UNICEF estimates that 1 in 5 girls and women and 1 in 7 boys and men experienced sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment (SEA/H) during childhood. Given the pervasiveness of child SEA/H, it is likely that most if not all World Bank projects operate in communities affected by child SEA/H, failing to assess and address project-induced and contextual child SEA/H risks increases the risk that Bank projects will contribute to such abuse.
Since 2018, the Bank has drawn lessons from past failures, such as the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project, leading to the development of the 2022 Good Practice Notes (GPNs) on addressing SEA/H in Investment Project Financing Involving Major Civil Works and in Human Development (HD) operations. These GPNs provide a concrete framework to address child SEA/H and call for inclusion of specific measures. However, a glimpse at documents for projects approved in the first half of 2024 reveals that child SEA/H risks and prevention measures are not consistently included in project documents. Without explicit integration at the design stage, these risks are rarely addressed during implementation, increasing the potential for harm to children.
To raise the profile of this issue and make the most out of the GPNs, BIC has developed a checklist and FAQ for Executive Directors to use when considering projects for approval. It aims to facilitate discussions on how the Bank can better prioritize children’s rights and SEA/H prevention and response. Therefore, this tool will be most helpful in projects where children are the main beneficiaries or where significant direct or indirect interactions between children and project workers is expected. Task Team Leaders and Bank Management can also leverage the checklist to assess the extent to which GPNs are integrated into project design before submitting to the Board.
The checklist focuses on five key areas outlined in the GPNs that need to be present in project documents before approval to effectively address child SEA/H, namely:
- A risk assessment and categorization that considers child SEA/H risks. A comprehensive risk assessment must consider both project-induced and contextual risks (e.g., child marriage and school dropout rates).
- A draft SEA/H action plan with a realistic budget. According to the HD GPN, this plan should be developed as a “roadmap to capture the approach to assess, mitigate, and monitor project SEA/SH risks.” A draft version of it should be disclosed prior project approval and include an estimated budget, defined activities, and assigned responsibilities for each actor at each project stage.
- Reference to a child-friendly grievance redress mechanism (GRM). This means that the GRM should be accessible in locations frequented by children (e.g., schools, child clubs) and in formats that children can easily understand and will likely use (e.g., WhatsApp, social media, toll-free numbers).
- Identification of Gender Based Violence (GBV) service providers with the capacity to handle child SEA/H incidents. This is essential to understand the quality and availability of legal, health, and psychosocial support for victims. Groups with expertise on addressing GBV and SEA/H among adult women may lack the necessary experience and skill set to support child victims.
- Capacity-building components, particularly on child SEA/H. Training and sensitizing project workers and community members on child SEA/H and linking project activities to potential child SEA/H risks is crucial.
By using this checklist and focusing on these five key areas the Bank can strengthen its approach to preventing and responding to child SEA/H, improving both project outcomes and its risk management practices.