Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Barrack: We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity building peace and prosperity with their neighbors
US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa supported by the US have agreed to a ceasefire embraced by Türkiye, Jordan, and their neighbors
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: We carried out a top-tier operation targeting Ben Gurion Airport in Lydd with a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile
Israeli media: Israelis in the Gush Dan area and al-Quds were asked to enter shelters immediately
Sirens sound in Tel Aviv and occupied al-Quds after a missile was launched from Yemen
Sheikh Qassem: We are ready to defend ourselves if 'Israel' attacks us in a way that we believe calls for us to defend ourselves
Sheikh Qassem: "Israel" will never be handed over our weapons
Sheikh Qassem: He who refuses so and accepts humiliation, that is their own business, but for us, we will not accept humiliation. We have made great sacrifices, and our strength has helped us achieve this result
Sheikh Qassem: Be patient with the issue of exclusivity of arms with the state in the face of the great danger that will not spare Lebanon; let us speak with one voice and work for the sake of priority
Sheikh Qassem: Lebanon faces three real dangers: 'Israel', ISIS tools on the eastern border, and US tyranny

World Bank fails to protect girls at schools it funded in Kenya

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 4 Dec 2023 14:35
4 Min Read

The executive director of Inclusive Development International argued that the IFC "turned a blind eye to these risks, even when incidents of child sexual abuse were reported."

  • x
  • A Samburu woman fetches water during a drought in Loolkuniyani Primary School, Samburu County, Kenya, Oct. 16, 2022. (AP)
    A Samburu woman fetches water during a drought in Loolkuniyani Primary School, Samburu County, Kenya, Oct. 16, 2022. (AP)

The World Bank’s internal watchdog, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), revealed that the bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) failed to comply with its own environmental and social requirements ahead of funding Bridge International Academies in Kenya in 2014 and during its supervision of it which ended last year.

Back in August, according to The Guardian, the CAO stated in its report submitted to the IFC that the corporation knew of abuse allegations but failed to deal with them or implement safeguards to prevent their continuation. Per the CAO, 21 cases of child sexual abuse by teaching staff at Bridge schools between 2014 and 2021 were filed. 

10 cases were confirmed in one of the schools in 2016 and said that the contracts of the teachers accused of abuse were ended after filing reports with the police, offering psychosocial support for victims, and engaging with the victims' parents and communities.

Read next: Lipton Tea farm involved in sexual abuse claims from 70 Kenyan women

David Pred, executive director of Inclusive Development International, which advocates for communities affected by investment projects, argued that the IFC "turned a blind eye to these risks, even when incidents of child sexual abuse were reported."

Violating its own policies

The IFC provided the 200-school chain $13.5m (£10.7m) between 2014 and 2022, when funding stopped, and although no reason was given for that, it coincided with the World Bank's policy of withdrawing funding for private, fee-charging schools.

Related News

World Bank projects modest economic growth for Syria in 2025

World Bank passes $250M project for Lebanon's post-war reconstruction

The IFC’s managing director, Makhtar Diop, claimed the bank is "deeply disturbed" by the reports, in response to 32 civil society organizations calling for an independent investigation into the handling of the cases.

He said, "We do not tolerate any form of abuse in the projects we finance, and we are deeply grateful to the courageous survivors who came forward", adding "We are currently reviewing the [CAO] report and are committed to addressing the findings diligently and transparently."

According to the bank, it cooperated with Bridge to establish a child protection policy, hired child protection staff, and involved a global specialist to strengthen policies, though Bridge claimed the presence of "extensive" child protection measures since its opening in 2008.

Margaux Day, policy director of rights organization Accountability Counsel, asked, "How could we trust the institution [IFC] to do better next time if they can’t get it right in this very emblematic and egregious case?"

Read next: Money requital not enough for Unilever Kenya plantation killings, rape

A history of neglect

The cases were exposed in a 2018 complaint filed by the East African Centre for Human Rights (EACHRights) entailing concerns about health, safety, and labor rights at Bridge schools. As of now, EACHRights is engaged in mediation talks with Bridge on behalf of victims.

Anonymous CAO staff told The Guardian that their investigations had a "long history of pushback" from World Bank management as the Bridge case held "new extremes".

The IFC claims to have launched an in-depth probe to locate projects involved in gender-based violence and that four experts in gender-based violence have been assigned to support it while the World Bank reviews its policy on responding to projects causing environmental or social hazards.

On their part, rights groups argue that the bank has been hesitant in compensating victims.

  • World Bank
  • Kenya
  • Sexual abuse
  • Africa

Most Read

Algerian nurse stabbed in Germany

Murder of Algerian nurse in Germany sparks outcry, demands for justice

  • Europe
  • 14 Jul 2025
Credible reports, including some from Israeli media itself, indicate that Tel Aviv had pinned its hopes on what can only be described as a delusional plan. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Jebraily: Iran strikes rewrote regional deterrence rules - Exclusive

  • MENA
  • 15 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam Brigades fighters confront Israeli soldiers in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

3 Israeli soldiers killed amid Gaza battles: Israeli media

  • Palestine
  • 14 Jul 2025
Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

Exclusive: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

  • Politics
  • 15 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The US Capitol, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Congress set to weaken oversight on foreign US arms sales

Only quarter of Americans say Trump policies helped them: Poll
US & Canada

Only quarter of Americans say Trump policies helped them: Poll

UK charities fund Israeli settlement expansion in occupied West Bank
Palestine

UK charities fund Israeli settlement expansion in occupied West Bank

Calls grow to remove Netanyahu from High School hall of fame
Politics

Calls grow to remove Netanyahu from high school Hall of Fame

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS