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World Vision
UK News

Another Christian charity gets caught up in Oxfam scandal

by Eno Adeogun

The charity which is supported financially by the government and various United Nations agencies, has denied its staff sexually exploited Haiti earthquake survivors.

Paid employees from the charity are accused of forcing Haitians in 2010 to have sex or pay money for World Food Programme aid, according to a report in the Mail on Sunday.

 

A statement from World Vision paid tribute to "the generosity of supporters and partners around the world" which had enabled the charity to "provided food to at least two million people, emergency shelters to more than 40,000 households, and potable water for more than 90,000 people".

Insisting the allegations were false, the statement went on to say: "While we know we did not get everything right, the Mail on Sunday story in the UK and Ireland misrepresents our actions and omits key findings from our investigations, which we described publically, and which were shared with authorities, donors, and the Mail's journalist, several years ago.

"In our cash-for-work program in 2010-11, several evaluations conducted by World Vision and our partners highlighted a number of issues in government-run camps; of nepotism, sexual exploitation and inaccurate record-keeping.

"World Vision's extensive investigations into these issues revealed that those involved in sexual exploitation were not World Vision staff. They were community volunteers and cash-for-work beneficiaries themselves."

The charity said it reported the issues to authorities and went on to implement training and follow-up procedures to "cut down on these practices".

Meanwhile, a report shows charities were aware of children in crisis hit areas being exploited for sex 10 years ago.

The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) has confirmed it has dealt with two cases of alleged sexual misconduct involving children.

Its sister UK and Irish aid charity Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD), has revealed one of its employees accused of sexual misconduct when he worked for Oxfam in Haiti has been dismissed from his current role.

In the past 12 months, Christian Aid has also investigated two incidents of sexual misconduct, both of which occurred overseas.

Nick Ansell/PA Wire

Oxfam came under more pressure after its chief executive compared the response to the recent scandal, to being as if workers had 'murdered babies in their cots.'

However the charity has since issued an "unreserved apology" to the Government, donors, supporters and the people of Haiti over its handling of the claims.

Oxfam has also agreed to stop bidding for Government funding until ministers are satisfied it can meet the "high standards" expected.

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