UK imposes sanctions on worldwide offenders of women’s rights

• The Foreign Secretary has imposed sanctions on International Women’s Day aimed at addressing gender-based violence in Iran, Syria, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.
• This announcement follows the unveiling of a new Women and Girls Strategy by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which aims to combat gender inequality worldwide.
• During his visit to Sierra Leone, he is engaging with women MPs who played a crucial role in advancing significant reforms to promote gender equality and empower women.

On March 8, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly revealed a fresh set of sanctions targeting human rights abusers, especially those inflicting harm on women and girls.

This initiative includes sanctions against four individuals and one entity engaged in severe actions, including military leaders responsible for sexual violence and gender-based crimes in Syria, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Additionally, government bodies in Iran that enforce mandatory dress codes for women through excessive force are also being sanctioned.

The stringent sanctions were rolled out after the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office previously launched a strategy aimed at addressing the growing threats to gender equality, which include conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and climate change.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stated:

Advancing gender equality fosters freedom, enhances prosperity and trade, and fortifies our collective security. Nonetheless, the hard-fought progress in gender equality is increasingly jeopardized.

These sanctions convey a definitive message that those responsible for heinous gender-based violence will be brought to justice.

We are amplifying our commitment to advocate for women and girls, utilizing every resource available to confront ongoing inequalities.

The individuals sanctioned today include:

• Major General James Nando, who led the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and was involved in sexual and gender-based violence in Tambura County in 2021.
• Mahamat Salleh Adoum Kette from the Central African Republic (CAR), overseeing acts of rape and gender-based violence committed by Front Populaire pour la Renaissance de la Centrafrique (FPRC) and Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) fighters.
• Amjad Youssef, a member of the ‘227 Region Branch,’ linked to the oppression of civilians in Syria, including systematic rape and murder.
• The Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil in Iran and its lead official, Seyyed Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, for their enforcement of mandatory women’s dress codes with undue force.

The Foreign Secretary is in Sierra Leone for the launch of the FCDO’s inaugural Women and Girls Strategy, placing the rights of women and girls at the forefront of the department’s efforts.

He has visited his mother’s hometown of Bo to observe the positive impact of UK-funded projects on women and girls. Today, he is at a Special Care Baby Unit at the Bo Government Hospital, where UK assistance is enhancing blood bank services, equipment availability, electricity access, and overall patient care, ultimately saving lives of pregnant women.

At a secondary school, he engaged with schoolgirls to discuss their future aspirations. The UK is dedicated to supporting girls in understanding their sexual and reproductive rights.

This afternoon, he will meet with a cross-party group of women MPs in Sierra Leone who have been vital in enacting legislation for women’s empowerment. Together, they have successfully championed the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill, following over a decade of advocacy from civil society organizations.

In a separate event, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence, is in New York to meet members of a newly established international alliance launched by the UK aimed at preventing sexual violence in conflict, convening for the very first time today.

He will announce an additional commitment of £430,000 to the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims. He will be joined virtually by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, who expressed her appreciation for the alliance, stating:

I appreciate the UK’s initiative in forming the International Alliance to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict. We have high expectations for this newly established Alliance. The crimes of war, if committed anywhere, are crimes against humanity, against human rights, and against the standards of international coexistence. United, we can combat this issue.

Background

• The UK government’s sanctions today build on a similar round of sanctions imposed in December 2022, which involved 18 designations against individuals responsible for human rights violations, including six linked to conflict-related sexual violence.
• Photography from the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Sierra Leone is available on UK government Flickr.
• The individuals sanctioned today will experience an asset freeze and travel ban, while the entity will also face an asset freeze.
  • An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen or business from transacting with any financial assets or resources owned or controlled by the designated individual.
  • A travel ban means that the designated person will be denied entry to or residency in the United Kingdom.
• The International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund offers victims financial reparations and support for physical and psychological recovery, along with assistance in accessing education and employment.
• Discover the FCDO’s International Women and Girls Strategy.
• Read a separate press release regarding the strategy.