Unicef’s No.2 quits over haunted past

LONDON - Ex-Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth has resigned from Unicef as he says he does not want coverage of his past to "damage" the charities.

Forsyth faced three complaints of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff before leaving Save the Children, the BBC reported this week.

He was accused of sending inappropriate texts and commenting on what young female staff were wearing.

He said he "apologised unreservedly" to the three workers at the time.

Forsyth said the reason for his resignation as Unicef's deputy director was not because of what he described as the mistakes he made in his former role at Save the Children.

"They were dealt with through a proper process many years ago," he said in a statement.

"There is no doubt in my mind that some of the coverage around me is not just to (rightly) hold me to account, but also to attempt to do serious damage to our cause and the case for aid."

Meanwhile, Haiti has suspended Oxfam operations in the country, as it investigates claims of sexual misconduct by staff in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.

A statement from Unicef said it was grateful to Forsyth for his work over the past two years.

The allegations come after Brendan Cox - the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox - quit two charities he set up in memory of his wife amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

The Charity Commission said it had “extensive regulatory engagement” with Save the Children after allegations of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour were made against Cox and Forsyth between 2015 and 2016.