Oxfam sex scandal: Haiti bans charity aid workers

The charity presented a formal apology to the Haitian government on Monday
PA
Alexandra Richards22 February 2018

Haiti has suspended Oxfam operations pending an investigation into sexual misconduct by employees of the aid group.

The country is investigating whether anyone from Oxfam sexually abused minors while working in the country, the country’s Minister of Planning and External Co-operation Aviol Fleurant said.

Mr Fleurant announced the two month suspension on Thursday.

Authorities consider it a "serious crime" for an adult to have sex with anyone under 18, he said.

He said the Haitian government is "shocked at the highest level" about reports of misconduct by employees of the organisation.

Oxfam Great Britain is one of four divisions of the international organisation working in Haiti.

Seven Oxfam workers were fired or resigned in 2011 after a whistleblower accused staff members of misconduct while working in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake that devastated the country.

The organisation has admitted that some of its employees used sex workers.

British government officials and the UK charity regulator have said that Oxfam did not tell them the allegations included sexual misconduct until the Times newspaper revealed details of the case earlier this month.

Since then, thousands of people have cancelled donations to the group in anger.

Oxfam International, the umbrella organisation, has apologised to the people of Haiti and said it has created a new plan to improve oversight of its employees.

Oxfam Great Britain contributes about 20 per cent of the budget to the organisation's overall work in Haiti and the group expects the suspension will have a "significant impact" on its efforts in the country, the group said in a statement following the announcement.

It said senior officials with Oxfam International met with Haitian government officials and committed to co-operate with their investigation.

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