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Sex abuse underreported in NGOs

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Editor's note: This multiple-part investigative series examines sexual misconduct perpetrated by staff members of various humanitarian organizations.

Revelations that some Oxfam humanitarian workers sexually exploited vulnerable women in Haiti in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in 2010 have rocked the nongovernmental organization (NGO) and damaged its reputation.

The sexual misconduct scandal is hitting Oxfam in the pocketbook. The British government has forbidden Oxfam Great Britain from receiving any additional public funds until the NGO's response to the incidents of wrongdoing in Haiti have been more thoroughly investigated. And there can be little doubt that the controversy will make many people think twice before donating to Oxfam. .

However, Julie Delahanty, doesn't think it would be fair or just for donors to punish Oxfam by no longer supporting the important humanitarian and international development projects run by the NGO. "The idea that one would stop funding Oxfam for a sector-wide problem, it's hurting nobody except the people who we support internationally," Oxfam Canada's executive director said in a telephone interview.

Sector-wide sex abuse

Delahanty is correct when she says that sexual misconduct isn't unique to Oxfam. Sexual misconduct plagues many NGOs and is a scourge that the entire humanitarian sector must address as a whole and work together to eliminate.

On Feb. 13, 2018, the Thomson Reuters Foundation published the results of its survey of global aid agencies regarding sex abuse by NGO staffers. And the findings were bracing.

For example, the news organization found that World Vision had 10 incidents of sexual exploitation or sexual abuse involving children in 2016. World Vision also reportedly had four cases of workplace harassment. Save the Children told Thomson Reuters that it had dismissed 16 staffers in 2016 in response to sexual abuse allegations. And Oxfam told the news organization that it had fired 22 staffers that same year.

According to a news release issued by Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) on Feb. 14, 2018, "in 2017, there were more than 40,000 staff members working for MSF in the field, and 146 grievance complaints or alerts from the field were registered at headquarters." The NGO reported that these incidents included "a large variety of alerts concerning abuse of power, discrimination, harassment and other forms of inappropriate behaviour."

The actual number of incidents is probably much greater than the official total, because the MSF data "does not include cases dealt with directly by field teams and not reported to headquarters." The MSF statement reveals that "of these alerts and complaints, 40 cases of abuse and/or harassment at the field level were identified after internal investigations, and documented at MSF headquarters." Out of the 40 incidents, 24 involved sexual harassment or abuse.

"Two of these were situations of sexual abuse or harassment by MSF staff against non-MSF staff [patients or members of the community]," according to the MSF. "In total, out of the 24 cases of sexual harassment or abuse, 19 people were dismissed. The remaining staff members were sanctioned in other ways, such as through warnings or suspensions."

World Food Programme

The World Food Programme (WFP) tracks incidents of sexual harassment within the organization. "Between 2006 and 2017, WFP's Office of the Inspector General received 30 reports of sexual harassment," a WFP spokesperson told the Whig-Standard.

"It found that the allegations were substantiated in 10 of these cases," the WFP representative said. "In every case where the disciplinary process has already been completed, the employees have left WFP."

In addition, the spokesperson revealed that "in 2017, WFP's Office of Inspections and Investigations received four cases with claims of sexual harassment." The WFP found that "the allegations were substantiated in two of the cases and two are currently under investigation."

Given the intensely personal and sensitive nature of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, many survivors do not come forward to tell their stories. Instead they suffer in silence.

"We realize that there may be underreporting of this issue, and we are taking measures to create an environment where staff feel they can speak up and report problems more easily," the WFP spokesperson said of incidents of sexual abuse and misconduct.

WFP policies on purchasing sex

What are the policies of World Food Programme regarding the purchasing of sex in emergency or development situations?

"WFP has issued very clear guidance that explains our position on paying for sex," a spokesperson for the humanitarian organization replied in an email. "It says that every WFP employee is prohibited from engaging with prostitutes, regardless of whether prostitution is legal under the national law of the country where they are working, where they live, or where they might be spending time on holiday.

"Working for WFP requires us to abide by the highest standards of conduct, and engaging with prostitutes constitutes serious misconduct and grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal or -- where appropriate -- referral to relevant law enforcement authorities."

Under what circumstances does WFP initiate an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct?

"WFP has both formal and informal processes for reporting any type of misconduct or policy violations by WFP staff," the spokesperson answered. "Informal processes may involve, for example, discussions with a person's supervisor, the human resources division, the ombudsman or ethics office. They typically result in mediation or in advice to report the matter formally to the Office of the Inspector General."

The formal process involves an investigation conducted by the WFP's Office of Inspections and Investigations, which is part of the Office of the Inspector General. "If an allegation is reported to the Office of the Inspector General, the matter is reviewed through a formal intake process that tracks the report through to investigation, referral, or closure," the WFP spokesperson explained.

"The evidence received from the claimant is evaluated during the intake process to see if it warrants an investigation and whether WFP has the capacity to carry it out. This involves considering the seriousness of the complaint and whether the matter should be referred to law enforcement."

According to the WFP representative, the organization is the process of implementing changes to its Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority. For example, the new policy will terminate the current six-month time limit for reporting violations.

Going forward, the WFP says it will allow "the consideration of anonymous complaints and complaints from former employees." And from now on, the WFP will investigate "abusive conduct even if a specific victim does not come forward." And the WFP is promising "stronger punishment for anyone who retaliates against a victim."

World Vision controversy

Last month, The Daily Mail published a story alleging sexual abuse by World Vision staff in Haiti. World Vision responded swiftly, disputing the story and pointing out that the British newspaper had omitted important facts.

For example, the NGO asserted in a news statement that a World Vision internal investigation -- which it has shared with authorities, donors, and The Daily Mail -- found that no World Vision staffers were involved in alleged incidents of wrongdoing in Haiti.

"In our cash-for-work program in 2010-11, several evaluations conducted by World Vision and our partners highlighted a number of issues in government-run camps; of nepotism, sexual exploitation and inaccurate record-keeping," the World Vision statement reads. According to the NGO, its "investigations into these issues revealed that those involved in sexual exploitation were not World Vision staff," and that the perpetrators "were community volunteers and cash-for-work beneficiaries themselves."

World Vision said it reported the incidents to authorities and put in place new procedures to reduce future incidence of abuse. "This information has been publicly available in our published Accountability Reports from 2011 and 2012," the Christian NGO stated.

Nevertheless, World Vision issued a public apology "to anyone who feels let down by World Vision in any failure of ours to protect or report."

Moreover, World Vision acknowledges that "it is possible there may have been inappropriate behaviour by people employed by or associated with World Vision that went unreported."

The Whig-Standard requested an interview with Michael Messenger, president and CEO of World Vision Canada, but the NGO declined the request. When asked for an official comment on the Haiti controversy, World Vision Canada declined.

Follow Geoffrey P. Johnston on Twitter @GeoffyPJohnston.

The Kingston Whig-Standard 2018 © 

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