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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of FCDO Human Rights

5th April 2011

The 2010 Human Rights Report

As we note on our website, “Human Rights and Democracy: The 2010 FCO Report” was publicly launched by the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, in London on 31 March, alongside guest speakers Dr Agnes Callamard from the freedom of expression NGO Article 19, and the Iranian Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari.

The report is available online at www.fco.gov.uk/hrdreport. For the first time, users are able to leave public comments on the report. The report will be updated every three months to highlight key events, and it can be printed, searched and shared online easily.

The report highlights both geographical and thematic human rights concerns. On women’s rights, a recent feature of our guest blog by Karia Uriona, the report shows that women continue to face discrimination around the world, and expresses the commitment of Her Majesty’s Government to advance women’s rights and tackle violence against them. The report also highlights concerns about restrictions to freedom of expression on the internet.

The report highlights concerns about the state of human rights in a number of countries, including Libya, Iran – where the report concludes that the human rights situation is bleaker than at any time in the last decade, with more executions per capita and more jailed journalists than any other country –  Burma, North Korea, Colombia, China and Belarus. It also assesses the United Kingdom’s own performance, at home and overseas.

Human Rights will continue to be an important focus for the Foreign Office and for this Embassy. We play an active role on the EU Human Rights Working Group here in La Paz, and have accepted the role for that group of liaison point for human rights defenders. If you or your organisation wishes to raise an issue of concern with us, please feel free to do so through Claire.Demaret@fco.gov.uk.

Equality & Non Discrimination: Women’s rights

About Nigel Baker

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as…

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Havana, Cuba (2003-6) and then as British Ambassador in La Paz, Bolivia (2007-11). In July 2016, Nigel finished his posting, and is currently back in London.

As the first British Ambassador to the Holy See ever to have a blog, Nigel provided a regular window on what the Embassy and the Ambassador does. The blogs covered a wide range of issues, from Royal and Ministerial visits to Diplomacy and Faith, freedom of religion, human trafficking and climate change.

More on Nigel’s career

Nigel was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. At St James’s Palace, Nigel worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91). Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples. The research followed from Nigel’s time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

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