Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Seventh Report - Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries
International Development Committee
HC 605
Published 14 January 2021
Recommendations
15
The Government should consider how the provisions included in sections 66 to 68 of The...
Recommendation
The Government should consider how the provisions included in sections 66 to 68 of The Domestic Abuse Bill 2019–21 could be applied to aid workers who commit sexual offences against adults overseas. It should also seek to use existing legislation …
Read more
21
Para 86
We recommend that the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is amended at...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is amended at the next opportunity to incorporate adequate measures to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse.
25
Para 98
The Committee recognises that there remain gaps in impartial oversight led by donor organisations.
Recommendation
The Committee recognises that there remain gaps in impartial oversight led by donor organisations. In its response to this report the Government should set out how the CBCM model will provide an independent avenue to survivors to seek justice when …
Read more
26
Using existing resources and mechanisms to undertake Enhanced DBS checks on aid workers who are...
Recommendation
Using existing resources and mechanisms to undertake Enhanced DBS checks on aid workers who are UK nationals appears to be a sensible first step to preventing known perpetrators from being employed to these roles. The Government should amend the regulations …
Read more
28
Para 107
The UK is currently the biggest donor to the World Health Organization and the FCDO...
Recommendation
The UK is currently the biggest donor to the World Health Organization and the FCDO should seek assurances that lessons will be learned from this case. Failings identified should inform how the organisation will better interact with local populations and …
Read more
Conclusions (34)
1
Conclusion
Para 20
Aid organisations must be alert to the barriers that might prevent aid beneficiaries from reporting abuses. They should design sensitive reporting mechanisms with the local population, in order to give victims and survivors, and their families and friends a safe means to report their concerns and complaints. This might include …
2
Conclusion
Para 26
We hope work to improve investigations at UK ODA receiving partners will continue under the merged FCDO in a way that encourages participation of the local population in the process. However, the culture of the sector (described in Chapter 4 of this report) is also key to ensuring that robust …
3
Conclusion
Para 27
The FCDO should adopt the practices developed by DFID to improve investigations, including incorporating a requirement to report cases to the FCDO into funding agreements with partners. The Safeguarding Investigations Team should continue to check that reports of sexual exploitation and abuse are satisfactorily managed; and it should take-up the …
4
Conclusion
Para 29
The work undertaken by the UK government and the sector as a whole to improve reporting and investigations and provide additional guidance is welcome, however, the lack of capacity in the sector and absence of common standard for investigations means that the outcomes of investigations are unreliable. Therefore, there is …
5
Conclusion
Para 30
Employment cycle schemes which are designed to prevent perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse from being re-hired in the aid sector will only work if perpetrators are reported and robust investigations undertaken. Therefore, improving reporting and investigations should be prioritised. The FCDO should support initiatives to increase investigations capacity in …
6
Conclusion
The FCDO should undertake a review of the cost and likely effectiveness of the employment cycle schemes at preventing perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse from being re-employed in the aid sector. (Paragraph 31) Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries 49
7
Conclusion
Para 37
A full and transparent audit of whistleblowing in the aid sector has still not taken place. The FCDO should undertake an audit to provide a full understanding of how whistleblowing practices are being implemented and used, to give confidence that whistle-blowers are actively supported and not retaliated against by their …
8
Conclusion
Para 38
An audit will also help the FCDO along with other donors to hold aid organisations accountable for their treatment of whistle-blowers. The results of an audit could help donors to develop incentives for managers to encourage effective reporting on standards of conduct.
9
Conclusion
Para 41
We are concerned that the use of non-disclosure agreements in the aid sector could be used to cover-up misconduct and will exacerbate power imbalances. As part of its due diligence processes the FCDO should require organisations it funds to report to it the number of non-disclosure agreements they have signed, …
10
Conclusion
We welcome the plans that the FCDO has to improve data relating to sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector. We believe this is a key step to understanding the scale of the problem and will enable the international community to better evaluate efforts taken to combat sexual exploitation …
11
Conclusion
Para 49
It is imperative that aid beneficiaries who become victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse have access to the support and services they need, and they are informed how to safely use them. The potential need to provide these services should be factored in from the start of programmes, …
12
Conclusion
Although the aid sector faces additional challenges due the international nature of many of its perpetrators, the FCDO can use the experience of International Justice Mission to help inform how it can better support countries to strengthen their local justice mechanisms and ensure that survivors have confidence in local authorities …
13
Conclusion
Para 56
We welcome the Minister’s announcement of new support for victims and survivors and we ask that he provides this Committee with an update on that programme of support once further details are available. We agree with the approach that the FCDO says it is taking to work with and strengthen …
14
Conclusion
Para 57
The FCDO should consider how it can join-up its diplomatic and aid functions to better support victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. UK High Commissions and Embassies in countries that receive UK Aid should develop the capacity to provide support to victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse where …
16
Conclusion
Para 65
Aid organisations should try to design programmes in cooperation with the local populations where the programmes will be delivered. They should also take responsibility for ensuring that aid beneficiaries are fully informed of their rights and know what is and what is not acceptable behaviour by aid workers. They might …
17
Conclusion
Para 68
It is important that the international aid sector recognises the risks that the covid-19 pandemic and measures taken to contain it pose to women. Any reduction in aid supplies will make them more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and should be avoided. This comes at the same time that safe …
18
Conclusion
Para 72
It is important that aid organisations promote diversity and inclusion, including recruiting greater numbers of women and minority ethnic staff to senior leadership Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries 51 roles, to challenge and overcome discriminatory attitudes and cultures that permit sexual exploitation and abuse …
19
Conclusion
Para 73
Aid organisations must acknowledge the extreme power imbalances that have been a feature of the sector and design their programmes in a way that empowers beneficiaries. Managers should be held responsible for instilling an open and inclusive culture at their organisation that is actively anti-racist, where all staff are valued …
20
Conclusion
Although aid organisations have taken many welcome steps to raise awareness and combat sexual exploitation and abuse, the changes have focussed on strengthening weak practices and policy development rather than transforming the power dynamics and enabling culture that have been embedded in the aid sector. Until a true transformation takes …
22
Conclusion
Para 90
The measures promoted by the Safeguarding Leads Network appear to be consistent with DFID’s enhanced due diligence assessments for implementing partners and should be applied consistently, including to private sector partners, in order to strengthen safeguarding standards across all aspects of aid delivery. The FCDO should enforce the enhanced due …
23
Conclusion
Para 94
We welcome the enhanced due diligence central assurance assessments that DFID funded Keeping Children Safe to undertake. This is an important step towards developing an understanding of how well partner organisations that receive UK ODA funding are meeting the enhanced safeguarding due diligence requirements. However, only assessing the central offices …
24
Conclusion
The FCDO already undertakes work to strengthen NHRIs around the world and it could use the relationships it has built to explore how they can be utilised to provide impartial oversight, and an appeals function for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector. (Paragraph 97) 52 Progress …
27
Conclusion
Para 104
The UN should not invoke immunity to protect perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse from robust investigation. The UK should work with the UN to ensure that UN immunity is not being used to protect perpetrators and call-out UN entities that have misused immunity provisions.
29
Conclusion
Para 109
Our evidence suggests that UN whistle-blowers continue to run the risk of retaliation if they speak out about sexual exploitation and abuse. The FCDO should consider what measures it has at its disposal to tackle this problem, including the funding mechanisms which can be applied, such as those used by …
30
Conclusion
Para 116
Since 2017 the UN has introduced several measures to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse, investigate perpetrators and better support victims. We welcome initiatives such as the mapping of services undertaken by the Victims’ Rights Advocate and supported by UK funding, but we have not seen much evidence of the impact …
31
Conclusion
The UN trust fund for victims is an important resource for ensuring that beneficiaries who experience sexual exploitation and abuse at the hands of UN personnel receive the support they need. The UK should consider providing funding for the trust fund for victims to contribute to the vital services it …
32
Conclusion
Para 124
We welcome ICAI’s review of sexual exploitation and abuse in international peacekeeping. A culture of impunity among peacekeeping troops has contributed to the persistence of sexual exploitation and abuse. Perpetrators need to know that if they are caught, they will be punished. The UK should design its programmes for preventing …
33
Conclusion
The UK should work with the UN to strengthen monitoring and oversight of peacekeeping missions, and to ensure that peacekeeping is properly resourced so that the UN can refuse troops from countries that have a history of unaddressed misconduct. (Paragraph 125) The role of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
34
Conclusion
Para 129
The FCDO should ensure that any future procurement code incorporates the most stringent measures formerly used by either department to safeguard against sexual exploitation and abuse in its supply chains.
35
Conclusion
Para 131
The measures set out in the Strategic Vision should be taken into consideration when the FCDO is deciding which programmes to prioritise and projects to improve gender equality should not be side-lined due to a lack of clear performance indicators.
36
Conclusion
Para 132
For transparency, future progress reports should include an update on each aspect of the commitments, even if it is a nil return.
37
Conclusion
Para 133
In recent years DFID has included a specific safeguarding section in its annual reports and accounts. In 2019–20 this included important data on the number of safeguarding reports that DFID received. This is good practice and should be replicated by the FCDO.
38
Conclusion
Para 137
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative has lost its way since Foreign Secretary Hague left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The permanent team of staff dedicated to the initiative is small and funding has dwindled. Similar to our findings for the aid sector, it could be improved through better …
39
Conclusion
We hope the FCDO will work positively with its implementing partners to combat sexual exploitation and abuse in ODA funded programmes. The FCDO should ensure that safeguarding is properly budgeted for in programme contracts and is not undermined by wider value for money requirements. It should also show leadership on …