Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

SECTION VII: Human Rights in Countries of Concern
The countries included in this section are amongst those where we have the most
serious wide-ranging human rights concerns. When deciding on which countries to
include, we also considered whether the country had been the target of a high level
of UK engagement on human rights in 2010, and whether it would be likely to effect
positive change in the wider region if their human rights record improved.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of human rights violations, either
globally or in the featured countries, of the type published by some international
NGOs. Neither is it a league table. We continue to have concerns about countries
not included in this section. The reports in this section are instead designed to
provide an insight into some of the key concerns and actions of the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO). Other UK government departments, notably the
Department for International Development (DFID), also undertake substantial work
abroad in the field of human rights that is not covered here.
Our human rights reporting on the FCO website has been expanded. This is
frequently updated and provides the most current information about the latest
developments. More information about the human rights situation and the work of
our embassies and high commissions in these countries of concern is available
online.
We will continue to raise our human rights concerns wherever and whenever they
arise, including with those countries with which we are seeking closer ties. All of our
embassies and high commissions monitor and raise human rights issues in their host
countries. Where possible, we also respond to individual cases if persecution or
discrimination has occurred. We also work bilaterally and with other EU member
states to encourage changes in practices and laws to strengthen the local human
rights situation.
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