LONDON (UK) – An independent aid watchdog said on Wednesday that Britain’s multi-million aid programmes to curb modern slavery around the world lacks a clear strategy and has delivered little evidence of long-term impacts to stem its spread.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) said that authorities have come out with “innovative” schemes to tackle the issue. However, they need to do more to ensure its effectiveness, said the Commission, which monitors taxpayer-funded aid.
“Tackling this complex and hidden problem is important,” said ICAI commissioner Hugh Bayley in a statement.
“Because this is a new use for UK aid, officials are piloting new ways of working. While some of these pilots have worthwhile results, it is not clear the government’s interventions are reducing the scale of modern slavery.”
A government spokesperson said its aid programmes have helped reduce the risk of slavery for hundreds of women and children.
“Modern slavery is one of the greatest human rights abuses of our time and we’re working to stamp it out, in partnership with the international community and private sector,” she said.
Britain is at the vanguard of the struggle against modern slavery and it leads global interventions. In 2018, it pledged to spend 200 million pounds ($259 million) in development aid – just over 1% of its overall aid budget – to confront modern slavery.
But the Commission’s report found that there was no systematic attemp by the government to set priorities and unveil a global approach to curb the menace.
ICAI also said there were not enough efforts to consult survivors for their valuable information or document evidence on what works to curb slavery.
Many of the government programmes are designed to meet immediate targets such as enrolling vulnerable Indian children in school and helping survivors in Nigeria find new means of livelihood. But they are often too short-term to have a sustainable impact on the malaise.
ICAI gave an amber-red score for Britain’s approach to tackling modern slavery through aid. It is the second-lowest of four rankings, revealing that improvements have to be made to make a positive impact.
It also urged the government to publish a statement on its objectives and approach to using aid and work in an effective manner with partners.
Nick Grono, who heads the Freedom Fund, the largest private donor fund for efforts to end modern slavery, said much of the criticism of Britain’s approach relates to the complexity of the issue.