“These sanctions send a clear message that the perpetrators of abhorrent gender-based violence must be held accountable,” Mr Cleverly said. He added that the government was determined to tackle gender inequality worldwide and would use all the tools.
The move came alongside the publication of the government’s ‘Women and Girls Strategy’, which plans to tackle gender inequality globally. The strategy pledges £67m ($93m) to projects focused on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Nigeria.
The strategy also prioritises ending violence against women and girls, improving access to education and healthcare, and promoting women’s economic empowerment. It also calls for increasing women’s representation in decision-making positions and ensuring the integration of gender equality into all UK overseas development assistance programs.
The sanctions follow a series of actions by the UK government to promote gender equality and tackle gender-based violence. In 2018, the government launched the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, aimed at ending the use of rape as a weapon of war. Last year, it pledged £10m ($14m) to tackle the “shadow pandemic” of violence against women and girls during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement was welcomed by women’s rights activists and organizations, who called for more countries to follow suit. However, some critics argued that the sanctions did not go far enough and that more action was needed to address gender inequality globally.
The UK government has promised to continue promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide. “The UK will continue to work tirelessly to support women and girls and to promote their rights and freedoms,” Mr Cleverly said. “We will not rest until gender equality is achieved in every corner of the world.”