WHO Addresses Sexual Exploitation by Aid Workers in Congo

jpnn.com, KONGO - The World Health Organization (WHO) published on Thursday (21/10) its management response plan to address the findings of an independent commission that alleged sexual abuse by aid workers.

An independent commission issued on September 28 a report that found some 83 aid workers had been involved in sexual exploitation and abuse against women and girls during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The abuses were allegedly committed by both national and international workers between 2018 and 2020.

Of the 83 people, 21 were employed by the WHO.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ensured that the cases and suffering of the victims and their families would trigger a profound cultural transformation of the WHO.

"This plan outlines the changes we will make as an organisation to make good on this commitment and to create a culture in which there is no opportunity for sexual exploitation and abuse to happen, no impunity if it does and no tolerance for inaction," he said, as quoted on the WHO website.

Short-term actions, which are also the most urgent according to the independent commission, include supporting the survivors and their families, completing investigations, taking urgent managerial action and launching a series of internal reviews and audits, and reforming WHO structures and culture. 

As stated, the plan also describes 15-month actions to establish and operationalise a victim- and survivor-centered approach; ensure WHO personnel and leaders are accountable for prevention, detection and response to SEA; and initiate an overhaul of WHO’s policies, procedures and practices to increase safeguards against SEA in its programmes and operations.