WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 3/25;

Conflict Prevention: 1/25;

Disarmament: 0/25;

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/25;

Participation: 4/25;

Peace Processes: 2/25;

Peacekeeping: 1/25;

Protection: 5/25;

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 2/25;

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 0/25;

Implementation: 1/24

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/25;

Human Rights: 2/25.   

S/PV.7658: "It is time to make history and bring about a historic moment that is long overdue. All things being equal, we hope that this will be the year that we appoint a woman to be Secretary-General for the first time. When asked ‘What was your role?’, she will be able to say that she was at the forefront of the United Nations action to prevent conflict and resolve crisis and represent the entire world, not just half of it."

WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 0/2;

Conflict Prevention: 0/2;

Disarmament: 0/2;

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/2;

Participation: 0/2;

Peace Processes: 0/2;

Peacekeeping: 0/2;

Protection: 2/2;

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/2;

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/2;

Implementation: 0/2;

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/2;

Human Rights: 0/2;

S/PV.7606: "We have seen the tragic continuation and worsening of several trends on the protection-of-civilians agenda. Barrel bombs continue to fall, and human rights and international humanitarian law continue to be violated and abused. Women and children continue to be abducted, trafficked or worse."

The UK provided support to the UN in Yemen to get women a seat at the negotiating table, provided support to the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board and the Women’s Consultative Committee, and provided "diplomatic and financial" support to the Colombian Peace Process.

The UK is currently updating gender-sensitive training to forces deployed on peacekeeping missions. The UK also hosted the UN Peacekeeping Defense Ministerial Meeting in London and was the penholder on the London Communique to double the number of women participating in Peacekeeping operations by 2020.

Arms Transfer Revenue in 2015: $1,214,000,000
__________________________________________
UN Women Government Total Contribution: $22,500,000

The United Kingdom was ranked 28th.

**Note: Data is available for 2015. The most recent data collection is underway. 

_________________________________

HDI (Human Development Index):
The United Kingdom was ranked 16.

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

The United Kingdom provided female peacekeepers to MINUSMA (0 women), MONUSCO (0 women), UNFICYP (16 women), UNMC (1 woman), UNMISS (3 women), UNSOM (0 women), UNSOS (1 woman).

S/PV.7643: "This is not about collective punishment, nor about penalizing the many for the sick acts of the few. This is about taking serious action in the face of serious allegations, about acting decisively against any pattern of abuse in any part of the world".

Lobbying restrictions on UK CSOs were strengthened in May 2016, which bans grant funds from being used in lobbying efforts. This restriction modifies the 2014 Lobbying Act limiting the amounth of money CSOs can spend on campaigning and forces registration of groups which meet a certain threshold. CSOs in the UK as well as the UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai,  noted that the law allows well-funded corporate lobbying to continue, while limiting the advocacy of CSOs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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: 10 (project reports);

- 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 (2016): 167,109.

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. 

The UK hosted the following high-level events in 2016:

-More Women In Science and Technology- An Investment in the Future- March 14, 2016;                                                                         

-Young Women In the Global Economy March 14, 2016;                                                                                          

-The Gender Pay Gap: What is it, Why Does it Exist and How Do We Get Rid of It, March 15, 2016;                                        

-Financing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment: How to Make a Difference after the Commitments Taken in Addis Ababa. March 15, 2016;                  

-Achieving Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality within the 2030 Agenda: the Role of Innovative  Development Partnerships Between Country Governments and UN Agencies March 16, 2016;                                            

-Operationalising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Women and Girls with Disabilities - March 18, 2016.

The 2014 draft 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 draft 2014 draught NAP, but the UK commits itself to include them in the final draft by the end of 2014.

Timeframe:
UK's draft 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 draft 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 2015: $55,460,000,000
______
There is no estimated or allocated budget in the 2014 draft 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.

Lower: 29.6%;

Upper:25.5%.
 

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.29.

Senior-ranked women chief inspectors: 19.5%;
Constable-ranked women officers: 25%.

• The percentage of female judges in courts increased from 25% in 2015 to 28% in 2016; in tribunals it remained stable at 45%.

• More than half of all court judges (51%) and tribunal judges (64%) aged under 40 are women.

• The percentage of court judges that identify as BAME is 5%, and 9% in the tribunals. This rises to 8% for courts and 14% for tribunals for judges aged under 40.

• A third of court judges (34%) are from non-barrister backgrounds, and two thirds of tribunal judges (65%). However this varies by jurisdiction for both courts and tribunals, with judges in lower courts being more likely to come from a non-barrister background.

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.84

Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force):
Female: 4.8
Male: 4.6

Estimated earned income (PPP US$):
Female: 28,237
Male: 52,575
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.54

Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%):
Female: 35, Male: 65
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.55

Professional and technical workers (%):
Female: 49, Male: 51
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.97

The enrollment 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

Enrollment in primary education
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1

Enrollment in secondary education
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.01

Enrollment in tertiary education
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.35

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.

Presence of gender perspective in the UK Constitution:

- European Communities Act (1972);

- Human Rights Act (1998).

Presence of gender perspective in the UK Legal framework:

- Equal Pay Act (1970);

- Sex Discrimination Act (1975);

- Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (2003);

- UK Equality Act (2006);

- UK Gender Equality Duty (2007);

- UK Equality Act (2007);

- The Maternity and Parental Leave etc. and the Paternity and Adoption Leave (Amendment) Regulations (2006);

- UK Equality Act 2010;

- UK Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain (2006 –2016);

- UK Strategy “Think, Act, Report” (Gender Equality in the Workplace); 

- Equal Pay Act (1970);

- Sex Discrimination Act (1975);

- Maternity Leave and Pay Regulations (1975);

- Paternity Leave and Pay Regulations (2003);

- Flexible Working Regulations (2003);

- Equality Act (2010);

- 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.

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.

While specialised services to support victims/survivors of sexual violence exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism is not fully effective. 

England:
1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline.

Wales:
1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline.

Northern Ireland:
1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline.

Scotland:
1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline.

While specialised services to support victims/survivors of human trafficking exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.

In the United Kingdom, assessments of individuals who are survivors of violence or torture are conducted as part of the normal process. It is important that RRFs ( Rapid Response Facility)  are as explicit as possible in respect of the refugees’ mental health issues as a result of violence and / or torture, so that preparations for potential treatment can be made.

The UK, as part of its integration programme offers an initial counselling session to all arrivals under the Gateway Protection Programme. This can be followed up with further sessions if necessary.

Mandate: no special arrangements, aside from the usual mainstream social services and those provided by the voluntary sector available to all refugees in the UK.

Asylum applications in the UK from main applicants decreased by 7% to 30,603 in the year 2016, the first annual fall in asylum applications since 2010 (17,916). Numbers of asylum applications in the last two quarters of 2016 (7,146 in July to September and 7,419 in October to December) were considerably lower than in the same two quarters of 2015 (10,231 in July to September and 10,196 in October to December).

In 2016, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,192), followed by Pakistan (2,857), Iraq (2,666), Afghanistan (2,341), Bangladesh (1,939), Albania (1,488), and India (1,488).

There were 3,175 asylum applications from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in 2016, a small (2%) decrease compared to 2015 (3,253). Overall, UASC applications represented 10% of all main applications for asylum.

Of the 24,984 initial decisions on asylum applications from main applicants, 34% were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection, compared to 40% in the previous year. A separate Home Office analysis shows that for the years 2012 to 2014, on average 36% of decisions were granted initially, but this proportion rose to 49% after appeal.

There were 1,591 grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection to Syrian main applicants at initial decision in 2016.

Including dependants, the UK had the sixth highest number (39,000) of asylum applications within the EU in 2016. Germany (692,000), Italy (117,000) and France (83,000) were the 3 EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications, together accounting for 75% of asylum applications in the EU in that period.

1. Resettlement schemes

In addition to those asylum seekers who apply in the UK, resettlement schemes are offered to those who have been referred to the Home Office by The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Refugees can be resettled to the UK via (1) the Gateway Protection Programme and (2) the Mandate Scheme or (3) the Syrian Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). 

1. The Gateway Protection Programme (GPP): The GPP is operated by Home Office (HO), which receives referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It offers a legal route for a specific number of particularly vulnerable refugees to settle in the United Kingdom (UK) each year. The annual quota is currently 750 persons. In 2016, 804 people were resettled under the GPP.
2. The Mandate Scheme (MRS): The MRS is applicable to mandate refugees only, that is individuals who have been granted refugee status by UNHCR.  It allows refugees from around the world with close family ties with the UK to be resettled. In 2016, 4 people under the Mandate Scheme.
3. The Syrian Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme (VPRS): On 7 September 2015, an expansion to the existing Syrian VPRS was announced. Through this expansion, it was proposed that 20,000 Syrians in need of protection be resettled in the UK by 2020. A total of 5,706 people have been granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian VPRS since the scheme began, and in 2016, 4,369 people were resettled under the Syrian VPRS across 206 different local authorities. Half (50%) of those resettled under the Syrian VPRS were under 18 years old (2,180), and around half (47%) were female (2,072).

*** While the State meets all assessed criteria, the UK asylum system is strictly controlled and complex, which may impact rights and well-being of refugees and asylum seekers.