House of Lords debate Foreign Affairs in King’s Speech

During the Lords debate on the King’s Speech, peers highlighted the escalating impact of global conflict on women and girls. APPG Co‑Chair Baroness Hussein‑Ece welcomed the Government’s commitment to champion women’s rights but warned that conflict‑related sexual violence has surged, gender equality is regressing, and recent cuts to UNFPA programmes have left 11 million people without essential sexual and reproductive health and protection services, including maternal care, post‑rape kits and contraceptives. She stressed that women and girls in Afghanistan, Sudan and Gaza face acute violations of their rights and called for UK diplomacy, long‑term funding for women‑led organisations, and the prioritisation of SRHR and gender‑based violence services in all humanitarian responses. Other peers, including members Baroness Northover, Baroness Anelay and Baroness Blackstone, echoed concerns about sexual violence in Sudan and the DRC, underscoring the need for stronger UK leadership on Women, Peace and Security and the protection of women and girls in conflict settings.