First Report - Racism in the aid sector
Select Committee
International Development Committee
HC 150
23 June 2022
Government Response (AI assessment · 37 of 37 classified)
Accepted
19
Acknowledged
14
Deferred
1
Rejected
1
Recommendations
19 results
3
Accepted
Para 19
The FCDO should consider whether applications for funding must always be submitted in English –...
Recommendation
The FCDO should consider whether applications for funding must always be submitted in English – especially in bids for small projects administered by embassies, which are to be undertaken by local civil society organisations.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states that they do not require bids to always be in English, and that the decision is up to the post running the competition, taking into account the local context and resources.
5
Acknowledged
Para 20
Further, the FCDO should increase the amount of UK aid funding that goes directly to...
Recommendation
Further, the FCDO should increase the amount of UK aid funding that goes directly to locally led civil society organisations. It should reconsider how it conceptualises and calculates risk and work with local civil society organisations to undertake the due …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of a more locally-led approach and mentions its commitments as a signatory to various agreements, but does not commit to any specific new actions beyond existing pooled funding mechanisms.
6
Accepted
Para 25
The FCDO should apply these same principles to do no harm when it removes funding,...
Recommendation
The FCDO should apply these same principles to do no harm when it removes funding, as well as when aid programmes are initiated.
Government Response Summary
FCDO teams have access to guidance under the Programme Operating Framework which emphasises the importance of engagement with project partners, including Early programme closure guidance that factors in Do No Harm principles and Equalities assessments used to inform allocation decisions.
9
Accepted
The FCDO should consider how it can restructure its funding commitments to give long-term certainty...
Recommendation
The FCDO should consider how it can restructure its funding commitments to give long-term certainty to local civil society organisations to ensure funding that has been committed cannot be suddenly withdrawn at short notice. (Paragraph 27) Communications and storytelling
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Government Response Summary
In contracts, ‘Exit Plans’ are written with delivery partners to provide certainty of a responsible exit and mitigate risk.
12
Acknowledged
Para 34
The terminology used in the aid sector has its roots in colonialism; it ‘others’ the...
Recommendation
The terminology used in the aid sector has its roots in colonialism; it ‘others’ the communities where programmes are delivered and reinforces ideas that ‘the West’ is the ideal that others should aspire to. It is not easy to strip …
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO recognises the active debate about terminology and is exploring taking part in these conversations.
13
Acknowledged
Para 34
The aid sector should have a conversation that includes the communities it works with to...
Recommendation
The aid sector should have a conversation that includes the communities it works with to develop positive and inclusive working terminology, the FCDO should consider how it can lead this work.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO recognises the active debate about terminology and is exploring taking part in these conversations.
14
Accepted
Guidelines on informed consent for obtaining and using images should be observed just as thoroughly...
Recommendation
Guidelines on informed consent for obtaining and using images should be observed just as thoroughly in relation to individuals from the communities that aid organisations work with, as they are in the UK. It is unacceptable for images to be …
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO has a consent form and guidance related to use of photos, including language about getting consent to use people’s images in its Memorandum of Understanding and Accountable Grant templates, and continues to remind staff about this.
16
Accepted
Para 42
Aid organisations must ensure their working practices and programmes are mindful of the intersecting identities...
Recommendation
Aid organisations must ensure their working practices and programmes are mindful of the intersecting identities of their staff and the people they serve.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO signed up to the Business in the Community Race At Work Charter, and added a sixth, FCDO-specific commitment to improve UK foreign and development policy, lead and promote racial equality overseas, and build better relations with communities within the UK.
18
Accepted
Para 45
All aid organisations should have effective processes in place to tackle instances of racism when...
Recommendation
All aid organisations should have effective processes in place to tackle instances of racism when they occur. They should also be able to measure and assess whether those processes are working.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO is launching a new Dignity and Respect at Work Policy in December 2022 which aims to respond robustly to bullying, harassment and discrimination, including on grounds of race.
20
Not Addressed
Para 54
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office should require organisations that it funds, which employ more...
Recommendation
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office should require organisations that it funds, which employ more than 50 staff, to publish their diversity data. This 32 Racism in the aid sector should not act as a barrier to small organisations in …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that requiring organisations it funds to publish diversity data may not always be appropriate or possible and references existing reporting obligations, without committing to any specific action.
21
Deferred
Para 57
Aid organisations, including private sector contractors, with more than 50 staff should measure and publish...
Recommendation
Aid organisations, including private sector contractors, with more than 50 staff should measure and publish their ethnicity pay gap data in order to be held accountable. It will also help them to identify if there are inequalities in their workforce …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The FCDO does not currently publish ethnicity pay gap data and is waiting for guidance from the Cabinet Office in 2023.
23
Rejected
Para 62
The FCDO should undertake a review of its reserved department status to identify whether its...
Recommendation
The FCDO should undertake a review of its reserved department status to identify whether its security considerations warrant the decision not to hire foreign nationals.
Government Response Summary
The government states that there is no plan to review the FCDO's reserved department status, as the previous Foreign Secretary decided that this model best meets the FCDO's objectives and security requirements.
25
Accepted
The FDCO should publish the first tranche of inclusive data this year and set out...
Recommendation
The FDCO should publish the first tranche of inclusive data this year and set out a timeline for when it will be able to publish further data relating to race, ethnicity and income. (Paragraph 63) Building an equitable and inclusive aid sector
Government Response Summary
The government states it already publishes diversity information via existing reports.
27
Accepted in Part
Para 68
Donors and aid organisations should reduce barriers to entry by ending the use of unpaid...
Recommendation
Donors and aid organisations should reduce barriers to entry by ending the use of unpaid internships and paying all employees the living wage and removing unnecessary stipulations in job applications such as years of experience in the international aid sector …
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO removed the requirement for specific qualifications in recent bulk campaigns at Administrative Officer, Executive Officer and Higher Executive Officer levels. Does not address the other elements of the recommendation.
29
Accepted
Para 72
All aid organisations, including private sector contractors should reflect on their diversity data and seek...
Recommendation
All aid organisations, including private sector contractors should reflect on their diversity data and seek to understand if their recruitment practices need strengthening to support talented candidates from diverse backgrounds. We need sector-wide cooperation to share best practice and identify …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states that it operates its resourcing and recruitment in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, including selection being made on merit, a fair and open process, anonymised applications, diverse interview panels, and efforts to expand recruitment markets.
31
Acknowledged
Para 80
Aid organisations, including private sector contractors, should publicly acknowledge that racism exists in the sector...
Recommendation
Aid organisations, including private sector contractors, should publicly acknowledge that racism exists in the sector and prioritise anti-racism work that tackles the underlying culture of their workplaces and not just the racial diversity of their staff. This will include making …
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO is committed to tackling racism and will continue to discuss the issues internally and with partners and stakeholders, and has developed a Race Toolkit.
32
Accepted
Para 83
It is the responsibility of those in the sector who hold the most power to...
Recommendation
It is the responsibility of those in the sector who hold the most power to increase diversity, inclusion and transparency, and be accountable for the steps their organisations are taking to dismantle structural racism. Responsibility for engendering culture change and …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states that a Director General level Board Sponsor for Race was appointed in September 2020, and that the Executive Committee agreed to a series of actions to ensure progress on race, including a zero-tolerance environment for bullying and discrimination.
33
Accepted
Para 83
Aid organisations and private sector contractors with a large enough leadership team should appoint senior...
Recommendation
Aid organisations and private sector contractors with a large enough leadership team should appoint senior leaders with the remit to tackle racism and increase diversity, equity and inclusion in their organisations, with the full support of the senior leadership team.
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO states that a Director General level Board Sponsor for Race was appointed in September 2020, and that the Executive Committee agreed to a series of actions to ensure progress on race, including a zero-tolerance environment for bullying and discrimination.
35
Accepted
Para 90
We urge the FCDO to recognise their important role in determining levels of pay across...
Recommendation
We urge the FCDO to recognise their important role in determining levels of pay across the sector and commit to undertaking a full audit of its pay structures to assess the impact of them on staff hired in-country. The department …
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Government Response Summary
The FCDO assesses wages in categories and job families, considering the value of local and contextual knowledge in the evaluation process.
Conclusions (18) Observations and findings — click to expand
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 18
Across the global aid sector, racism manifests in decisions around whose expertise we value. Evidence to our inquiry suggested that institutions in high income countries like the UK assume they have the knowledge and best practice to assist people in low- and middle-income countries. Due to a belief that these …
Government Response Summary
The government states that it does not value international expertise over local expertise, aims to structure tenders accordingly, and requires the use of small and local organizations.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 19
The use of European languages, particularly English, in the development sector can lock out national actors who operate in local languages.
Government Response Summary
The government describes its language training programme for FCDO staff and its use of multilingual country-based staff.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 20
It is important that progress made by DFID to shift funding decisions from Whitehall towards country offices is not lost under the merged department.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO will continue to look to shift funding decisions towards country posts, guided by the IDS's patient approach and commitment to local stakeholders.
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 26
The manner in which the cuts to UK aid took place, with little or no consultation of downstream partners, or the communities where they are implemented has sent a harmful message that the UK does not care about the people affected, many of which are Black, Indigenous and People of …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the difficult decisions regarding aid spending and states that these decisions were not born from a lack of respect for partners or affected communities.
8
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 27
The structure of the sector transfers much of the risk to frontline implementing partners who have the least capacity to mitigate those risks.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the risk transfer to frontline partners and reiterates its commitment to working with diverse CSOs and increasing engagement speed through grants and MOUs, while ensuring value for money and safeguarding. They also state 'Exit Plans' are written with delivery partners to mitigate risk.
10
Conclusion
Accepted
Fundraising is extremely important to many international aid organisations, but public appeals that depict the communities they serve as helpless and needy strip those communities of their dignity. They contribute to the narrative that the countries where they work are somehow inferior to the UK. (Paragraph 31) Racism in the …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states it is focused on changing attitudes towards development, dismantling harmful narratives, and supporting low-income countries to shape their own development narratives; giving local partners a voice in how their work should be represented.
11
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 31
Fundraising appeals should depict positive, realistic stories and wherever possible use local filmmakers. They should seek to inform audiences about the drivers of poverty and inequality instead of giving simplistic messages about the difference donations can make.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states it is focused on changing attitudes towards development, dismantling harmful narratives, and supporting low-income countries to shape their own development narratives; giving local partners a voice in how their work should be represented.
15
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 42
The aid sector does not operate in a vacuum. The different forms of discrimination that permeate British society manifest in the aid sector too. Racism is particularly pertinent for aid organisations because they work directly with individuals from around the world who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. Discriminatory …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO is committed to representing the people it serves, signed the Business in the Community Race At Work Charter, and aims for parity at all grades with the UK's economically active minority ethnic population.
17
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 45
Evidence submitted to this inquiry and recent surveys by actors in the UK charity and international aid sectors show the scale of racism experienced by staff who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. Any level of racism in the workplace is unacceptable, and the findings that leaders and HR …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO is launching a new Dignity and Respect at Work Policy in December 2022 which aims to respond robustly to bullying, harassment and discrimination, including on grounds of race.
19
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 53
Collecting and publishing data on diversity in staffing is a key element of holding aid organisations to account. Only by being transparent can organisations share and learn from each-other. For the smallest organisations it might not be appropriate to publish diversity data if it could compromise employees’ rights to confidentiality …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO publishes diversity information and gender pay gap reports, but requiring organizations they fund to publish data may not always be appropriate or possible.
22
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 62
We are concerned that the decision to designate the merged Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a ‘reserved department’ shuts down the possibility of civil servants from the countries where UK aid funding is spent, from taking part in funding decisions. It appears to go against other commitments to diversity …
Government Response Summary
The government states that the reserved department model best meets the FCDO's objectives and security requirements, and that any non-UK national employed at the time of the creation of the FCDO would be retained in their role.
24
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 63
DFID previously set out its ambition to publish more inclusive data, in order to improve its programming in 2022.
Government Response Summary
The government states the FCDO is a signatory of the inclusive data charter and remains committed to its vision and principles.
26
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 68
The barriers to entering the aid sector for candidates from diverse backgrounds can be considerable.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO removed the requirement for specific qualifications for some roles, opening the FCDO as a career path to 275 people.
28
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 72
Some aid organisations are taking action to increase diversity in their workforce, such as reducing unnecessary stipulations in person specifications in job descriptions and banning all-White recruitment boards.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO states that it operates its resourcing and recruitment in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, including selection being made on merit, a fair and open process, anonymised applications, diverse interview panels, and efforts to expand recruitment markets.
30
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 80
Some aid organisations are beginning to introduce measures to open up and encourage conversations about racism in their workplaces but much more needs to Racism in the aid sector 33 be done to welcome diverse ideas and values. These processes are likely to be painful and difficult and will take …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO is committed to tackling racism in the sector, will continue to discuss the issues raised internally and with partners, and has developed a Race Toolkit to inform and educate on race issues.
34
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 89
The way that FCDO contracts are structured creates disincentives for implementing partners to hire local staff, particularly in project lead roles. While FCDO fee rates for locally hired staff may be linked to local pay-scales in humanitarian and development settings, they can lead to large inequalities when compared to internationally …
Government Response Summary
The government describes how it assesses wages in categories (international, national or regional) and considers the importance and value of local knowledge.
36
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 97
The FCDO has significant convening power across the aid sector.
Government Response Summary
The FCDO recognizes its convening power and mentions establishing a small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) Advisory Forum to shape initiatives and policies impacting SMEs, as well as continuing to engage externally on race and racism in the aid sector.
37
Conclusion
Acknowledged
It should use its position to facilitate sector-wide conversations about how aid actors can improve diversity, equity and inclusion and being anti-racist. The FCDO still has work to do internally and will not have all the answers, but it can create the forum for these conversations and provide the funding …
Government Response Summary
The FCDO recognises the importance of being part of the conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion, continues to engage externally, and will use the SMEs Advisory Forum to understand and break down barriers to entry.