WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 2/15;
Conflict Prevention: 1/15;
Disarmament: 1/15;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 1/15;
Participation: 2/15;
Peace Processes: 1/15;
Peacekeeping: 0/15;
Protection: 1/15;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 1/15;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/15;
Implementation: 2/15;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 1/15;
Human Rights: 1/15.

S/PV.6411: "First, we still lack effective methods for understanding the problem and monitoring the impact of our work.
Secondly, women remain acutely underrepresented in peace negotiations, and they are often marginalised in efforts to build sustainable peace. We need to ensure that women are included in conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding as a matter of course.
Thirdly, we must ensure that the entire international community takes responsibility for implementing resolution 1325 (2000). This requires more than just warm words; it requires meaningful actions that will ultimately make a difference to the situation of women on the ground. Making this difference, i.e. protecting women and supporting their participation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, is a global challenge that requires action by all Member States."

**Note: Data is provided for 2012. There were no Security Council open debates on the threats caused by terrorist acts in 2010. 

Implementation & Protection:
Approved a new National Action Plan that sets out our future commitments, including specific strategies for supporting women in priority countries including Afghanistan, Nepal and DRC.

S/PV.6411: "Making this difference, i.e. protecting women and supporting their participation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding is a global challenge that requires action by all Member States."

Revenue Arms Transfer in 2009: $1,050,000,000
__________________________________________

UN Women Government Total Contribution in 2009: $6,700,000

In November 2010, the renewed and much strengthened ‘UK National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women Peace and Security’ (UK NAP) was launched, providing a framework to ensure that UNSCR 1325 is incorporated into the UK government’s defense, diplomatic and development policy and activity, with the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Ministry of Defense (MOD) holding joint responsibility for its development and implementation. It has bilateral sections, with specific commitments in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nepal. A section on the Middle East and North Africa was added to the February 2012 NAP revision in response to recent revolutions and uprisings;

GAPS UK gave £500,000 to support a five-year women’s empowerment programme (2005-10), implemented by the NGO WOMANKIND Worldwide, which promotes women’s equal participation in governance; builds awareness of women’s rights among civil society and policymakers; and works on providing educational, health, and psycho-social support to women;

The UK has assisted in promoting a film on SGBV, The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo, at the Congolese parliament, which was supported by prominent Congolese politicians. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funded subtitling the film into local languages.54 The UK plan to provide additional support (up to £1.25 million) to facilitate the handling of sexual violence cases and the creation of a special cell as part of the Restoration of the Judicial System in Congo (REJUSCO), a justice rehabilitation project in eastern DRC.

The United Kingdom receives 35% due to the high difference between the Arms Transfer Revenue and UN Women Total Contribution.

**Note: Gender Inequality Index ranking is provided for 2011. Information for 2010 is not available.

HDI (2011) (Human Development Index):
The United Kingdom was ranked 26th.

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

Some 61 countries have statutory retirement ages that force women to retire earlier than men, typically five years earlier, despite women’s longer life expectancy. Among them are very high HDI countries, such as the United Kingdom. Such discriminatory policies can be a disincentive to hire, promote and invest in women (p. 77).

Women from the United Kingdom are on duty in the following peacekeeping missions:

MONUC (0),

UNAMA (0),

UNAMI (0),

UNFICYP (31),

UNMIS (0).

The representatives of the United Kingdom made no statements at the meetings of the Security Council on its position on the sexual exploitation and abuse committed by peacekeepers.

Key women's organisation's (Women's Resource Centre) efforts in regard to gender issues include the following:
- Number of conferences: 10+;
- 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:
2010: 162,415

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 85.10% (£502.5m) in aid to governmental and civil society organisations/projects. Out of this amount, 6.83% (£34.3m) is committed to women's organisations and institutions.

The UK hosted the following high-level events in 2010:
- Gender, Work and organisation 6th Biennial International Interdisciplinary Conference;
- Gender in Practice: An interdisciplinary conference on the practical turn in gender and sexuality;
- Women Deliver Conference;
- Countdown to 2015: Challenging orthodoxies related to SRH and HIV.

The 2010 UK NAP has the following pillars:
Support to the United Nations;
Training and policing;
Gender Justice;
Disarmament;
Partnership with NGOs.
 

Military Expenditure in 2009: $57,915,000,000
______

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.

The NAP focuses primarily on monitoring and evaluating how effective the UK is at promoting women, peace and security abroad. It states, "specialists will consider the extent to which Women, Peace and Security was mainstreamed across the UK's diplomatic, defence, and development activities, where appropriate." In addition, there will be an effort to collect country-specific data on violence against women and girls and the impact of female representatives on policy (more to be given in the final draught).

Lower:19.5%;

Upper:20.0%.

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.20

Senior-ranked Female Chief Inspectors: 14.3%
Constable-ranked Female Officers: 28.6%

Female: 742;
Male: 2,856.

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

Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force):
Female: 5%;
Male: 6%.

Estimated earned income (PPP US$):
Female: 28,421;
Male: 40,000;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.71

Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%):
Female: 35, Male: 65;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.53

Professional and technical workers (%):
Female: 47, Male: 53;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.90

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.

Enrolment in secondary education
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.03.

Enrolment in tertiary education
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.40.

While gender perspecives within the legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilizing their rights.

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.

While legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective, and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilising their rights.

The government of the United Kingdom fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to take steps to establish a victim-centred response and instituted reforms to reflect the importance of trafficking on its national agenda. Local experts and observers, however, continued to report inadequate and inconsistent protection efforts for trafficking victims in the UK, and the late 2009 closure of the government’s specialist anti-trafficking police unit in London raised concerns over prospects for improved anti-trafficking efforts.

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 are not fully effective. 

The government published a strategic vision, outlining its ambition to end violence against women and girls.

While veterans services for women veterans exist, the quality of service, outreach to engage female veterans in service access and utalisation, and the availability of gender-sensitive services at all locations are not fully effective.

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 are not fully effective. 

1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline;

920 shelters run by 330 separate organisations;

46 Rape Crisis Centres run by independent women’s NGO;

30 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) run by the Health Service.

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

13 shelters run by local Women’s Aid groups;

10 local Women’s Aid groups deliver a range of support services to women and children who experienced domestic violence.

Scotland:
2 national 24 hour free women’s helplines;

45 women’s shelters run by Edinburgh Women’s Aid.

Wales:
1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline run by Welsh Women’s Aid;

47 shelters run by 36 organisations.

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 April, the UK initiated a National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which included a 45-day reflection period for potential trafficking victims. The government provided significant funding for its specialised shelter for adult women trafficking victims, awarding it $5.7 million for the two-year period of 2009- 2011. The government expanded funding to this NGO to extend its assistance to women subjected to involuntary domestic servitude. The NGO was able to expand its capacity to 54 and to assist an increased number of trafficking victims during the last year. The government published updated legal guidance in March 2009 to emphasise the role of the prosecutor in identifying potential trafficking victims who may have committed crimes while under duress or coercion by their traffickers. It continued to provide foreign victims with legal alternatives to their removal to countries where they face hardship or retribution through established asylum procedures.

While a wide range of services and resources are made available to refugees, asylum seekers, and IDPs, these services are usually provided by local service providers, therefore making these services and resources less available in some geographic locations.

Total population of refugees, stateless persons, IDPs, and asylum-seekers: 253,235

In 2010, 5,329 women claimed asylum in their own right compared to 12,571 men.
The UN has acknowledged that refugee women are more affected by violence than any other women’s population in the world. This results from the multiple situations of vulnerability in which refugee women find themselves.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act (2002) provides the general framework for asylum and refugee status eligibility. The UK’s resettlement programme is referred to as the Gateway Protection Programme (GPP), and the programme and legal framework for international collabouration and funding for resettlement are discussed in Section 59 of this Act. The UK’s national laws are subject to the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Refugee Convention. Unlike the Human Rights Convention, the Refugee Convention has not been directly incorporated into UK domestic law, but its provisions influence the formulation of immigration rules, and practices contrary to the Convention are not permitted.

*** 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.