WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 2/17

Conflict Prevention: 3/17 Disarmament: 0/17

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 3/17

Participation: 2/17

Peace Processes: 1/17

Peacekeeping: 5/17

Protection: 1/17

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 1/17

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 3/17

Implementation: 5/17

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 3/17

Human Rights: 2/17

S/PV.8079: "We firmly believe that there is significant potential for women’s participation in various aspects of resolving armed conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction, and that the direct participation of women in preventing armed conflicts and in post-conflict reconstruction is a major requisite for eliminating violence against them."

N/A

WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 0/5

Conflict Prevention: 1/5

Disarmament: 0/5

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/5

Participation: 0/5

Peace Processes: 0/5

Peacekeeping: 1/5

Protection: 0/5

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/5

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/5

Implementation: 1/5

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 1/5

Human Rights: 0/5

S/PV.7857: "The tools of the United Nations provide the best means to prevent conflict and lay the foundations for sustained peace"

WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 0/1

Conflict Prevention: 0/1

Disarmament: 0/1

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 1/1

Participation: 1/1

Peace Processes: 0/1

Peacekeeping: 1/1

Protection: 1/1

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/1

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 0/1

Implementation: 1/1

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/1

Human Rights: 0/1

S/PV.7951: "We should share best practices. That means the full participation of women in efforts to protect civilians."

N/A

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence / Implementation: The UK has championed the prevention of sexual violence in conflict including through launching the global principles on stigma in the General Assembly this year, running 23 projects in conflict and post- conflict countries to support survivors, end stigma and deliver justice; and contributing $2 million to the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

Peacekeeping: The UK troops on large-scale overseas missions, whether for the United Nations or anyone else, are now receiving pre-deployment training on preventing sexual violence and on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda more broadly. This year, the UK appointed its first ever special envoy for gender equality, putting that issue at the heart of the UK foreign policy.

Implementation: The UK will be launching its fourth National Action Plan, building on progress made, lessons learned and discussions with civil society and focus countries. Alongside their Bangladeshi and Canadian partners, the UK will be launching a new global network of military gender champions at the 2017 United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Conference in Vancouver in November 2017.

Arms Transfer Revenue in 2016: $1,393,000,000

UN Women Government Total Contribution in 2016: $25,315,432

HDI (Human Development Index): The United Kingdom was ranked 14.

The United Kingdom is included in the "Very High Human Development" category.

N/A

N/A

The United Kingdom provided female peacekeepers to MINUSMA (0 women), MONUSCO (2 women), UNFICYP (10 women), UNSMIL (0 women), UNMISS (40 women), UNSOM (0 women), UNSOS (1 woman), UNVMC (0 women).

S/PV.8218: "We must improve performance, and strengthen accountability for underperformance. There needs to be a better match between the capacity of the troops and the tasks that they are asked to perform.".

The UK is the second largest recipient of EU aid to CSOs (both grant and service (commercial) contracts combined) and the largest recipient of EU grant aid to CSOs. In 2017, civil society organisations had an estimated combined annual income of £197.8bn.

Key women's organisation's (Women's Resource Centre) efforts in regard to gender issues include the following:

- Number of conferences: 20+;

- Number of publications: 1 (report);

- Social services provided: Support member women NGOs to be more effective and sustainable through training, and we lobby the government on their behalf on a range of women’s issues.

Types of social support provided:

Education: Yes

Anti-violence: Yes

Women's empowerment: Yes

Gender-related training: Yes

Political participation: Yes

Anti-human trafficking: Yes

Women's health: Yes

Lobbying and policymaking: Yes

Fundraising: Yes

Number of officially registered NGO charities by year: 390,000 civil society organisations. However, this number excludes estimates for unincorporated organisations ranging between 600,000 – 900,000. The Women's Resource Centre is the leading national umbrella body for women's charities, with over 500 members. The centre provides training, information, resources and one-to-one support on a range of organisational development issues while also lobbying decision makers on behalf of the women’s not-for-profit sector for improved representation and funding. The UK's Department for International Development has committed 13% (£1.078 Billion) in aid to governmental and civil society organisations/projects.

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"The 2014 draught presents three principles and a four ""outcomes"" that match the main pillars of UNSCR 1325.

Principles:

Women’s participation is needed to make and build peace and prevent conflict breaking out; Women and girls suffer specific forms of violence in conflict and emergencies; In emergencies and conflict situations, women and girls have specific needs which need to be met.

Pillars:

Participation: Inclusion of women and girls' interests in decision-making processes related to the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

Protection: Women and girls' safety, physical and mental health and economic security are assured and their human rights upheld.

Prevention: Prevention of conflict and all forms of structural and physical violence against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence.

Relief and Recovery: Women’s and girls’ specific needs are met in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Action: There are no activities in the draught 2014 draught NAP, but the UK commits itself to include them in the final draught by the end of 2014.

Timeframe: UK's draught 2014 NAP is for the period 2014-2017, but does not provide specific timeframes for the outcomes it describes.

NAP Budget: There is no estimated or allocated budget in the 2014 draught NAP. In fact, the UK NAP explains their decision to keep a budget out of the NAP in order to prevent a budget from confining them to implement women, peace and security to one area when they believe it should be integrated into every sector.

The UK NAP does mention its intent to allocate a budget for monitoring and evaluation."

Military Expenditure in 2016: $48.1 Billion

There is no estimated or allocated budget in the 2014 UK NAP.

Lower: 32%;

Upper: 25.7%

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.44

There were 35,844 female police officers in the 43 police forces on 31 March 2017, making up 29% of police officers in England and Wales. The number of female officers increased by 346 (1%) compared with a year earlier, and the proportion of police officers who are female increased (up 0.5 percentage points from 28.6% on 31 March 2016).

28% of court judges and 45% of tribunal judges were women, consistent with 2016. 

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.87

Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force): Female: 4.7% Male: 4.9%

Estimated earned income (PPP US$): Female: 30,452 Male: 55,104 Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.55

Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%): Female: 36, Male: 64 Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.56

Professional and technical workers (%): Female: 49.3, Male: 50.7 Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.97

The enrolment difference between males and females is provided below (The theoretical maximum value is 100%. Increasing trends are considered a reflection of improving coverage at the specified level of education):

Literacy rate (%): Female: 99 Male: 99 Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1

Enrolment in primary education Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1 Female: 99.7 Male: 99.9

Enrolment in secondary education Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.01 Female: 98.7 Male: 97.8

Enrolment in tertiary education Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.31 Female: 64.1 Male: 49.0

Unlike many other nations, the United Kingdom has no single constitutional document, and is instead the sum of laws and principles that make up the "unwritten" constitution of the United Kingdom. The Constitution guarantees equal treatment based on gender, while additionally including provisions for potential positive action based on gender.

- The UK Government has established a new Inter-Ministerial Group on Equalities to develop and oversee implementation of a strategy to deliver the Government's equality commitments (2011);

- Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation (2016);

- Strategy to end violence against women and girls: 2016 to 2020

In 2017, Regulations SI 2017/172 was added to the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) and sets out a standard mechanism for companies to report and publish details on gender pay gap. Under the Regulations, employers are required to publish: the difference in mean pay between male and female employees; the difference in median pay between male and female employees; the difference in mean bonus pay between male and female employees; the difference in median bonus pay between male and female employees; the proportions of male and female employees who were paid bonus pay; and the proportions of male and female employees in each quartile of their pay distribution.

In June 2017, a nhe new draft legislation on domestic abuse outlined measures to ensure that if abusive behaviour involves girls, a court can impose a sentence that reflects the devastating life-long impact that abuse can have on him or her. However, some observers argue that the draft’s reduction of funding for women’s refuges is is a step backwards.

N/A

The Government of the United Kingdom fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. In 2014, the government issued its first modern slavery strategy, reviewed and made recommendations to improve its victim identification mechanism, and launched a pilot programme to strengthen protections for child trafficking victims. The government prosecuted and convicted an increased number of traffickers, appointed an anti- slavery commissioner to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts, and passed the Modern Slavery Act in March 2015. While authorities continued to identify a large number of potential trafficking victims, the victim identification and referral system failed to assist many victims of trafficking, particularly children. Government funding for specialised services remained limited. Some victims were detained and prosecuted for crimes committed as a result of being subjected to trafficking.

In March 2016 the British Home Secretary published the UK National Strategy on Violence Against Women for the period of 2016-2020. This strategy includes 80 million GBP in funding, to support rape crisis centres, shelters, and local prevention programmes. The main goals of the strategy are to increase reporting, reform the justice system's response to sexual and gender based violence, support local commissioners, address trafficking in persons, and overall improve intervention and the prevention of abuse.

Since 1921, the British Royal Legion provided practical support to serving men and women, veterans (ex-Service of all ages) and their families.

England has one national women’s helpline which runs 24/7, is free of charge, and provides multi-lingual support. There are also 276 women’s shelters with 3,832 beds throughout England. Overall, England does meet IC standards for national women’s helpline, but does not meet IC standards for women’s shelters provision, with 31 % of required beds missing. There are numerous women’s centres in England offering a variety of services to women and girls, including rape crisis centres, sexual assault referral centres, and specialist services for black and minority ethnic women.

Scotland has one national women’s helpline operating 24/7 and free of charge, offering multi-lingual support. There are 36 women’s shelters in Scotland with 487 beds. Currently, 11% of beds are absent and Scotland does not meet the IC standards for national women’s shelters provision. Furthermore, based on the information available, Scotland does meet the standards for provision of a national women’s helpline. Furthermore, there are many women’s centres in Scotland including rape crisis centres, services for black/migrant/minority ethnic women, and regional crises centres for victims of domestic abuse.

In Northern Ireland, there is one national women’s helpline which is free of charge, 24/7, and offers multi-lingual support. There are also 14 women’s shelters with 332 beds. Northern Ireland does meet the IC standards for national women’s helpline provision, and does meet the IC standards for women’s shelters provision. Furthermore, there are several women’s centres in Northern Ireland for women survivors of all forms of violence, as well as rape crisis centres and sexual assault centres in hospitals.

There is one women’s helpline in Wales operated by Welsh Women’s Aid. The helpline is free of charge, 24/7 and provides multi-lingual support. Therefore, Wales does meet IC standards for national women’s helpline provision. There are 54 women’s shelters in Wales with 296 beds. Wales is missing 15 beds and therefore does not meet the IC standards for women’s shelters provision. Furthermore, there are approximately two women’s centres in Wales, including several rape crisis centres.

An enhanced modern slavery helpline for the UK was launched in 2016 by the United Kingdom Government’s Home Office, Polaris and Google. T

he UK has implemented a national referral mechanism (NRM), a process by which potential victims of trafficking are formally identified and offered temporary government funding in the UK. The Modern Slavery Act includes a “duty to notify” requiring specific government agencies report all potential adult victims encountered to authorities under the guidelines of the NRM. The initial referral to the system is generally made by a first responder, such as the police, the border patrol, or local authorities. Following the initial referral, the NRM has two steps for identification: a preliminary finding of “reasonable grounds” that an individual is likely a trafficking victim and a final decision of “conclusive grounds” that triggers victim protection measures. After receiving support, a person who has no other rights to live in the UK, or who wants to leave the UK, will be supported to return to their country of origin. If a referred person is determined not to be a victim of trafficking and there are no other circumstances that would give them a right to live in the UK, they will be supported to return to their country of origin.

The UK government-funded a £9 million ($11.08 million) contract with an NGO to coordinate the provision of care for adult victims in England and Wales under the NRM during the 45-day recovery and reflection period for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. In Wales, the Anti-Slavery Leadership Group tailored an individual plan that can extend beyond the 45-day reflection period. In Northern Ireland, authorities contracted NGOs to work in tandem with government agencies to provide care for victims; however, there was a lack of government funding for victims who do not enter the NRM or who require support following conclusive decisions on their trafficking cases and remain in Northern Ireland. Victims of trafficking in Scotland also had the right to access support and assistance, and the Scottish government provided £700,000 ($862,070) to two victim support organizations reflecting the priority for victim care in the government strategy launched in October 2016. For victims who choose to return voluntarily to their country of origin, the UK government provides up to £2,000 ($2,460) toward their reintegration there. Foreign victims who assist with investigations may be granted temporary residency for up to one year. However, authorities otherwise typically deported foreign victims. Long-term legal alternatives to removal to countries where victims might face hardship or retribution were only available through asylum procedures. The government committed £170 million ($229.7 million) to fund anti-trafficking foreign assistance efforts, double the current commitment, with strong focus on source and transit countries of victims entering the UK

Total population of refugees, stateless persons, IDPs, and asylum-seekers: 162,299.

In 2016, the UK received applications for asylum for 39,000 individuals (including dependents) – far less than Germany (692,000), Italy (117,000) and France (83,000).

In the same year, 34%of initial applications (not including appeals) were accepted.

The UK is ranked 17th in Europe in terms of asylum applications per head of the population.

The British asylum system is extremely tough. Just 32% of initial decisions made in the year to March 2018 have been grants of protection (asylum or humanitarian protection). However, many refugees had to rely on the courts rather than the Government to provide them with the protection they need. The proportion of asylum appeals allowed over that time was 36%.