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UK aid, covid-19 and the additional vulnerability of religious minorities

EDM (Early Day Motion) 765: tabled on 21 July 2020

Tabled in the 2019-21 session.

This motion has been signed by 7 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted.

Motion text

That this House expresses deep concern about the increased vulnerability of Christians, and all citizens belonging to religious minority groups, to discrimination and persecution as a result of the covid-19 pandemic; particularly notes the incidents of Christians and members of other religious minority groups facing discrimination in the distribution of aid during the covid-19 pandemic; welcomes the reassurances given by Ministers that guidance has been circulated across the Department for International Development highlighting that inclusion must be central to the UK response and that the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups should be taken into account when developing practical programmes to tackle COVID-19; further welcomes the statement that the Department for International Development is working closely with its partners to ensure that they are rigorously assessing vulnerability and needs (including those linked with religious identity) ahead of allocating assistance as well as conducting robust monitoring to ensure that aid is reaching those most in need; urges the Department for International Development to confirm processes are in place to ensure that that monitoring is in itself impartial and does not reflect the prevalent societal views of the religious majority and fully recognises the vulnerability of religious minorities; and further urges the Department for International Development to also confirm that local faith leaders, particularly those from religious minority communities, have been consulted about how best the additional vulnerabilities faced by those minority communities can be addressed during the covid-19 pandemic.