HLHR.org
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
hlhrorg
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS

WHO knew of sex abuse in Congo and did nothing

May 12, 2021
0

The World Health Organization (WHO) had been informed by workers of ongoing sexual abuse in Congo but decided to keep the matter to itself, internal emails show.

The emails, viewed by the Associated Press, show that at least oneWHO staffer and three Ebola experts working in Congo during the outbreak had separately reported sex abuse concerns around about a number of doctors but they were told not to take the matter further.

READ ALSO

Abortion bans in the US put millions of women at risk

Preventing suicide in Africa should be in priority: Matshidiso Moeti

WHO emergencies director Dr. Michael Ryan once told the media asking about the matter that, “We have no more information than you have.” However, AP has now found that senior WHO management was not only informed of alleged sexual misconduct in 2019 but was asked how to handle it., all while publicly denying the issue.

The investigation even revealed the names of two doctors, Boubacar Diallo and Jean-Paul Ngandu, who offered research jobs to women with high payments in exchange for sexual relations.

Ngandu is even accused by a young woman of impregnating her and then signing a notarized agreement, which a manager also signed as witness, to pay the young woman, cover her health costs and buy her land.

When reached by the AP, both Diallo and Ngandu denied wrongdoing.

The deal was made “to protect the integrity and reputation” of WHO, Ngandu said.

Internal emails, meanwhile, revealed that senior manager, Dr. Michel Yao, received emailed complaints about both men but didn’t take action.

It remains unclear whether he forwarded either complaint to his superiors or the agency’s internal investigators, as required by WHO protocol. He has since been promoted to director of Geneva’s Strategic Health Operations Department.

Eight top officials privately acknowledged that WHO had failed to effectively tackle sexual exploitation during the Ebola outbreak and that the problem was systemic, AP said, citing recordings of internal meetings show.

Internal emails from November 2019 show WHO directors were alarmed enough by the abuse complaints to draft a strategy to prevent sexual exploitation and appointed two “focal points” to liaise with colleagues in Congo and elsewhere. Directors also ordered confidential probes into sexual abuse problems more broadly and U.N training on how to prevent sexual harassment, along with an independent investigation yhat was announced last year.

But staffers remain concerned that not enough has been done. 

Tags: abuseCongocoverupdoctorsebolasexwhoWorkers

Related Posts

Abortion bans in the US put millions of women at risk
Important

Abortion bans in the US put millions of women at risk

June 2, 2023
Preventing suicide in Africa should be in priority: Matshidiso Moeti
Important

Preventing suicide in Africa should be in priority: Matshidiso Moeti

October 11, 2022
Psychological consequences of human trafficking on victims
Important

Psychological consequences of human trafficking on victims

August 22, 2022
Top Catholic leader refers to abuse of indigenous people in Canada as 'genocide'
Important

Top Catholic leader refers to abuse of indigenous people in Canada as ‘genocide’

August 17, 2022
13 Youth activists convicted in DR Congo
Important

13 Youth activists convicted in DR Congo

April 3, 2022
Assassination of Patrice Lumumba, another example of targeted murder and crime against humanity
Important

Assassination of Patrice Lumumba, another example of targeted murder and crime against humanity

December 23, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

15 + = 19

POPULAR NEWS

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

April 15, 2022
Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

April 11, 2022
Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

April 17, 2022
What was behind the death of Qatar's migrant workers?

What was behind the death of Qatar’s migrant workers?

April 21, 2022
Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

April 24, 2022

EDITOR'S PICK

The nasty side to China hosting the Olympics in focus, What next?

The nasty side to China hosting the Olympics in focus, What next?

December 27, 2021
Racial Discrimination to be reviewed in Bahrain, Botswana, Brazil, France, Georgia and Jamaica

Racial Discrimination to be reviewed in Bahrain, Botswana, Brazil, France, Georgia and Jamaica

November 12, 2022
US led Sanctions on Taliban affecting common Afghan people: Aid Groups

US led Sanctions on Taliban affecting common Afghan people: Aid Groups

November 30, 2021
Commitment to end food crisis needs more green light

Commitment to end food crisis needs more green light

November 16, 2022
HLHR.org

About HLHR

Ours is a familiar story. A group of friends from all over the world have come together to chase the dream many others have chased before and are religiously working to fulfill; a world where human lives and human rights are treasured.

Recent Posts

  • Days after train accident in India, over 100 bodies remain unclaimed
  • Abortion bans in the US put millions of women at risk
  • UN warns over half a million Yemeni children face acute malnutrition in 2023
  • Ukraine investigating Belarus’ involvement in forced transfer of minors
  • UN calls for urgent action to address impact of conflict on human rights in Yemen

Categories

No Result
View All Result

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.