Oxfam’s former global head of safeguarding has revealed she reported as many as three complaints of sexual misconduct made against the charity’s overseas staff in one day.
Helen Evans said there two cases of women being coerced into sex in exchange for aid and one case of an Oxfam staff member who had not disclosed that he had been struck off for sexual abuse.
The whistle-blower told Channel 4 news: "There was one of a woman being coerced to have sex in a humanitarian response by another aid worker, another case where a woman had been coerced in exchange for aid and another one where it had come to our attention where a member of staff had been struck off for sexual abuse and hadn't disclosed that, and we were then concerned about what he might be doing, and that was three allegations in one day."
Ms Evans said claims made against the Oxfam’s staff in Haiti were not an “isolated incident” and allegations had flooded in once the charity had improved its mechanisms for reporting abuse.
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Read more:
Oxfam woes mount as charity commission in UK opens inquiry
Charities need a clean-up to stop their work being tainted by scandal
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Her testimony comes as the UK’s charity commission opened an inquiry on Tuesday into allegations of misconduct by the charity’s aid workers during a humanitarian relief mission in 2011 amid threats by the British government to cut funding to its projects.
A report by British newspaper The Times published last week claimed Oxfam had tried to cover up the findings of an inquiry, which discovered that its staff had been paying prostitutes for sex in the earthquake-hit country.
The newspaper said the international charity, which is headquartered in Oxford, UK, had dismissed four members of staff involved, while allowing three others to resign before the internal investigation had concluded.
Oxfam’s Haiti director in Haiti Roland van Hauwermeiren, who admitted using prostitutes at an Oxfam villa, was one of the three staff members allowed to resign.
On Tuesday, Mr Van Hauwermeiren was accused of sexual misconduct while working at another British charity in Liberia in 2004.
A former colleague of the disgraced 68-year-old told news site IRIN that Mr Van Hauwermeiren was dismissed from his job Liberia country director for UK charity Merlin following an investigation into use of sex workers by its staff in the West African country.
The scandal has already claimed the scalp of Oxfam’s deputy chief executive Penny Lawrence, who resigned on Monday saying she took full responsibility for what had happened during her time at the charity and apologised for “harm and distress” caused.
An Oxfam spokesperson responded to Ms Evans’ claims, saying: "We regret that we did not act on Helen's concerns much quicker and with more resources."
Meanwhile, Haiti’s president Jovenel Moise called the abuse by charity workers in his country “an extremely serious violation of human dignity”.
Writing in French on Twitter, Mr Moise said: “There is nothing more undignified and dishonest than a sexual predator who uses his position as part of the humanitarian response to a natural disaster to exploit the needy people in their moments of great vulnerability,” he said.
"What happened with Oxfam in Haiti is an extremely serious violation of human dignity.”
Andor
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More on Turkey's Syria offence
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5