International development minister admits up to four members of staff were reported for misconduct last year
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Loading... - Kasia Johnson
- 01 Mar 2021
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The international development department has admitted up to four of its staff were reported for alleged misconduct last year.
The revelation poses difficult questions for the ministry who have themselves been highly critical of the record of overseas aid charities on their handling of such allegations.
International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has ordered a review to find out the extent “locally reported allegations of sexual misconduct” against DFID staff and its partners delivering aid.
Overseas aid minister Harriett Baldwin admitted that “under five” staff were formally reported for sexual harassment last year.
According to the Evening Standard some of those accused are believed to have been working abroad.
The review, which will report in a few weeks, seeks to establish the number of cases and whether staff facing allegations are based overseas or in the UK.
Ms Baldwin said the department had a range of procedures already in place to stop sexual harassment.
The review is expected to report next Tuesday when the department will reveal the true figure.
She said: “DFID’s standards of conduct set out the ethical behaviours and controls required in our day to day work to incorporate the key principles based on the UN’s code on sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian crises.”
There is a confidential email address for staff to use, she added.
A Labour spokesman told the Evening Standard: “In light of the sexual harassment scandal in aid agencies, it’s important we also have transparency in relation to these cases of sexual harassment inside a key government department.”
