This week oxfam officials and aid workers have faced accusations of sexual abuse
Charity Commission response to allegations
Earlier report on Oxfam completed in December 2017
concluded 'the charity does demonstrate elements of good practice in its safeguarding management and how it responds to allegations. But we concluded there is further work for the charity to do to in respect of HR culture, and the overall governance and management of safeguarding in the charity'
UK government strategy for dealing with safeguarding in charities.
Oxfam safeguarding policies. updated January 2018
Response to allegations.
However unfortunately allegations of misconduct and abuse by aid workers are not new.
in 2002. Charges of extensive sexual exploitation of refugees in West Africa by aid workers and United Nations peacekeepers were investigated by the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services. The full document can be read online.
In 2008 Save the Children published No One to Turn To: The under-reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers, 27 May B
The Building Safer Organizations project was launched with NGOs to address the issues. It published in 2007 some guidelines. An evaluation of its effectiveness was published in 2006 by the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children.
The Executive Committees on Humanitarian Affairs and Peace and Security (ECHA/ECPS) United Nations (UN) and Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse was established in February 2005 with the aim of preventing acts of sexual exploitation and abuse and improving response to it when it occurs. view some materials via the Save the Children resource library.
The Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by our own staff was established in 2011
It supports the establishment of UN and NGO policies and develops tools so as to assist in protecting from sexual exploitation and abuse bystaff
Interagency Standing Committee also produced policies and guidance. the IASC is primary mechanism for inter-
However there have also been issues relating to abuse of aid workers. For information on the nature and extent of this.
Try Humanitarian womens Network.It has some survey data from 2016 on the extent of the problem
in May 2017 Tufts University published a report on violence and assault of aid workers.
Report the Abuse was monitoring the situation. its website is now archived as funding has been withdrawn.
