Mr President, thank you. And it’s a delight to join you from London. It’s my immense pleasure, an honour to join you again on this very important subject.

I remember a year or so ago working with you, Heiko, on 2467 and the importance that it did bring to bear. I know Angelina Jolie mentioned in her contribution about how important it was putting survivors at the heart of our approach and also the reference to children. And I think that’s reflective of the real challenge we have in front of us.

In doing so, I again want to pay especially a tribute to my good friend, SRSG Patten. Pramila, your leadership on this role is exemplary and we look forward to further strengthening your hand and the role of the UN on this important priority for us all.

I also want to record my thanks to the other briefers, to both Miss Ohmar and to Ms Fornel-Poutou for your insights that you brought from specific, live conflict challenges that we’re currently facing. Your briefings have really once again set a compelling base and renewed a determination for all of us, I feel, to do so much more.

Amongst my responsibilities as a Minister, as our President today mentioned, I am the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. And I am honoured by the role that I have and the leadership we have been able to show over several years now from the UK in our determination to work together with partners in tackling these appalling, abhorrent crimes. And I’m proud of our record of working together on this.

Since 2012, the UK has committed over £46 million supporting worldwide efforts with a single objective to eradicate this scourge. Yet we continue to witness, as we’ve heard again today, the suffering experienced by so many survivors. And so we put those survivors at the heart of our efforts. And I’m delighted we have two survivors directly advising me, the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister on our efforts on this important priority.

But not only are our efforts to respond effectively and compassionately where incidents occur, but also our efforts must be to stop this happening to anybody else. Accountability, as we’ve already heard, is a critical part of this. First, because for many, achieving justice is a vital step to the road to recovery. Second, because ending impunity is a crucial deterrent in preventing future violence.

When we look at conflicts of the past in Iraq and Bosnia, we know how long justice can take and continues to take. And that is why the United Kingdom continues to commit to strengthening justice for all survivors and to holding perpetrators of these horrendous crimes to account. This means upholding the highest international standards of evidence collection. It means aiding efforts to secure convictions. And crucially, it means protecting survivors from further harm when they report crimes and making investigations safer and more ethical.

Pramila, I recall our visit to Iraq when we sat there and met Yazidi victims of the atrocities of Daesh, who had gone through the worst horrors against a person. When you see their eyes, it just compels you. It prioritises in your own mind how much more needs to happen and needs to be done.

And we must tackle the conscious and unconscious bias that still exists within the criminal justice systems and build the capacity of judges and prosecutors to understand the impacts of these crimes.

In light of the current pandemic, this approach is even more urgent. Limited legal services are under strain and diverted government resources have further narrowed the bandwidth for safe, survivor-centred reporting. We also know that survivors’ journeys do not end in the courtroom.

And we’ve heard before and we’ve heard today from SRSG Patten and Special Envoy Jolie about the importance of supporting – not just talking, but providing and giving. And that’s why I am proud to announce the United Kingdom’s £1.3 million contribution to the Global Survivors Fund. This fund was launched by Nobel Laureates Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, whose work has championed reintegration, redress and restorative justice for so many. And we’ll also be proud to be working with Nadia Murad on the Murad Code for all those seeking to engage and collect evidence. It supports community action through grassroots organisations and survivors’ networks. This fund supports states and civil society to cater to the specific concerns of survivors and communities. And most importantly, as I’m sure everyone acknowledges, it places survivors’ voices firmly at the centre of its work, spearheading efforts for a truly survivor-centred approach to justice.

Finally, 15 months since the passing of Security Council Resolution 2467, we must all recognise that the only response to sexual violence is a survivor-centred response. The more we empower survivors to lead, the more effectively we support their reintegration, their recovery and our ability to respond to these abhorrent crimes. This means safeguarding minimum standards for investigation and preventing harm through the Murad Code, through the implementation of the highest standards through the Murad Code. It is supporting all survivors and children born of conflict-related sexual violence. It is funding crucial initiatives, like in South Sudan, that have reached 700,000 women, girls, men and boys to empower survivors and support their recovery. It is about raising awareness of the devastating impact of these crimes and tackling the appalling stigma that too many face. And finally, it is why we must prevent these crimes, including those committed against the youngest and most vulnerable, by supporting international commitments like the Safe Schools Declaration to keep girls and boys safe, secure and successful in their lives.

This year we proudly marked the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Conflict-related sexual violence still remains rife. It remains real to so many around the world. We have a collective responsibility to ensure UN Security Council Resolution 2467 becomes an equally historic resolution by holding Member States and the UN accountable to implement our collective obligations.

It is not a minute too soon to turn words and action, ideas into reality and commitments into concrete change. And it is only through concerted, collaborative international effort, we will succeed in eliminating the horror of conflict-related sexual violence. And I continue to look forward to working with partners, with United Nations, but, most importantly, survivors, to put them at the heart of our response.

It is time for justice. It’s time to put survivors first.

Thank you, Mr President.

Thousands of UK Armed Forces families across the UK will have their housing and accommodation improved and renovated thanks to nearly £200-million of new Government funding, announced today by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

On a joint visit to Catterick Garrison, the Ministers chatted to soldiers about the ways the improvements will help them. Over 5,000 personnel, plus their families will have homes modernised with new kitchens, bathrooms and furnishings including re-roofing to reduce the risk of mould and damp.

As part of the funding injection 3,500 service homes will be upgraded as well as single living quarters. This will improve life for UK Armed Forces personnel deployed at home and abroad to keep the nation safe, including in the fight to halt the spread of COVID-19.

The work will also make UK Armed Forces estates more environmentally friendly. New windows and doors will provide better insulation, energy efficient boilers will drive down bills, and solar panels and electric vehicle charging points will reduce the carbon footprint.

Families with young children will benefit from new play areas, roads will be resurfaced and energy efficient street lighting will help modernise sites as part of the funding.

The Defence Secretary invited the Chancellor to Catterick Garrison today, which will benefit from investment in Service Family Accommodation, to announce the news.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

“Our Armed Forces work incredibly hard to keep our nation safe, and so it is only right that they have a place they feel proud to call home.

“From introducing a generous Forces Help to Buy scheme to piloting a new rented accommodation model, we have made enormous steps in recent years to offer flexible housing for a modern workforce.

“This latest investment will benefit thousands of our personnel and their families, providing the standard of living they deserve.”

Improving accommodation and facilities across military estates will also be part of bold new plans, including replacing 30 WW2 accommodation blocks in Longmoor, Pirbright, Westdown, Knook, Nesscliffe, Castlemartin Camps and providing new accommodation for on-call personnel in Northern Ireland.

The investment is expected to sustain around 2,000 jobs through the work on housing improvements including plumbers, electricians, painters and decorators. This will be delivered through the existing National Housing Prime contract. Upgrades will begin in late summer and will be delivered over a period of two years.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:

“Day in, day out, our Armed Forces make huge personal sacrifices for our country, and it is our duty to ensure they have the best conditions possible.

“This news doesn’t just mean service homes across the country will be upgraded, but will see 2,000 jobs in sectors where they are needed the most, like plumbing and decorating – delivering our Plan for Jobs.”

Over the last four years £530-million has been invested in improvements to Service Family Accommodation. The additional £200-million funding package will continue to improve the standard of both homes for Service families and single living accommodation on military bases.

Improvements to accommodation sit alongside a suite of recent changes to military accommodation to make it more accessible and flexible for personnel and their families.

The MOD recently introduced new flexible working arrangements, expanded offerings to cohabiting couples and extended the Forces Help to Buy scheme until the end of 2022, giving our UK Armed Forces the chance to get a foot on the housing ladder. This has allowed military personnel to borrow a deposit of up to half of their annual salary, interest free, to contribute towards buying a home, moving house, or building an extension.

This follows the announcement last week that military children will be entitled to free breakfast and after-school childcare as part of ongoing measures to further support the UK Armed Forces and their loved ones.

• 2400 year old floor fragment gives us an insight into the life of Roman leaders


Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage has placed a temporary export bar on a panel of mosaic from a Roman villa at Dewlish, Dorset.

Thought to date to the 4th century AD, the mosaic is considered by many to be an exceptional piece and is at risk of being lost abroad unless a buyer can be found to match the £135,00 asking price.

The mosaic would have been part of an elaborate pavement in the reception room of a luxurious villa and includes a depiction of a leopard pouncing on the back of an antelope as blood drips from its wounded prey. 

Floor mosaics like this would have been chosen to reflect the values and beliefs of the villa’s owner and can help modern viewers understand the aspirations and education of country landowners who held power in the final decades of the Roman Era.

Apart from one smaller piece in the Dorchester Country Museum, much of the mosaic floor at the Dewlish Roman villa has now been destroyed, so this fragment is of crucial importance to understanding the whole composition.

This fragment has strong similarities to other fourth century mosaics found in the region surrounding Dorchester, ascribed to a Durnovarian School of mosaic workers. Although notable examples survived, including the Hinton St Mary mosaic in the British Museum, many of the mosaics assigned to the Durnovarain school have been reburied or destroyed. 

Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said:

This mosaic is a piece of history telling us about the lives of our Roman ancestors more than 2,000 years ago. It is an incredibly rare example of the Roman occupation of Britain and I hope that, even in these challenging times, a buyer can be found to keep this important and striking work in the UK.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA). The committee noted that there were few mosaics from the Durnovarian school showing this quality and exceptional workmanship. It was also widely agreed that there was much to be learned about Romano-British mosaics from further research and study of the fragment. 

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of the mosaic’s outstanding significance to the study of Romano-British art and history.  

Committee member Leslie Webster said:

The mosaic‘s spirited depiction of a leopard bringing down an antelope is a brilliantly accomplished image of nature red in tooth and claw; the soaring leap of the deer, and the precise delineation of the leopard’s muscular power and ferocious grace is a tour de force of the mosaicist’s art. Such a resonant image, with its origins in the art and mythology of the classical world and beyond, has travelled a long way to Dorset, to feature in the villa of a wealthy Romano-British landowner; it must have been the latest thing in up-market house decoration. The grand mosaic from which this fragment came, dominating the principal public room of the villa, was clearly designed to impress the spectator with the learning and cultural aspirations of its owner. Perhaps this exotic symbol of the hunt, popular elsewhere in the Empire but exceptional in Britain, and its implicit theme of domination, were also intended to suggest its owner’s status and power. 

In the later years of the Roman era in Britain, the representational innovation and technical sophistication of this mosaic, and of others produced by the Dorchester school of mosaicists, give fascinating insight into the lives of local Roman magnates, in a period seen as one of change and decline; they open up many questions and opportunities for investigation. For us to lose it from Britain would be a great misfortune.

The decision on the export licence application for the mosaic will be deferred until 16 October 2020. This may be extended until 16 January 2021 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of £135,000 plus VAT.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the mosaic should contact the RCEWA on 0845 300 6200.

Details of the mosaic are as follows:

• The item is a fragment of a Roman mosaic pavement
• It is composed of tesserae cut from coloured stone and brick originally set on a mortar base.
• Its maximum measurements are 1.96m by 2.39m
• Probably made by the Dunovarian school of mosaic workers operating in the 4th century AD
• Dating to the second half of 4th century? Condition apparently stable 

Provenance:


• Excavated in Dewlish by WG Putman between 1969-1979
• Private collection, Dewlish, Dorset, until sale at Duke’s Auctions, Dorchester, 7th September 2018, lot 722.

The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by The Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria. 


The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. www.artscouncil.org.uk.

Thank you Madame President. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

The Decade of Action is upon us, with only 10 years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The world needs the SDGs more than ever, but COVID-19 has posed yet further challenges to reaching them by 2030. Urgent action to accelerate progress is required.

We are committed to this aim, leaving no-one behind.

Finding a globally accessible vaccine for COVID-19 is the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetime. We have pledged up to £764 million (US$960 million) of UK aid to the global response to the pandemic, including £250 million (US$314 million) to the Coalition for EpidemicPreparedness Innovations (CEPI). CEPI is developing a COVID-19 vaccine and will ensure no delay in access for our developing countries.

Tackling other preventable deaths is also crucial. On 4 June, the UK hosted the Global Vaccine Summit, which raised $8.8 billion for Gavi’s vital work over the next five years to vaccinate a further 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives.

While we remain strongly committed to responding to COVID-19, in parallel it is important to begin to consider how we will recover. The UK is committed to working with others to ensure our recovery delivers cleaner, healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient economies and societies.

We thank the UN Secretary General for the leadership he has shown in convening Member States under the Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 initiative. We are so pleased to be working alongside the EU, Fiji, and Rwanda, as we lead the rebuilding for sustainability workstream.

COVID-19 has only exacerbated the SDG financing challenges, so it is integral that we take this opportunity to build momentum, including on important matters such as further leveraging private finance and investment.

Climate change is a global threat, which affects poverty, stability, nature and prosperity. The UK will host COP26 next year, in partnership with Italy, providing a vital opportunity to accelerate global progress.

So at this High-Level Political Forum, the UK has hosted an event on climate action, which has sought to build the momentum for a successful COP – raising ambitions, focusing efforts and drawing important links with broader sustainable recovery objectives.

COVID-19 has aggravated an already serious learning crisis. We know the power of educating girls in fighting poverty, building prosperity and stability, tackling climate change and of course leaving no one behind. Girls’ education must therefore be a priority both for the recovery and for our ongoing efforts to achieve those SDGs.

We urge all UN members to stand with us in championing the right of every girl to 12 years of quality education.

And more broadly, our commitment to the Inclusive Data Charter underscores our determination to ensure that everybody is counted, so that they have a fair opportunity in life.

We owe it to future generations to work together and build back better from COVID-19 and base our recovery from the pandemic on solid foundations. The Sustainable Development Goals are pivotal to this endeavour.

Thank you.