UK GOVERNMENT SANCTION REGIME MUST SUPPORT WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

Following the UK Government’s announcement of a global sanctions regime for human rights abusers around the world, I called on the Government to commit to using this regime to protect women human rights defenders.

One of the UK Government’s closest allies, Saudi Arabia, is one of the world’s worst human rights abusers, with women legally being the property of their closest male relative and are denied basic freedoms. This new sanction regime must be put to proper use so that the UK can support women fighting for basic freedoms, often in the face of brutal repression. It is also worth noting that the UK sells billions of pounds worth of arms to Saudi Arabia which uses them to slaughter the people of Yemen. It is not clear how the UK’s new global sanctions regime will prevent this!

You can watch the exchange below.