Arminka Helić, Baroness Helić (born 20 April 1968 in Gračanica, SFR Yugoslavia) is a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician from

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...

, who served as Special Adviser to the former Foreign Secretary

William Hague William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

. In 2014, Arminka Helić was nominated to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...

. She was created a

Life Peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

on 18 September 2014 taking the title Baroness Helić, of

Millbank Millbank is an area of central London in the City of Westminster. Millbank is located by the River Thames, east of Pimlico and south of Westminster. Millbank is known as the location of major government offices, Burberry headquarters, the ...

in the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a city and borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of central Greater London, including most of the West En ...

and was introduced to the

on 24 November 2014.

Background

Arminka Helić is a

foreign policy expert who became a Conservative adviser after fleeing the Yugoslav conflict of the 1990s.

Foreign policy adviser

Helić has advised numerous Conservatives in opposition and government from 1998 building up considerable expertise. She has been described by Matthew D’Ancona as "one of the most impressive foreign policy experts in the Government." Known for her discretion, there is little in the public domain on her personal views, although she is pro-American. According to a leaked dispatch from Richard LeBaron, Deputy Head of the US Mission in London, she shares

's pronounced pro-U.S. views and described the United States as "the essential country."

Global Sexual Violence Initiative

Helić is credited with persuading UK Foreign Secretary

to launch the UK's Global

Sexual Violence Sexual violence is any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, act to traffic a person, or act directed against a person's sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim.World Health Organization., World re ...

Initiative. Hague worked with

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

to draw attention to the issue at a four-day summit in 2014. In October 2017, Helić was named as one of London's most influential figures for her refugee work.

Trust Fund for Victims

In November 2015, Helić was elected to the Board of the Trust Fund for Victims as the representative of Western European Countries and Other States. The Trust, established under the auspices of the

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome, Italy on 17 July 1998Michael P. Scharf (August 1998)''Results of the R ...

, encourages restorative justice through the provision of assistance to victims of crimes that fall within the Court's jurisdiction.

Parliamentary work

In May 2016, Baroness Helić was appointed to the House of Lords International Relations Committee.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helic, Arminka 1968 births Living people Bosniaks of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Muslims British special advisers Conservative Party (UK) officials Conservative Party (UK) life peers British Muslims Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to England Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II