‘We want you to know how deeply sorry we are for what happened in Haiti in 2011’ – OXFAM

(The Guardian) There were “serious problems with the culture, morale and behaviour” of Oxfam staff in Haiti according to a damning report which has found that the charity failed to disclose allegations of child abuse.

The Charity Commission report surveyed 7,000 pieces of evidence related to allegations that Oxfam had covered up its investigation into staff paying for sex while working on the response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

It is the most detailed report produced by the commission.

We want you to know how deeply sorry we are for what happened in Haiti in 2011. Watch below to see a message from our Chair of Trustees, Caroline Thomson, responding to the Charity Commission’s report and explaining how we are working to better protect the people we serve. pic.twitter.com/tZyyA2Lcrm

— Oxfam (@oxfamgb) June 11, 2019

The Haiti scandal prompted resignations from Oxfam GB’s chief executive, Mark Goldring, and its deputy chief executive, Penny Lawrence, and caused the charity to lose UK aid. In the immediate aftermath of the allegations, the charity lost thousands of donors.

The allegations also placed the aid sector under intense scrutiny, and prompted the UK government to host a safeguarding summit to improve accountability.

“What went wrong in Haiti did not happen in isolation. Our inquiry demonstrates that, over a period of years, Oxfam’s internal culture tolerated poor behaviour, and at times lost sight of the values it stands for,” said Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission, which set up an inquiry into the allegations last year.

Read more at: The Guardian