Joy for Children Uganda (JFCU) played a pivotal role in influencing the World Bank’s decision to strengthen child safeguarding mechanisms in response to issues arising from the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP).
In 2014, JFCU identified and raised serious human rights and social issues, including sexual violence against girls, associated with the TSDP’s Fort Portal to Kamwenge road construction. JFCU consultations with local communities revealed a marked increase in sexual harassment and assault following the influx of construction workers. For instance, nine girls from villages near labor camps dropped out of the same secondary school due to pregnancies attributed to road construction staff.
Collaborating with organizations, JFCU’s advocacy efforts brought these issues to the attention of the World Bank. Their persistent efforts highlighted the urgent need for improved child protection measures in World Bank-funded projects.
In response to the findings and advocacy by JFCU and its partners, the World Bank took unprecedented action by canceling funding for the TSDP in December 2015. This decision was influenced by the documented increase in sexual exploitation and abuse linked to the project. Subsequently, the World Bank implemented the Emergency Child Protection Response (ECPR) program, administered by BRAC, to support affected communities. JFCU was among the NGOs that supported the implementation of the Supporting Children’s Opportunities through Protection and Empowerment (SCOPE) project, aimed at preventing sexual abuse in areas impacted by the TSDP.
The issues raised by JFCU led the World Bank to adopt a more transparent approach, publishing “Lessons Learned and Agenda for Action,” which acknowledged serious failures, including inadequate supervision and monitoring. The Bank also developed public recommendations for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse in its projects and incorporated these lessons into its new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). This framework now includes standards and guidance to address social and environmental risks during the design and implementation of World Bank-funded projects.
The issues uncovered during the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP) reveal the grave risks large-scale infrastructure projects pose to vulnerable communities, especially children and women, when safeguards are insufficient. While the World Bank and other stakeholders have taken steps to address such risks, persistent cases of child exploitation, labor violations, and community harm in similar projects worldwide indicate that more must be done. Now is the time to demand stronger, actionable safeguards and systemic reforms to ensure that development projects benefit all, without endangering the most vulnerable.
- To address these challenges, the following recommendations must be prioritized:
Every large-scale project should undergo a rigorous risk assessment that specifically evaluates potential impacts on children and vulnerable groups. These assessments must be publicly disclosed to ensure transparency and accountability. - Development banks and governments must require binding child protection measures in project contracts, including robust mechanisms to prevent child exploitation, enforce labor standards, and ensure fair compensation for displaced communities.
- Regular, independent audits should be conducted throughout a project’s lifecycle to identify and address violations promptly. These audits should involve civil society organizations and community representatives to provide impartial oversight.
- Projects must include accessible, anonymous, and culturally appropriate grievance mechanisms for affected communities to report abuse or other violations without fear of retaliation. These mechanisms must also include timely responses and reparations where harm occurs.
- Contractors, workers, and project managers should receive mandatory training on child safeguarding, gender-based violence prevention, and community engagement to reduce risks associated with worker influx.
• A portion of project budgets should be earmarked for initiatives that protect children and empower communities, such as education, healthcare, and social services. - Governments must strengthen enforcement of laws against exploitation and abuse, ensuring that perpetrators, including corporations and their employees, face meaningful legal consequences.
The intervention led to tangible improvements in the Kamwenge community and other areas impacted by large-scale construction projects. Through programs like the Emergency Child Protection Response (ECPR) and Supporting Children’s Opportunities through Protection and Empowerment (SCOPE), affected families received direct support, including counseling, legal assistance, and community education on child rights and safeguarding.
Local communities became more aware of their rights and the mechanisms to report abuse, fostering a culture of vigilance and accountability. Several girls who had dropped out due to sexual abuse and exploitation were reintegrated into school through financial and psychosocial support. Additionally, the local government in Kamwenge and other regions introduced stricter monitoring of construction projects to prevent similar issues from recurring.
To further safeguard communities, subsequent all world bank funded construction projects are implementing mandatory worker training on sexual harassment and abuse prevention, aimed at reducing risks to the local population.
This case became a global reference for addressing social risks in development projects and led to significant policy and operational changes.
