Alarm over cuts to Hague-Jolie plan to end sexual violence in war

Scheme launched by William Hague and Angelina Jolie faces ‘litmus test’ as scrutiny falls on British response to rape of Rohingya women

“There needs to be some big picture thinking,” the lawyer said. “Taking the statements too early could hinder a successful prosecution because if they are inconsistent with any subsequent statement taken by an investigator of a particular court, they could undermine that witness’s credibility.Advertisement“If you’re documenting for legal purposes you must have an interpreter that speaks the same, and not just a similar language, and interpreters have got to be trained to take this type of testimony,” she added.

There is little privacy in the camps for survivors who want to be interviewed, as well as a shortage of translators to accurately record testimonies.

The Department for International Development said it is providing a range of assistance to Rohingya refugees, including psychological support for women affected by the conflict, sexual and reproductive health clinics, and other specialist services.

The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said Britain is leading the international response to the Rohingya crisis: “In February this year I travelled to Cox’s Bazaar to see for myself the horrendous conditions the Rohingya people are having to endure. I will continue to place the rights and freedom of women and girls at the heart of everything the foreign office Foreign Office does, including our response to the terrible crisis in Burma and Bangladesh.”