Haiti suspends Oxfam aid work pending investigation
The Haitian government said yesterday that it will suspend Oxfam's UK branch from carrying out aid work in the country as it investigates allegations of sexual misconduct. Aviol Fleurant, minister of planning and external cooperation, said the charity would be barred from operating in Haiti for two months as the country looked into how the charity handled allegations against its staff members.
Oxfam said in a statement that its executives had met with Haitian officials and pledged to cooperate with their investigation. It plans to continue working in Haiti through its affiliate members.
“Oxfam is committed to putting in place a number of wide-sweeping initiatives to improve its global safeguarding policies and practices, including the establishment of an independent Commission and putting more staff and resources into its safeguarding teams,” Oxfam said in a statement.
The aid organisation released a report earlier this month detailing its internal probe of allegations that its workers had used prostitutes and sexually harassed staff in Haiti after an earthquake rocked the impoverished country in 2010.
An Oxfam official who oversaw operations in Haiti admitted to using prostitutes at his residence, according to the report. It also described staff members suspected of misconduct of “physically threatening and intimidating” a witness.
Four people were dismissed for “gross misconduct” and two others resigned after being accused of using prostitutes.
Oxfam’s chief executive told MPs this week that it has received 26 new allegations of sexual misconduct since the scandal went public.
Executive Director Winnie Byanyima pledged in a statement to be “honest, transparent and accountable in addressing sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse”.
“I hope we can restore the trust of our supporters, of our donors, of our staff, and all the people who believe in Oxfam’s mission,” she said.