The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lack of ‘moral leadership’ at Oxfam criticised
Minister warns scandal could hurt relationship with Government
Oxfam lied and failed in its “moral leadership” in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct by aid workers, the International Development Secretary has said.
Penny Mordaunt condemned the behaviour of some Oxfam staff members as a “complete betrayal”, as she warned the charity the “scandal” had put its relationship with the Government at risk.
Oxfam is facing mounting criticism over its handling of sex allegations, but has denied it tried to cover up the use of prostitutes by workers in Haiti in 2011.
Ms Mordaunt told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show the failure to pass on information to relevant authorities shows an “absolute absence of leadership”.
Asked by Marr if she thought Oxfam had failed in its “moral leadership”, the Conservative MP replied: “Yes, I do.”
Ms Mordaunt announced she would meet the charity today to discuss the case and said: “If the moral leadership at the top of the organisation is not there then we cannot have you as a partner.”
Charities, including Oxfam, have been told they will have funding withdrawn if they fail to comply with authorities over safeguarding issues.
Former International Secretary Priti Patel said there was a “culture of denial” about exploitation in the aid sector.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics she was not aware of allegations within Oxfam, but had raised the issue of abuse involving aid workers in disaster zones with the Department for International Development (DfID) while heading the department.
“There has been, in my view, not just a cover-up with Oxfam, there is a denial, a culture of denial in the aid sector about the exploitation and sexual abuse that has taken place historically for decades,” she said.
The Charity Commission said on Saturday it had written to Oxfam “as a matter of urgency” to request further information. Four members of Oxfam staff were dismissed and three, including the country director, resigned before the end of the 2011 investigation.
The charity said allegations that underage girls may have been involved were not proven.
Ahead of its meeting with Ms Mordaunt, Oxfam announced a package of measures to improve safeguarding, including improved recruitment and vetting, a new whistleblowing helpline and a recommitment to report concerns to authorities.
Caroline Thomson, Oxfam’s chairwoman of trustees in the UK, said it was working to “address the underlying cultural issues that allowed this behaviour to happen”.