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News ID: 50375
Publish Date : 23 February 2018 - 21:50

Haiti Halts Oxfam Operations Over Sex Exploitation

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Dispatches) -- Haiti Thursday suspended the operations of British charity Oxfam pending the outcome of its investigation into allegations that its staff sexually exploited Haitians after a devastating 2010 earthquake.
The country's ministry of planning and foreign aid said Oxfam GB had made a "serious error" by failing to inform Haitian authorities of the actions by their staff at the time they occurred.
"These reprehensible acts, alleged crimes, acknowledged by the perpetrators as well as the NGO, are a serious violation of the dignity of the Haitian people," a government statement said.
It said the charity was suspended for two months pending an internal Haitian investigation into the matter.
An investigation conducted by Oxfam a year after the earthquake had found that seven staff were accused of using prostitutes at an Oxfam-funded residence.
The 2011 report, disclosed Monday, also found that three staff members had physically threatened a witness.
One official has acknowledged paying for prostitutes and the others were accused of harassment and intimidation.
A young Haitian woman told The Times newspaper she had had relations with the former Oxfam country director in Haiti, Roland Van Hauwermeiren, when she was 16 and he was 61.
The world body said Thursday 40 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were made during the last three months of 2017 against United Nations peacekeeping missions, agencies, funds and programs and implementing partners.
Of the 40 accusations, 15 were reported from peacekeeping operations, 17 came from UN agencies, funds and programs, while eight were reported by implementing partners, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
"Every allegation involving our personnel undermines our values and principles and the sacrifice of those who serve with pride and professionalism in some of the most dangerous places in the world," Dujarric said.
He said the 40 allegations involved 54 victims - 30 women and 16 girls, while the ages of eight others are unknown. Twelve cases occurred last year, seven in 2016, three in 2015 or earlier, while the dates for the rest are unknown.
Two cases have been substantiated, three not substantiated, while the rest are under investigation, Dujarric said.
More than 95,000 civilians and 90,000 troops and police work for the United Nations.