Oxfam sexual misconduct scandal involving aid workers in Haiti

[Silva]

They look totally legit

givewell and thelifeyoucansave have reasonable methodologies

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

They look totally legit

Charitywatch has been referenced by CNBC in their article rating US-based charities.

None of them make any claim about their ranking being definitive, but rather as recommendations. As I said, no matter where you look, similar results pop up. There isn’t a widespread conspiracy against the traditional, well known ones like Red Cross, Greenpeace.

 

[Mozza]

For a big international disaster, you need big international charity to respond

 

[Silva]

For a big international disaster, you need big international charity to respond

oxfam was a small part of the aid relief in haiti

there are multiple big international charities, all of whom act with impunity even when caught breaking local and international laws because they know there are no serious consequences

 

[Mozza]

oxfam was a small part of the aid relief in haiti

there are multiple big international charities, all of whom act with impunity even when caught breaking local and international laws because they know there are no serious consequences

People have been fired, that is a serious consequence

 

[Silva]

People have been fired, that is a serious consequence

low level employees were fired, their names were not given to the charity commission to prevent them working in the sector in the future, executives were not fired but allowed to do the same job in other places

that is not a serious consequence, a serious consequence would have been to report them for sex tourism to the UK police authorities, give their names and details of their actions to the charity commission so they can not find employment at other charities

their actions have only been exposed to relevant authorities because of a whistleblower, with the charity facing no consequence for the cover up

 

[Denis79]

Desmond Tutu resigns as Oxfam ambassador.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/15/desmond-tutu-resigns-oxfam-ambassador/

 

[adexkola]

You'd think they would be able to include morality clauses in their contracts, but they are still subject to employment law.

I said before though, as ambassadors of the charity, they should be sackable under a broadbrush bringing the charity into disrepute clause if they engage in illegal activity.

Surprised they didn't. Just a CYA, saying, "these employees violated their contracts and were fired" would have killed the PR on this before it began.

 

[Silva]

Aid is delivered in an unaccountable space – those who pay for aid in developed countries are too removed, those who receive it in developing countries too powerless. Donor governments like ours play a critical role in holding aid agencies to account, which may mean (responsibly) withdrawing funding. There is no reason why an agency’s track record in safeguarding beneficiaries cannot be a key criterion in making grants – the money should surely go to the best. Those who claim that “good works” will be undermined fail to understand the competitive world of aid, and short-change the victims by suffocating their calls for justice. If donor governments can exercise their financial clout, they will be doing us as taxpayers a favour and more importantly, protecting those we want to help.

 

[Mozza]

low level employees were fired, their names were not given to the charity commission to prevent them working in the sector in the future, executives were not fired but allowed to do the same job in other places

that is not a serious consequence, a serious consequence would have been to report them for sex tourism to the UK police authorities, give their names and details of their actions to the charity commission so they can not find employment at other charities

their actions have only been exposed to relevant authorities because of a whistleblower, with the charity facing no consequence for the cover up

Sex tourism is a crime?

 

[Silva]

Sex tourism is a crime?

yes

 

[adexkola]

Sex tourism is a crime?

I thought sex tourism was travelling somewhere to engage in sex with underage victims, no?

 

[Mozza]

yes why do you think gary glitter went to prison

For having sex with kids, sex tourism with adults isn't a crime

 

[Silva]

For having sex with kids, sex tourism with adults isn't a crime

the internal oxfam report could not rule out children being used, they should have reported it to police to investigate further

 

[Mozza]

the internal oxfam report could not rule out children being used, they should have reported it to police to investigate further

I'm sure they will in the future, problem solved

 

[Silva]

I'm sure they will in the future, problem solved

no it is not, it means that other charities keeping the same secrets can do so with impunity

make an example of oxfam and force charities to out their sexual predators instead of waiting for whistleblowers

 

[Denis79]

no it is not, it means that other charities keeping the same secrets can do so with impunity

make an example of oxfam and force charities to out their sexual predators instead of waiting for whistleblowers

Totally agree, if they are not punished with all means legal this problem will never get better.

 

[Mozza]

no it is not, it means that other charities keeping the same secrets can do so with impunity

make an example of oxfam and force charities to out their sexual predators instead of waiting for whistleblowers

A number of other charities disclosed how many people they had disciplined for similar incidents following the Oxfam revelations so there no need

 

[Silva]

A number of other charities disclosed how many people they had disciplined for similar incidents following the Oxfam revelations so there no need

oxfam did the same thing in 2011, self-reporting that they were investigating reports of sexual abuse in haiti, but we know they covered up for their executive branch and did not give details to the charity commission, police, or the governments who fund them, there is little reason to believe this is unique

 

[Aboutreika18]

Now I've realised why I sometimes get you two mixed up on here. You both love your snarky one-liners.

 

[marukomu]

Makes you despair. These are supposed to be the good guys.

 

[Denis79]

Makes you despair. These are supposed to be the good guys.

I think this is just the tip of the iceberg...

 

[Mozza]

oxfam did the same thing in 2011, self-reporting that they were investigating reports of sexual abuse in haiti, but we know they covered up for their executive branch and did not give details to the charity commission, police, or the governments who fund them, there is little reason to believe this is unique

So ongoing you create a mechanism for reporting and you carry on the charity's work

What would the charity commission or government have done with this information were it disclosed to them after investigation?

 

[Jippy]

That's a weird one. Loads of employers have a complete ban on recreational drug use. Testing and all.

EDIT: Always worth reading the whole article, mind you.

I guess drugs are illegal though- might be more tricky if prostitution is legal in some coutries?

Saw they'd changed the manual, but the Haiti aid workers would've been operating under the old one, so still valid as the guidance they received.

 

[Chairman Woodie]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Jippy]

Oxfam scandal proves we have moral high-ground say selfish, tight bastards

https://rochdaleherald.co.uk/2018/0...moral-high-ground-say-selfish-tight-bastards/

 

[Jippy]

Former Labour minister Claire Short has called the reaction 'hysterical' and a 'smear campaign'.

She said the story was being whipped up by critics of Britain’s £13 billion a year overseas aid budget.
She told the BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster: “This is no excuse, but it’s a crazy, crazy, hysterical, distorted story.
"Very hard not to think it’s part of the anti-development, anti-aid agenda.”

In a programme to be aired on Saturday, she saiad: “Of the ten thousand Oxfam staff, one, plus a few more, used prostitutes – horrible – in Haiti and were sacked in 2011. That’s the story."
"And now Oxfam is smeared, international development is diminished.
"Of course I don’t like the idea of anyone in a disaster area using prostitutes. “But - what is the estimate? - 11% of British men between the ages of 16 and 74 at some time at least once used a prostitute.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5656498/clare-short-oxfam-sex-abuse-haiti-smeared/