2 experts slam World Health Organization's investigation into sexual abuse allegations in Congo

Two experts appointed by nan World Health Organization to analyse allegations that immoderate of its staffers sexually abused women during an Ebola outbreak successful Congo dismissed nan U.N. agency’s ain efforts to excuse its handling of specified misconduct arsenic "an absurdity" connected Monday, saying they were not satisfied that nary elder officials person been fired.

Some of nan victimized women opportunity — astir 4 years later — they are still waiting for nan WHO to terminate those responsible aliases beryllium offered immoderate financial compensation.

In October 2020, Aichatou Mindaoudou and Julienne Lusenge were named by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to caput a sheet investigating reports that immoderate WHO staffers sexually abused aliases exploited women successful a conflict-ridden region of Congo during nan 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak.

Their reappraisal recovered location were astatine slightest 83 perpetrators of maltreatment who worked for WHO and partners, including complaints of rape, forced abortions and nan intersexual battle of a 13-year-old girl, successful nan biggest known activity maltreatment ungraded successful nan U.N. wellness agency’s history.

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The sheet besides recovered that 3 WHO managers mismanaged a intersexual misconduct lawsuit first reported by nan Associated Press, involving a U.N. expert signing a statement to bargain onshore for a female he allegedly impregnated.

A confidential U.N. study submitted to nan WHO past period concluded that nan managers’ handling of that lawsuit didn't break WHO’s intersexual exploitation policies, because nan female wasn't considered a beneficiary of WHO assistance since she didn't person immoderate humanitarian assistance.

"The restrictive attack favored by WHO is an absurdity," Mindaoudou and Lusenge said successful a statement, adding that immoderate gaps aliases ambiguity successful those policies should beryllium weighed successful favour of nan unfortunate to guarantee nan agency is held accountable.

A female stands successful her location successful nan eastbound Congo municipality of Goma connected March 5, 2021. Two experts appointed by nan WHO to analyse allegations that immoderate of its staffers sexually abused women successful Congo person dismissed nan WHO's investigation arsenic "an absurdity." (AP Photo/Kudra Maliro, File)

Anifa, a Congolese female who worked astatine an Ebola session successful northeastern Congo, said she was offered a occupation astatine double her net successful speech for activity pinch a WHO expert and was still traumatized by nan experience.

"How galore times do I person to speak earlier (the doctors) astatine WHO responsible for nan intersexual maltreatment are punished?" she asked. "If WHO does not return extremist measures, we will reason that nan statement has been made rotten by rapists."

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Anifa, who didn't stock her past sanction for fearfulness of reprisals, said she didn't expect immoderate financial compensation from nan WHO, explaining that "money will not erase nan wounds I person successful my heart." She reported nan alleged misconduct to nan WHO successful 2019, but ne'er received a response.

WHO main Tedros has said many times nan agency has a "zero tolerance" argumentation for intersexual misconduct.

Mindaoudou, a erstwhile authorities curate successful Niger and Lusenge, a quality rights activistic successful Congo, besides slammed nan WHO for its nonaccomplishment to punish immoderate elder staffers linked to nan abuse.

"We are not satisfied," they told nan AP. "The ‘zero tolerance policy’ does not mean engaging successful perfunctory to make judge nary 1 is responsible for intersexual maltreatment and exploitation."

Paula Donovan, who co-leads Code Blue, which seeks to clasp nan U.N. accountable for intersexual offenses, said it was striking that experts appointed by nan WHO itself were truthful openly captious of nan agency.

"Two courageous African women exposed sky-high levels of tolerance for misogyny and racism astatine nan apical of WHO," she said. "Now it’s up to governments to motorboat their ain genuinely independent investigation into nan organization’s leaders, opening pinch Dr. Tedros, to guidelines retired nan poison infecting WHO."

When allegations of intersexual maltreatment and exploitation surfaced successful nan property successful September 2020, Tedros said he was "outraged" and that anyone recovered to beryllium progressive would look superior consequences. WHO emergencies main Dr. Michael Ryan claimed nan agency had "absolutely nary details" of nan abuse.

But nan soul U.N. study noted that Tedros was informed of intersexual maltreatment allegations successful 2019 and that immoderate cases of alleged misconduct were discussed by elder WHO unit soon aft they occurred.

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The WHO has refused to remark connected nan soul U.N. study and nan agency created a caller section to forestall misconduct aft nan Congo activity maltreatment scandal. Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, who heads that work, told U.N. investigators that anterior to being appointed, "sexual exploitation and maltreatment were not acquainted position to her."

Tedros said earlier this period that nan agency has established a $2 cardinal money to thief survivors of intersexual maltreatment successful Congo, but it's unclear really galore women person obtained assistance.

Jeanette, a female who says she was impregnated by a WHO expert while moving astatine an Ebola halfway successful Butembo, said she was pressured into having an abortion, which astir killed her. She said she is waiting for nan WHO to punish nan expert responsible for her gestation and has had nary offers of financial compensation.

"I don’t person nan spot to activity since nan abortion," she said. "WHO should cognize that their staffers are flatterers, freeloaders and liars."