MPs want aid charities that employ sexual predators to have funding taken away

Aid charities that employ staff found to be committing sexual abuse should have their funding withdrawn, according to MPs.

Last week a damning report by the House of Commons international development committee warned that aid workers are continuing to abuse and exploit vulnerable beneficiaries in developing countries.

This is more than two years on from a series of sexual misconduct scandals to rock the aid sector, involving charities such as Oxfam.

MPs debating the report have spoken of their concern around ongoing abuse and recommended that funding should be withdrawn from charities where abuse by staff is found.

Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire Pauline Latham said that the government needs to “cut off the funding for organisations” involved “whoever they are, whether it is the World Health Organisations, Oxfam, Save the Children or whoever”.

She also called for a naming and shaming of charities employing sexual predators “so it gets out that nobody is above the law.

International development committee chair Sarah Champion MP said she agreed with Latham.

“No safe space for sexual abuse within aid sector”

“The Government need to show zero tolerance,” said Champion.

“The most effective way to do that is by taking away the cash. There can be no safe space for sexual abuse within the aid sector and no taxpayers’ money spent on supporting it.”

The committee’s report found that around three quarters (73%) of people who had experience of the aid sector think that the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries is still a problem.

A quarter (26%) said they had witnessed suspected abuse.

This month it emerged that public confidence in NGOs globally is falling with business now the most trusted sector.