UK Halts Funding To Oxfam Over Sexual Exploitation, Abuse Allegations

The United Kingdom made the decision on Thursday to once again halt aid funding for the Oxfam charitable organization after two staff members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were suspended following fresh claims of sexual exploitation and abuse of power

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2021) The United Kingdom made the decision on Thursday to once again halt aid funding for the Oxfam charitable organization after two staff members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were suspended following fresh claims of sexual exploitation and abuse of power.

"All organisations bidding for UK aid must meet the high standards of safeguarding required to keep the people they work with safe. Given the most recent reports, which call into question Oxfam's ability to meet those standards, we will not consider any new funding to Oxfam until the issues have been resolved," a Foreign and Development Office spokesperson was cited as saying by the Guardian.

Last week the charity announced that it had suspended two workers in the DRC following the investigations into the allegations of sexual exploitation, bullying, fraud and nepotism made by current and former Oxfam staff against 11 people.

In March, Oxfam was allowed to resume bidding for UK government aid money after a three-year ban over the previous sexual misconduct and cover up allegations in the 2018 Haiti case. Oxfam then denied a cover up but pledged to improve its workplace practices to prevent such issues in the future.