Major Western donors have urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch a more comprehensive investigation into allegations of sexual harassment in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the Independent Commission in Congo, some 83 aid workers, a quarter of whom were employed by the WHO, were involved in sexual harassment during the Ebola epidemic from 2018 to 2020.
The women accused local and foreign aid workers of demanding sex to find work and there were nine allegations of rape, according to a report by an independent commission panel on serious violence in North Kivu and Ituri states.
According to diplomats, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and his aides have drafted a plan of action that will include major donors including the United States, the United Kingdom, European powers, Canada, and Australia, calling for an external panel of investigations by WHO. it also amends internal policies.
The study should examine how the WHO's management handled the growing number of allegations of abuse as well as the goal of establishing accountability for suspects.
Effective action
The management caveat is currently being revised and is expected to be presented to 194 WHO member states by Thursday, and should take concrete steps and identify weaknesses in management to prevent future abuse in emergency operations.
Earlier World Health Organization Director WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus promised to take responsibility for ensuring that the perpetrators were held accountable.
"It is my highest priority to ensure that the perpetrators are not released, but are held accountable. As a director, I take responsibility for the behavior of the people we employ, and for any defects in our systems that allowed this behavior. I will take personal responsibility for making any changes we need to make this will happen later "
In addition, another diplomat has suggested that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OIOS) be at the forefront of leading the investigation, which should find a way to ensure accountability is carried out with the required seriousness.
