Humanitarian access and adherence to international humanitarian law

International Development Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 4 Dec 2024 Closed: 5 Sep 2025 Parliament page
International humanitarian law includes important rules to facilitate the passage of humanitarian relief such as food, clothing and medical supplies as well as rules on the protection of humanitarian personnel. In addition, UN Security Council resolutions have called for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian personnel. Yet, in recent years … Read more
20 Recommendations
31 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Letter
1 Event
Activity timeline 5 events
5 Sep
2025
Report published
26 Jun
2025
Correspondence
12 Jun
2025
Report published
11 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
11 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
11 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Humanitarian access and adherence to international humanitarian law
Anna Tazita Samuel · Women for Change Imogen Wall · IW Response Associates Jon Novakovic · Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) Steve Dennis · Proper Support Tarini Ross · Humanitarian Aid International
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - Protection not permission: The UK’s role in upholdi… HC 526 12 Jun 2025 51 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
21 results
Clear
2 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Publicly condemn attitudes of 'trading off' IHL breaches to prevent damage to legal frameworks.
We agree with the view of the ICRC that IHL is clear and comprehensive. It represents both a body of law that is robust and universal in its coverage, and a spirit by which warring parties must place the protection … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of IHL's comprehensiveness and accountability, detailing its existing foreign policy of supporting international criminal justice, vigilant alarm-raising, and support for the International Criminal Court.
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4 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Lack of leadership in condemning IHL abuses, despite UK's strong position to lead.
There is encouraging collaboration by a select few UN Member States that are promoting adherence to IHL and, in particular, the protection of aid workers. Yet there is a lack of comprehensive leadership across all aspects of IHL by a … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the vital role of local organisations in humanitarian access negotiations and describes its commitment to leveraging UK influence to include them, and its funding of the Centre for Competence on Humanitarian Negotiations.
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8 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Explore creative diplomacy with likeminded states to solve access issues and evaluate FCDO capacity.
We recommend that the UK explores creative forms of diplomacy with likeminded states that can bring maximum pressure and combined diplomatic capability to solving specific access issues. As part of this initiative the diplomatic capacity and influence of the FCDO … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that humanitarian aid must be facilitated and commits to strengthening UK diplomatic influence through a new internal humanitarian diplomacy and access strategy, actively pursuing diplomatic efforts, and supporting relevant international mechanisms.
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10 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Unclear UK anti-terrorism legislation risks limiting safe delivery of aid.
We applaud the work of the current and previous Governments in ensuring that the safe delivery of aid is not jeopardised by most of the UK’s own legislation. However, lack of clarity around the UK’s anti-terrorism legislation has had a … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges seeking to mitigate negative impacts of sanctions and counter-terrorism legislation on humanitarian aid delivery and describes existing work with aid partners, including the UK Tri-Sector Group, to promote compliance.
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12 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
UK has important role in supporting mechanisms for accountability of IHL breaches.
During an evidence session, the Minister was unclear about the extent of the application of approved approaches when it came to creative responses to the situation in Gaza. There are various mechanisms available at the international, regional and domestic levels … Read more
Government Response
The government asserts it is clear and consistent in its support for IHL in Gaza, consistently urges Israeli authorities to conduct swift investigations into incidents involving aid workers, and believes it is meeting its obligations through existing measures.
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14 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Firmly support international courts and accountability mechanisms to prevent impunity for IHL violations.
At a time when the legitimacy and impartiality of international courts is being questioned by some, the UK must stand firm in support of these important mechanisms for accountability to prevent impunity for serious violations of IHL. (Recommendation, Paragraph 36) Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to stand firm in support of international courts, stating its full commitment to international law and respect for the independence of the ICJ and ICC, and reinforcing its support through multilateral fora.
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21 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Insufficient UK support for local prosecution of IHL breaches.
We agree with the Government that it is preferable to prosecute suspected breaches of IHL within the jurisdiction where they occurred, but only where there are sufficient resources and guarantees of fair trials. There is more the UK could be … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that prosecuting breaches of IHL locally is preferable and highlights its existing support for capacity building in partner countries to strengthen justice and accountability mechanisms for IHL violations.
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23 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Ensure UK can exercise universal jurisdiction over international crimes against aid workers.
The preamble to the Statute of the International Criminal Court recalls “the duty of every State to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes.” At the domestic level, the UK must ensure that it can exercise universal … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is committed to bringing perpetrators of serious international crimes to justice and already possesses a robust legal framework, including extraterritorial jurisdiction, for prosecuting such crimes in the UK regardless of where they were committed.
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25 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Support and fund UN investigative mechanisms for IHL breaches and evidence preservation.
The UN has also established various investigative mechanisms in response to particular atrocities. Wherever possible, the UK should support, fund and participate in these mechanisms to assist with fact-finding, truth discovery, and the preservation of evidence of breaches of IHL. … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating it already strongly supports and funds various UN investigative mechanisms, providing specific examples of financial support to several missions and ongoing funding for the ICC and other bodies. It also commits to promoting the use of the IHFFC where appropriate.
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26 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Utilise International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission to establish IHL breaches and recommend its services.
Specifically, we recommend that the UK makes better use of the good offices of the International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission as part of its process of establishing whether IHL has been broken in specific cases. It should also be actively … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating it recognises the IHFFC as an important mechanism and, while it hasn't used it in specific past contexts, it will consider its use where appropriate and will promote the use of the IHFFC.
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27 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Utilise existing sanctions powers to ensure greater respect for international humanitarian law.
In addition to legal mechanisms, the Government must use its powers to make sanctions a tool for ensuring respect for IHL. The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 provides the Government with the power to make sanctions for the purpose … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating it already uses its extensive sanctions powers to encourage compliance with IHL, citing specific examples of sanctions against individuals in Sudan, South Sudan, and Myanmar in 2025 and 2024.
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28 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Apply sanctions to individuals for clear IHL breaches, with sufficient resources and evidence.
The Government must use its power to sanction individuals in response to clear breaches of IHL, such as unlawful killings of aid workers and restrictions on humanitarian aid and assistance. To do this the Government 52 must make sure that … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating it already uses its sanctions powers to encourage compliance with IHL, providing examples of recent sanctions. It also notes that the FCDO continues to assess resourcing requirements for the Sanctions Directorate and that the evidential threshold for designations is set appropriately.
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38 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Government must ascertain employer duty of care after aid worker casualties.
It is vital that, where aid workers delivering UK Official Development Assistance are casualties, the Government is able to ascertain whether the employer was diligent in its duty of care responsibilities. (Conclusion, Paragraph 75)
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of employers' duty of care, detailing its existing due diligence processes for partner organizations, post-incident assessments, and funding for INSO, while also committing to incorporating the IASC Risk Sharing framework.
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40 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Underfunding of security risk management jeopardises aid worker mental health and welfare.
Constrained budgets and competition for funding may incentivise the over- promising of delivery by international NGOs at the risk of underfunding security risk management. This runs the risk of subjecting aid workers to unnecessary pressures, and of their welfare being … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, explaining that FCDO already prioritises mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) funding through existing internal guidance, due diligence frameworks, and funding guidelines, which enable partners to budget for staff psychological support.
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41 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Provide flexible funding to local organisations for culturally appropriate aid worker psychological support.
Psychological support and wellbeing strategies need to be appropriate to the context and culture of the aid workers in question. Sufficient flexibility in funding must be built in to ensure that local organisations are supported in designing and implementing their … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, detailing that FCDO's existing guidance, due diligence framework, and funding guidelines already enable partners to budget for staff psychological support and wellbeing, including for local organisations, and ensures flexible cost recovery.
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43 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Donors and employers bear moral responsibility for mitigating risks to aid workers.
Whilst it is always the perpetrator who is responsible for the harm caused to victims, there is more that donors and employers could do to mitigate the risks. Indeed, it is the moral responsibility of donors to do all they … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts its responsibility and plans to review existing programme guidelines and consider stand-alone guidance on mitigating risks to aid workers, including promoting direct partner contact. They will also continue efforts to support global Humanitarian Notification Systems.
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44 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Avoid prejudicing humanitarian aid proposals with higher security costs; question lower cost proposals.
We recognise the impact that reducing Official Development Assistance from 0.5%-0.3% of gross national income will have on availability of funding for humanitarian relief. However, any defunding of costs associated with the security of aid workers would be a false … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating FCDO is committed to aid worker safety and assesses high and low security costs using a Value for Money lens focused on maximising impact. They clarify that their existing Humanitarian Allocation Model already accounts for access and local security considerations.
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46 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Ensure programme-specific security risk management costs are distinct budget lines, not administration.
Where programme-specific security risk management costs are still built into programme budgets, these should be a distinct budget line rather than being part of administration costs. (Recommendation, Paragraph 88)
Government Response
The government agrees and commits to exploring the possibility of including a dedicated budget line for programme-specific security risk management costs in FCDO's standard templates, and will issue guidance to staff reviewing humanitarian budgets.
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47 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Inadequate funding arrangements hinder local organisations' security requirements in humanitarian aid delivery.
Approaches to negotiating contracts and funding arrangements, where local organisations will be delivering humanitarian aid, are not always fit for purpose. There are inadequate mechanisms to ensure that the security requirements of local organisations are fed through intermediaries to the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, committing to issue internal guidance emphasizing the importance of FCDO officials aiming for direct contact with local delivery organisations during proposal and implementation stages to ensure security concerns are adequately covered.
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48 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Establish direct FCDO contact with local delivery organisations on security during contract phases.
FCDO officials managing contracts where a significant amount of aid will be delivered by local organisations should aim for direct contact with the relevant local delivery organisation during the proposal agreement stage, regardless of who the contract is with. These … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and commits to issue internal guidance emphasizing the importance of FCDO officials aiming for direct contact with local delivery organisations during proposal, implementation, and evaluation stages to ensure security concerns are adequately covered.
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50 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Protection not permis…
FCDO's contract approach obstructs cost-effective pooling of security risk management services.
The relief and development sector continues to strive for value for money– maximising the essential aid to those who need it whilst keeping its staff safe. We have witnessed the strong collegiate working between security risk management professionals across the … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees that collaborative approaches enhance cost efficiency, but states that a new security risk management fund is not required. They fund INSO as a pooled resource, are exploring funding for GISF, and support consortia for shared resources and impact.
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Government Response AI assessment · 51 of 20 classified
Accepted 21
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 7
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 5
Rejected 9
Total 20 recs + 31 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
26 Jun 2025 Correspondence to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to the exemption of F-35 components from suspended arms exports to Israel, 26 June 2025
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