UK Inquiry Tracker

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

International Development Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 6 Jul 2020 Closed: 1 Dec 2021 Parliament page

Report published This Committee agreed early in this Parliament to draw up a comprehensive re-examination of progress taken to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector. Our focus is the aid recipients who become victims and survivors of abuse at the hands of individuals working in the sector. … Read more Report published This Committee agreed early in this Parliament to draw up a comprehensive re-examination of progress taken to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector. Our focus is the aid recipients who become victims and survivors of abuse at the hands of individuals working in the sector. This inquiry will consider the support needed by victims and survivors to secure justice and rebuild their lives when they have experienced abuse, what can be done to change the culture in the aid sector to prevent it from occurring in the first place, and how the new Foreign Affairs and Development Office (FCDO) should take this work forward. In its report, Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries, the International Development Committee (IDC) finds that sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) is still happening in the sector. This is supported by a unique survey by the IDC where 73% of respondents believe there remains a problem with SEA being perpetrated by aid workers. This is likely to have been made significantly worse with the coronavirus pandemic, with reductions in aid and food supplies making female beneficiaries more vulnerable to exploitation. Further, perpetrators are continuing to move from organisation to organisation with impunity. Government response published During the inquiry, the IDC paid tribute to the former Department for International Development (DFID) and its work in tackling sexual exploitation and abuse. It therefore recommended that the new department, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, should adopt many of DFID’s practices. The Government accepted these recommendations, ranging from enforcing the enhanced safeguarding due diligence procedures, include a specific section on safeguarding in annual reports, and for DFID’s approach on safeguarding investigations to be built on. However, the IDC is disappointed that some recommendations are not being carried forwards by the Government. There is still to be no audit of whistleblowing practices, the FCDO will not require partners to publish case data and the IDC received no commitment from the Government to use the Strategic Vision for Gender Equality to inform its prioritisation of future work. Terms of Reference: Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps inquiry launched Show less

35 Recommendations

4 Conclusions

1 Report

8 Oral sessions

4 Letters

8 Events

Activity timeline 14 events

6 Apr
2021

Report published

Seventh Special Report: Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries: Government Response to the Seventh Rep…

14 Jan
2021

Report published

Seventh Report - Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries

19 Nov
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

17 Nov
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

10 Nov
2020

Correspondence

Letter from Minister Nigel Adams MP, Minister of State for Asia on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - …

3 Nov
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

22 Oct
2020

Correspondence

Letter from Chair to Minister Adams on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - 22 October 2020

22 Oct
2020

Correspondence

Letter from Minister Adams on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - 16 October 2020

20 Oct
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

13 Oct
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps; Humanitarian crises monitoring: impact of coronavirus

6 Oct
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

22 Sep
2020

Oral evidence

Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Oral evidence sessions 8 sessions

19 Nov 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

James Kariuki · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Katy Ransome · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

17 Nov 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Peter Taylor · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Rt Hon James Cleverly · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

3 Nov 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Dr Jasmine-Kim Westendorf · La Trobe University Dr Miranda Brown Dr Paul Kirby · London School of Economics Dr Tamsyn Barton · Independent Commission for Aid Impact Major Charmaine Geldenhuys The Baroness Helic

20 Oct 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Diane Goodman · UNHCR Franziska Schwarz · Bond Hannan Sulieman · UNICEF Harvey Grenville · The Charity Commission for England and Wales Helen Stephenson CBE · The Charity Commission for England and Wales Stephanie Draper · Bond

13 Oct 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps; Humanitarian crises monitoring: impact of coronavirus

Aaron Oxley · Results UK Katie Husselby · Action for Global Health Mike Podmore · STOPAIDS Nellie Peyton · Thomson Reuters Foundation Paisley Dodds · The New Humanitarian Philip Kleinfeld · The New Humanitarian Robert Flummerfelt

6 Oct 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Alexia Pepper de Caires Edward Flaherty · Schwab, Flaherty & Associés Lesley Agams Paula Donovan · AIDS-Free World’s Code Blue Campaign Prof Andrew MacLeod · Kings College London and Co-founder, Hear Their Cries Shaista Aziz Sienna Merope-Synge

22 Sep 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Ester Dross · PSEA Lucy Heaven Taylor · Safeguarding Megan Nobert · International Rescue Committee Pierre Hauselmann · Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative Sarah Blakemore · Keeping Children Safe Tanya Wood · CHS Alliance

16 Jul 2020

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Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector: next steps

Alina Potts · The Global Women’s Institute, George Washington University Dr Miranda Brown · Independent Consultant Frances Longley · NGO Safeguarding Working Group on Leadership and Culture Jill Healey · NGO Safeguarding Working Group on Accountability to Beneficiaries and Survivors Professor Rosa Freedman · University of Reading School of Law Sally Proudlove · NGO Safeguarding Working Group on Leadership and Culture Sarah Maguire · Safeguarding Leads Network Steve Reeves · NGO Safeguarding Working Group on The Employment Cycle

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Seventh Report - Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation an…	HC 605	14 Jan 2021	39	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 result

34 Recommendation Accepted in Part

Seventh Report - Progress on tackl…

The FCDO should ensure that any future procurement code incorporates the most stringent measures formerly...

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.

Government Response

The government states that the current Supply Partner Code of Conduct already incorporates stringent measures, but commits to strengthening the language on expectations in future updates to the code.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 35 classified

Accepted 16

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 5

Not Addressed 17

Total 35 recs + 4 conclusions

Correspondence 4 letters

10 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from Minister Nigel Adams MP, Minister of State for Asia on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - 6 November 2020

Parliament page

22 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Minister Adams on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - 22 October 2020

Parliament page

22 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from Minister Adams on ODA staff terms and conditions on sexual relations with beneficiaries - 16 October 2020

Parliament page

15 Sep 2020 Correspondence from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to the Chair on HMG’s funding relationship with Save the Children

Parliament page