30 Human Rights Priority Countries identified in the FCO’s Annual Human Rights Report are eligible to receive ODA funding.

The struggle to protect, promote and strengthen human rights is real and constant. Where human rights are not adequately protected, it creates a cycle of insecurity, instability, and poverty. Human rights are more than just principles enshrined in international law. They are the bedrock of successful and progressive societies. Countries where human rights are respected, including those with a strong record on gender equality, tend to be more prosperous, democratic and stable. Corruption is less likely to take root, and extremism is less likely to find fertile ground. That is why safeguarding, promoting and defending human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is a key and integral part of our work.

This programme complements the FCO’s wider work in support of human rights, democracy and the rules based international system including projects under the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.

4. Supporting human rights, democracy and the rules based international system objectives

This programme supports all four strategic objectives under the UK Aid Strategy and helps advance the UN SDGs. Projects cover a wide range of themes, reflecting the breadth of ambition described above, ranging from projects promoting and defending human rights, democracy and the rule of law to strengthening multilateral institutions and building stability, security and good governance overseas.

5. Supporting human rights, democracy and the rules based international system programme during financial year 2018 to 2019

In financial year 2018 to 2019, the MCF and RBIS programmes supported projects across the range of themes. By their nature, the impact of many of these projects will best be judged over the long term. Successes in financial year 2018 to 2019 included:

• supporting participation of over 100 women at the UK hosted International Women MPs of the World conference (IWMPs) event in November 2018
• supporting action at the PSVI Film Festival in November 2018 by bringing together governments, international organisations, civil society, survivors, parliamentarians and the public to raise awareness of this abhorrent crime and encouraged commitments to further action. We also provided training for 33 young female and male filmmakers from conflict-affected and Commonwealth countries so that they can take forward the fight against impunity and stigma in their home countries
• support in Malawi to help resentencing hearings for 169 prisoners which has seen the number of people remaining on death row reduce to 15
• strengthening the capacity of Local Preventive Mechanisms (LPMs) of Paraíba and of Pernambuco, in Brazil, to carry out their torture prevention mandate and to encourage some coherence between the national preventive system and LPMs

6. Support human rights, democracy and the rules based international system programme budget for financial year 2019 to 2020

The ODA budget for the human rights, democracy and the rules based international system programme is £17.66 million.