The International Finance Corporation (IFC) by the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the World Bank has been accused of negligence in preventing child abuse within a school chain it financially supported in Kenya.
The CAO’s findings revealed that the IFC had overlooked its own environmental and social criteria before initiating funding for Bridge International Academies in 2014. Moreover, during its oversight of the project until its termination last year, the IFC allegedly failed to address reported abuse cases adequately or establish preventive measures.
The report disclosed 21 incidents of child sexual abuse by teaching staff at Bridge schools between 2014 and 2021, with Bridge confirming 10 cases reported in 2016. Despite actions taken by Bridge—terminating contracts, involving law enforcement, and providing support to victims—the IFC faced severe criticism for its purported inaction and ignorance toward the reported risks.
This controversy has prompted calls for an independent investigation by 32 civil society organizations. Makhtar Diop, managing director of the IFC, expressed deep concern and vowed to address the findings transparently while emphasizing zero tolerance for any form of abuse in their financed projects.
The IFC claimed to have collaborated with Bridge on a child protection policy and hired specialized staff, while Bridge asserted its continual enforcement of robust child protection measures since its establishment in 2008.
US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch joined the chorus of concerns, urging an independent probe into the matter. The abuse cases surfaced during investigations into complaints about health, safety, and labor rights at Bridge schools filed by the East African Centre for Human Rights in 2018.
Revelations from the CAO report unveiled a history of challenges in investigating World Bank-funded projects, with concerns over the institution’s response and its tendency to shift responsibility onto funded organizations rather than compensating victims directly.
Amidst growing scrutiny, both the World Bank and IFC have initiated internal reviews to address concerns raised regarding gender-based violence risks and revising policies for managing environmental and social harm caused by their projects.
The World Bank Group refrained from direct comments on the CAO report but directed queries to its response to civil society groups, signaling a complex and ongoing situation demanding accountability and reform within the institution’s funding mechanisms.
