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Minister for Africa Harriett Baldwin has called for the international community to work together to ensure that South Sudan’s peace agreement leads to genuine change for the people of South Sudan.

At the UN General Assembly in New York, Mrs Baldwin met with regional and international leaders, brought together by US Under Secretary of State David Hale. They agreed to work together to tackle the many risks and challenges that lie ahead in the implementation of the peace agreement.

Mrs Baldwin also pushed for progress on delivering humanitarian assistance in South Sudan’s high risk environment. The Minister stressed the need for innovative and adaptive responses to the protracted crisis in South Sudan and an open and honest dialogue about the challenges the international community faces. She also called on the Government of South Sudan to make good on its commitments to allow unimpeded humanitarian access, in what is now the most dangerous operating environment for humanitarian workers in the world.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development Minister Harriett Baldwin said:

The peace agreement signed a few weeks ago brought hope to millions of South Sudanese who have suffered the devastating consequences of conflict for far too long. This is a significant achievement, but only the first step on a long journey to peace, and even since the most recent ceasefire, violence continues.

This week, the international community has committed to tackling a culture of impunity. We are also committed to working together to face the growing number of unacceptable obstructions to the delivery of aid, including disproportionate taxes and fees which divert tens of millions of dollars, and violence against aid workers. Those who perpetuate the suffering of South Sudanese people will be held to account.

A peace agreement for South Sudan was signed on 12 September 2018. A recent study estimates that the conflict has caused 380,000 deaths and forced a third of the population to flee their homes. The violence is driving the largest refugee crisis in Africa and a man-made humanitarian catastrophe. Despite progress made in peace talks, food insecurity is at its worst in South Sudan’s seven year history and violations of the most recent ceasefire continues. At least 110 humanitarian workers have been killed since the conflict began and 13 this year alone.

The UK continues to work with the region and the international community to push for effective monitoring and implementation of the peace agreement and to hold those undermining it to account. On 13 July, the UK played a leading role in securing a UN arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan.

The UK is also providing lifesaving aid. Last year we reached over 420,000 people with food assistance and over 680,000 people with access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities. We also deploy over 300 troops as UN peacekeepers to provide important engineering and medical assistance to the UN Mission in South Sudan.

Notes to Editors:

• Minister Baldwin attended the panel event “Delivering Assistance in a High Risk Environment: A Spotlight on South Sudan” hosted by Mark Lowcock, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator on 25 September.
• She attended the event “Next Steps on the Path to Peace in South Sudan” hosted by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale on 26 September.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Harriett Baldwin on Twitter @hbaldwin
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook

The UK’s Minister for Women and Equalities, the Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, and Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Michael R. Bloomberg, today announced a new partnership between the UK Government and Bloomberg L.P. to improve reporting and transparency around gender equality in the workplace.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York, Mordaunt and Bloomberg outlined a shared commitment to incorporate six data points from the UK Government’s gender pay gap metrics into the global reporting framework of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI).

UK Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt said:

This partnership with Bloomberg shows the growing global commitment to transparency and gender equality at work. Some of our biggest UK companies like Barclays, BT, Deloitte and Sky have already taken action, showing that gender equality is not just a moral imperative, it is good business.

Every human endeavour depends upon inclusion. So that we can all thrive in the workplace, no matter who we are.

Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Michael R. Bloomberg said:

I want to thank the U.K. for its partnership and great work ensuring women and men have equal opportunities. This index highlights companies that are leading the way in addressing gender disparities – and what steps they are taking to do that – which can set an example for others.

Since 2016, the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index has provided investors with standardized, comparable data on a range of social factors related to gender equality in the workplace. The 2018 GEI includes 104 companies headquartered in 24 countries and regions.

Companies that have demonstrated their support of the GEI and a commitment to disclosure include: Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Ford Motor Company, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mastercard, Pearson and Unilever.

Eligible companies are scored based on data available in public filings and additional information collected through 67 questions as part of the GEI survey, a comprehensive overview of company statistics, employee policies, external engagement and gender-conscious product offerings.

Beginning in 2019, the GEI survey will incorporate six data points from the UK Government’s pay gap methodology, including the percentage of men and women in each quartile of payroll, and median and mean gender pay gap. First implemented in 2017, the introduction of new rules mandated organizations of a certain size to disclose employee pay statistics. Initial results illustrate the scale of the challenge, with 3 in 4 company reports indicating men are paid more than women.

In addition, Bloomberg L.P and the UK Government will work together to:

• Improve transparency on a global scale and build consensus with companies around the key metrics and drivers of gender equality in an organization;
• Create a clear measure for investors, consumers and employees to evaluate gender equality;
• Improve transparency of gender equality data on a global scale;
• Promote and expand membership of the Gender-Equality Index as an instrumental tool to transform economic gender equality.

Kiersten Barnet, Manager, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, said:

This partnership is an encouraging step towards higher levels of gender equality disclosure and accountability. While gender pay is just one of the issues to overcome in the fight for parity, offering employers a standardized framework to measure their progress reduces the burden of reporting and creates a common global language for discussing gender equality.

Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Director and Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas, said:

Gender equality is at the heart of BNP Paribas’ company engagement strategy. All the management team at BNP Paribas is fully committed to fighting gender bias. Large companies can contribute to a better world by taking HR decisions that push the boundaries. They can also have a strong influence through their business decisions. Data is essential to help them measure and accelerate their progress in gender equality.

David Solomon, President and COO of Goldman Sachs, said:

A diverse workforce across all dimensions is essential to our ability to best serve our clients. We are committed to increasing the representation of women at every level of the firm and are pleased to support the UK Government and Bloomberg’s joint mission to encourage greater transparency around gender equality in the workplace, and to help us measure our progress.

Notes to Editors

Contacts

Veronika Henze, Bloomberg: +1-646-324-1596; vhenze@bloomberg.net

Jill Watanabe, Bloomberg: +1-212-617-1610; jwatanabe11@bloomberg.net

Natalie Harland, Bloomberg UK: +44-20-35258820; nharland1@bloomberg.net

Alice Booth, Government Equalities Office Press Office: +44 7384 521 405; Alice.booth@geo.gov.uk

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. The company’s strength – delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accurately – is at the core of the Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg’s enterprise solutions build on the company’s core strength: leveraging technology to allow customers to access, integrate, distribute and manage data and information across organizations more efficiently and effectively.

About Mandatory UK Gender Pay Gap Reporting

The UK Government introduced world leading, mandatory gender pay gap reporting for large employers in 2017. The requirements provide an unparalleled level of transparency. Organisations with 250 or more employees need to publish 14 separate data points on gender pay differences each year. The first year of reporting saw an unprecedented level of compliance and 100% of organisations in scope have reported. Reporting on such a wide range of measures helps employers to understand the causes of the gender pay differences in their own workforces and encourages them to take action.

Live gender pay gap data, for the more than 10,000 employers that have reported, is easily accessible via the Government’s gender pay gap reporting website. The reporting website has been highly acclaimed for the transparency it provides and has attracted interest from across the globe.

Farmers affected by this summer’s dry weather have been offered further assistance by the UK government.

New flexibility from the EU Commission has been secured, which will help farmers increase the amount of feed they can grow for their livestock.

The dry weather earlier this summer has meant many livestock farmers have not had enough pasture to graze their animals on, with some having to break into their winter feed supplies early.

From today, farmers will be allowed to grow grass and other edible forage in areas that are not usually allowed for grazing.

This is after the UK government secured a derogation from the EU’s Ecological Focus Area (EFA) winter crop requirements, which stipulates that certain areas must be left fallow or sown with crop mix that cannot be grazed.

This is the latest in a series of practical solutions to help farmers affected by the dry weather, including:

• Granting of 89 flexible water abstraction licenses by the Environment Agency for farmers to safeguard food production and animal welfare. The majority of applications received have been approved.
• Publishing guidance for 40 Countryside Stewardship options which can be adjusted for this year without penalty if agreement holders notify Natural England by the end of 2018.
• Waiving penalties for farmers who fail to establish EFA catch crops by 20 August.
• Communicating to farming groups that they are able to graze fallow land without need for a derogation.

Secretary of State Michael Gove said:

We have had one of the driest summers since modern records began in 1961, and it is only right that we do what we can to support farmers who have been placed under the most pressure.

I am pleased that the flexibilities announced today will offer some help to livestock farmers by opening up new sources of fodder ahead of the winter.

I am also glad that we are continuing to discuss the industry’s ideas for longer-term resilience.

The government will continue to monitor the situation and listen to industry as we move towards the autumn and winter months.

Sections of the A19 dual carriageway travel through the County Durham Magnesian Limestone belt, an area of unique and internationally important habitat, and Highways England and its contractors Sir Robert McAlpine have worked hard to protect and restore this area.

By discouraging invasive weeds and removing the existing vegetation, the nutrient value of the soil has been lowered, which has created an environment much more suited to desired wildflower species.

The grass cutting has helped create habitat piles and animal refuges, which might look like a stack of branches but make excellent homes for small animals.

The team has now been recognised with an environmental award as part of the CIRIA 2018 BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards which took place in London.

Highways England’s route manager Ben Dobson said:

This is a fantastic achievement not just for the team but for wildlife along the A19. By carrying out this work we have increased the amount of rich grasslands to 115 sites.

We have also been working closely with Durham Wildlife Trust to see what further improvements we can carry out along the route to create more wildflower meadows on the A19.

Keith Polson from Sir Robert McAlpine who maintain the A19 between Dishforth and the Tyne Tunnel, said:

We are proud to have received this award, which recognises both the commitment of Highways England and Sir Robert McAlpine to responsibly managing our environment and the collaborative working relationship we enjoy.

Mark Dinning, Head of Conservation, from Durham Wildlife Trust said:

We are pleased to be working in partnership on a scheme bringing benefits to such a nationally important habitat as the Magnesian Limestone grassland. This project has connected and restored valuable wildlife sites and unearthed what is a truly special resource of plants and insects which are benefiting under Sir Robert McAlpine’s and Highways England’s stewardship.

Highways England is committed to a national Biodiversity Plan which is being supported by a £30 million national investment programme over the next five years.

The plan recognises road verges and associated land can be managed to provide areas of habitat, relatively free from human access that may be scarce in the surrounding landscape.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

In his first event at this year’s UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, co-chaired a roundtable event with Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict, on galvanising the international community’s response to this heinous crime.

The event brought together representatives from around the world to work out how the international community can be more responsive to the needs of survivors, and improve their access to justice.

Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for Human Rights and the UN said:

Sexual violence as a weapon of war is used to brutalise, torture innocent civilians and ethnically cleanse
communities.

We must stand together against the culture of impunity which perpetuates this violence and strengthen the routes to justice for the survivors, ensuring perpetrators are held to account.

UN agencies estimate that more than 60,000 women were raped during the civil war in Sierra Leone, more than 40,000 in Liberia and at least 200,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lord Tariq Ahmad also canvassed the group on possible themes for the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict international meeting in November 2019. The meeting will seek real commitments from governments and international organisations to accelerate the drive to end impunity; advance justice and accountability; tackle stigma; and develop new ways to prevent and address sexual violence.

The Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with President Rouhani of Iran in New York earlier today.

She began by offering her condolences over Saturday’s attack in Ahvaz, noting that we condemn terrorism in all its forms.

She then reiterated the UK’s commitment to the Iran nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), noting that as long as Iran abided by its obligations under the deal, we would continue to take steps to ensure that Iran receives economic benefits from sanctions relief.

She also emphasised our ongoing concern at Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activity, including in Yemen.

She then raised our consular cases in Iran, including that of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, before expressing her serious concern at Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s ongoing detention, and called for her release.

The Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with President Erdogan of Turkey in New York earlier today (25 September 2018).

They agreed that the trade and investment relationship between the UK and Turkey was strong and would continue to strengthen as the UK left the European Union.

They discussed Syria, agreeing on the need for a reinvigorated political process.

The Prime Minister welcomed Turkey’s recent agreement with Russia to avert an offensive on Idlib, which would have caused immense humanitarian suffering. The Prime Minister said:

We now needed to see full implementation of the agreement, offering any assistance the UK can provide, to ensure the maintenance of the ceasefire.