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
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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
5 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Lead efforts to reach consensus on autonomous weapons and create an international instrument.
We recommend that the UK Government takes the lead in efforts to reach a consensus on the use of autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence on the battlefield and the creation of an international instrument on their use. (Recommendation, Paragraph … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses diplomatic influence, multilateral engagement, and enhancing IHL adherence for humanitarian access, but it does not address the recommendation regarding autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence on the battlefield.
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5 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - Protection not permis…
UK armed forces demonstrate strong adherence to International Humanitarian Law, serving as a global example.
The UK armed forces have a strong and proud history of supporting IHL. They have experience of operating within the spirit and letter of IHL in extremely challenging environments, and of complying with accountability mechanisms when there have been allegations … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses mitigating sanctions impact on humanitarian aid and monitoring IHL adherence generally, but does not address the committee's specific conclusion regarding the UK armed forces' history and role as an example in upholding IHL.
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6 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - Protection not permis…
Prioritise military-to-military training on International Humanitarian Law for foreign militaries.
We recommend that the Government prioritises military-to-military training on IHL in line with the increase in defence spending. It should make full use of the range of resources it has at its disposal to support foreign militaries to understand not … Read more
Government Response
The government response outlines the UK's general support for IHL and calls on all parties to comply, but does not address the specific recommendation to prioritise and make full use of military-to-military training on IHL for foreign militaries.
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7 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - Protection not permis…
FCDO's traditional approaches to humanitarian access challenges are ineffective, requiring a new strategy.
The FCDO appears to be repeating the same approaches to overcoming access challenges whilst expecting different results. Successful records of traditional forms of public diplomacy in promoting unimpeded access to aid are patchy at best. Polarisation within bodies such as … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses protecting aid workers, IHL, and countering disinformation, but does not address the committee's observation that the FCDO is repeating approaches to access challenges and needs a radically new strategy.
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9 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - Protection not permis…
UK well-positioned to amplify local voices in humanitarian aid access and localisation.
The UK is well placed to ensure the voice of local organisations is heard in negotiations over access for humanitarian aid. This input is vital for effective and sustainable aid delivery as well as maximising the safety of 49 those … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses risk management for aid workers, programme guidelines, and budget lines for security, but does not directly address the committee's conclusion that the UK is well placed to ensure local organisations' voices are heard in access negotiations.
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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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