UK warns charities over sex scandal
LONDON — The British Government said yesterday it is warning all charities that receive UK aid to step up efforts to tackle sexual misconduct among staff or face having their funding cut, amid further fallout from a prostitution scandal involving Oxfam workers in Haiti in 2011.
The International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt revealed she was writing to the charities to insist they spell out what steps they are taking on the issue and confirm they have referred all concerns about specific cases and individuals to the relevant authorities.
"With regard to Oxfam and any other organization that has safeguarding issues, we expect them to cooperate fully with such authorities, and we will cease to fund any organization that does not," she said in a statement.
Mordaunt added she will also demand all donors and development organizations show leadership and take action on the matter at the global End Violence Solutions Summit in Stockholm next week.
"I am very clear: we will not work with any organisation that does not live up to the high standards on safeguarding and protection that we require."
The hardening stance follows reports in The Times that young sex workers were hired by Oxfam's senior staff in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake which devastated the island and left up to 300,000 people dead, and that the UK-based charity tried to cover up the scandal at the time.
In the latest revelations, the Sunday Times reports more than 120 workers for Britain's leading charities were accused of sexual abuse in the past year, "fueling fears pedophiles are targeting overseas aid organizations".