UK development assistance for security and justice
Our review looks strategically at security and justice assistance. This is an increasingly important area as more UK aid is devoted to fragile and conflict-affected states.
Summary
Security and justice (S&J) assistance, including support for policing, courts and community justice, is an increasingly important part of the UK aid portfolio. In 2013-14, it accounted for £95 million in expenditure, across the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Conflict Pool.
In this strategic review of the UK security and justice assistance portfolio, we examined S&J programmes in 10 countries, including through visits to Malawi and Bangladesh. We looked mainly at DFID’s assistance, together with the question of coherence and coordination across the UK government. We paid particular attention to whether the portfolio is addressing the needs of women and girls.
We awarded an amber-red score and made two recommendations.