Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Con)

My Lords, I join in the congratulations to my noble friend Lady Helic for securing the debate. Her deep knowledge of the issue derives from her personal experience and expertise. We are also fortunate to hear today from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Peach, who was our UK envoy to the western Balkans for some years, and from the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, who was Secretary-General of NATO. Their engagement with political leaders and international bodies to support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and Euro-Atlantic integration was and remains vital. A few years ago, when I was the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, I had a meeting in Banja Luka with the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska and the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was reported as saying: “I am pleased to witness this positive and constructive engagement of the two entities in addressing and solving issues and disputes and would like to see the implementation of the agreed Agenda for Reform without delay”. Regrettably, what followed was the continuation of instability and concerns about security in the country, including reports of external influence by Russia and secessionist rhetoric in Republika Srpska. Although the war in the Balkans finished some 30 years ago, its devastating impact still deeply affects those who bore the brunt of that violence. For example, women were gang raped, and were sometimes forced to watch their very young daughters being raped too. They were often ostracised by their families when they became pregnant as a consequence of those rapes. Whether young or older today, they endure physical and mental damage, which they bear with dignity. It was a privilege to meet so many of them. I shall never forget them. When the Minister, the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, responded to a question from the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, she said that the Government are “protecting everything for this financial year in our humanitarian work”.—[Official Report, 3/4/26; col. 375.] My question for today’s Minister is can he give a commitment that the UK will continue to allocate grants to NGOs, so that they can provide medical and psychological rehabilitation for the survivors of sexual violence in conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina?