SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN THE AID SECTOR RIFE
Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham and Chair of the International Development Select Committee, will lead a debate in Parliament today following the publication of her committee’s report, “Progress on tackling exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries”. The hard-hitting report called for aid organisations and the Government to address persistent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in the aid sector.
The report and unique on-line survey showed:
73% of respondents believe there remains a problem with SEA being perpetrated by aid workers.
Only 8% believe the culture of the sector is as strong as it can be in order to make SEA less likely to occur.
26% claim to have witnessed or observed suspected SEA of aid recipients.
Only 16% thought their organisation had in place safe reporting and complaints mechanisms to enable SEA to be raised.
The inquiry found extreme power imbalances and discriminatory organisational culture are widespread and enable SEA to flourish. Aid organisations must address this and take steps to mitigate risks. This includes involving aid recipients and survivors from the outset – from the designing of programmes through to the delivery.
Sarah Champion MP said: “It disgusts me that sexual abuse and exploitation in the aid sector persists. Organisations can have all the policies and procedures in the world, but unless they use them and embed safeguarding in all their work, the issue will remain widespread and under reported.
To deliver meaningful change, I urge aid organisations to work directly with local people, especially women’s groups, in the design and delivery of aid programmes, and safeguarding should be hardwired in to all projects.
The Government must show zero tolerance to all forms of abuse and exploitation. There should be penalties if organisations receiving taxpayers money are shown to fail to protect beneficiaries, or are covering up abuse. The Government should immediately change the rules on DBS checks so all aid workers to can be covered as mandatory. As a condition of funding, aid organisations should supply data on reports of abuse and the use of NDAs in such cases.
Miranda Brown, Independent expert on the protection from sexual abuse and exploitation and a whistleblower, said: "Sexual exploitation and abuse is rooted in deep power imbalances, which are heightened during conflict and emergency situations, where the recipients of aid are often in dire personal situations, with little control over their lives.
There are major barriers and disincentives for survivors and victims’ to reporting these abuses and because of a lack of accountability - including criminal convictions. Perpetrators are very rarely held to account. Accountability acts as a deterrent and without it, the abuses will continue."
"Whistleblowers are often the voices of the survivors and victims. While many organisations have adopted whistleblowing policies, these fail in practice and most whistleblowers suffer retaliation. They frequently lose their jobs and are forced out of their organisations. Fear of reporting is widespread in the aid sector. This must be addressed urgently."
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/4275/documents/43423/default/