Secretary of State Rory Stewart today launched a report on the UK’s progress towards the Global Goals (also known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs).

The UK played a key role in the creation of the Global Goals, aimed at making the world a fairer, healthier, safer and more prosperous place for everyone, everywhere by 2030. The UK is responsible for achieving them here in the UK and contributing to the Goals in developing countries.

The report published today sets out how government, business, civil society and the public across the UK are making the Goals a reality, here at home, and around the world, and will outline challenges that remain to reach these ambitious targets by 2030. The UK will present these findings to the United Nations in July.

Secretary of State Rory Stewart launched the UK’s progress report – also known as the Voluntary National Review – at Torriano Primary School in Camden, north London today.

Speaking at the event, he said:

This amazing primary school in London is arranged completely around the Global Goals, in other words the children here are studying a normal curriculum but they’re doing it by thinking about poverty, by thinking about water quality by thinking about air quality and by thinking about their fundamental rights and the interests of the planet.

The United Kingdom’s Voluntary National Review is an opportunity for us to reflect – not just on what we do abroad in international development but how we conduct ourselves at home.

And learn through doing it and share with countries, from Malawi right the way through to Indonesia, what we’ve learnt in how to deal with climate, how to deal with water quality and how to deal with the real challenges that face not just us but every country on earth.

This is a message directed at all British nationals participating in the upcoming music festivals Neversea in July and UNTOLD in August. Preparing for foreign travel and staying safe abroad should be done in a timely manner.

Please see below for useful information ahead of the festivals:

Drugs

Make sure you’re hydrated in hot weather and know your limits. We recommend that you don’t get involved with drugs in anyway. The Romanian authorities treat all drug-related offences very seriously. The penalties are severe, and if you are convicted you can expect a prison sentence. We can support you if you have been arrested or are in detention. We can’t get you out of prison. We can also provide details of local lawyers, but can’t provide legal advice.

Belongings/valuables

Keep your passports and other valuables in a safe place. Make sure you know whom to contact if you need to obtain emergency credit cards and replacement cheques if they are stolen. Beware of bag and mobile snatchers. If you happen to lose or have anything stolen, you should report it to the local police immediately. We can offer support if you are a victim of crime but we can’t investigate crimes.

Medical insurance

Don’t forget your medical insurance so that you are fully covered for any medical treatment/evacuation that you may need. Before leaving the UK, remember to get your free European Health Insurance card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical insurance, but provides you with state provided medical treatment. The EHIC card does not cover medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or non-urgent treatment. We can help if you are hospitalized but we can’t pay your hospital bills. We can also provide details of local interpreters, doctors and funeral directors if needed.

Travel insurance

Before leaving the UK, make sure you are fully covered for everything that you would like to do. Remember to specify Romania in your insurance cover. Read the travel advice for Romania before you travel.

Passports

If your passport is lost or stolen, we advise you to report this to the local police immediately. If you have a copy of your passport details, this will make applying for an emergency travel document easier for you. If you are in need of an emergency travel document, you will have to pay a fee for this. Apply for an emergency travel document and follow the steps. We can’t issue full validity passports or negotiate the visa processes of another country.

Funds

RON (Romanian Leu) is the normal currency for everyday transactions in Romania. If you need to exchange currencies, don’t attempt to change money on the street. Instead, you should change money through official exchange offices or banks. Western Union money transfer or MoneyGram are available in case of lost or stolen funds. We can offer advice on transferring funds. Unfortunately, we can’t pay bills or give you money from public funds.

Visas

As a British citizen, you don’t need a visa to enter Romania. British nationals who enter Romania have the right to stay for a period of 3 months from date of entry. If you would like to stay longer in Romania, you can apply for a registration certificate from the Romanian Office for Immigration as either an employee, self-employed, self-supported or as a student.

Bucharest.Consular@fco.gov.uk

Or visit us at @BritishEmbassyBucharest on Facebook or @ukinromania on Twitter

Published 7 June 2019
Last updated 27 June 2019 + show all updates

Sajid Javid today (Wednesday 26 June) announced that the remaining £3.3 million of the £22 million Early Intervention Youth Fund would be distributed to 10 areas to support projects for young people to prevent them getting drawn into crime and to help them make more positive life choices.

The Home Secretary also revealed there will be an additional £1.5 million of funding for the third year of the Anti-Knife Crime Community Fund, which will go towards small community projects to reduce knife crime. The fund has already supported 115 projects over the 2 years it has been running.

Speaking after chairing the Serious Violence Taskforce today Home Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Intervening early in the lives of vulnerable young people is a central part of our blueprint to tackle serious violence.

That’s why we are investing millions in community projects and organisations across the country.

It’s vital that all youngsters are given the opportunities they need to turn away from a life of violent crime and lead positive lives.

The government previously allocated £17.7 million of the Early Intervention Youth Fund to 29 projects endorsed by Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in November 2018. In addition, further funding was provided to PCCs for additional specific projects as well as more than £500,000 to the Evening Standard’s Save London Lives campaign.

The Anti-Knife Crime Community Fund first launched in October 2017 is now open to bids from grassroots organisations and trusts for the third year of funding.

The Early Intervention Youth Fund and the Anti-Knife Crime Community Fund follow a number of new measures recently announced by the government to tackle violent crime, including:

• up to £35 million to 18 PCCs in areas worst affected by serious violence to set up Violence Reduction Units
• an additional £63.4 million surge funding to 18 forces across England and Wales and £1.6 million to ensure police forces have better data to help their planning.

The Home Office also supports early intervention through the £200 million Youth Endowment Fund, which is managed by the charitable foundation Impetus and will support organisations with a proven track record of diverting vulnerable young people away from violent crime. This started in April and will provide funding over the next 10 years.

Earlier today the Home Secretary chaired the Serious Violence Taskforce, which was also attended by Victoria Atkins, Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, and Nick Hurd, Minister for Policing and the Fire Service. Speakers at the Taskforce included Bill Bush, Executive Director at Premier League, who spoke about the success of Premier League Kicks, a community programme that uses football to inspire and engage thousands of young people in deprived areas in England and Wales.

Thank you, Mr President

The United Kingdom would like to thank the Special Rapporteurs for their reports. Both are stark reminders of the negative consequences of digital technologies if used by states to restrict freedoms.

The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression points to the impact on journalists and human rights defenders of surveillance technologies. We will defend their rights. That is why we are leading a Global Campaign to Defend Media Freedom and co-hosting, with the Canadian Government, a conference next month on media freedom. We want to shine a global spotlight on this issue and raise the cost for those who seek to silence journalists.

We are calling on those attending to sign up to a pledge to protect media freedom, to draw up National Action Plans and to contribute to a new Global Media Defence Fund.

Mr President

The UK is concerned about the impact of digital technology when used to silence and harass those who wish to peacefully challenge, discuss and debate. The use of internet shutdowns is growing year by year by many states across the world. The NGO Access Now reports that 2018 saw 188 internet shutdowns: a significant rise from 108 shutdowns in 2017. This action alone is a significant step by States to restrict freedom of assembly and association and one the UK is working to counter by partnering with Access Now on its #KeepItOn campaign.

What challenges do the Special Rapporteurs’ foresee in the coming year to these freedoms and what actions do they recommend that Human Rights Council members take collectively to counter them?