The report by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) criticised the Department for International Development's "weak management" and "poor supervision" of the projects which are funded by British tax payers, the Times reports.
The review of UK Development Assistance for Security and Justice marked the overall effectiveness of projects as 'amber-red', meaning the programme performs relatively poorly overall against ICAI's criteria for effectiveness and value for money. Significant improvements should be made.
It stated that the £95 million million budget for improving security and justice, often in fragile states, needed a significant overhaul.
"While there are pockets of success, there is little sign that its institutional development work is leading to wider improvements in S&J outcomes for the poor," its findings reported. "DFID does, however, have a good base of programming on community justice and for women and girls, on which it can build.