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Save the Children dismissed staff over sexual harassment allegations, charity boss confirms

Staff at Save the Children were dismissed over sexual harassment claims: Shutterstock / Jevanto Productions
Staff at Save the Children were dismissed over sexual harassment claims: Shutterstock / Jevanto Productions

Save the Children dismissed staff over reports of sexual harassment, the charity's boss has said.

Nineteen staff are believed to have been dismissed following investigations into claims, Kevin Watkins, chief executive of Save the Children UK told MPs.

He added that 35 cases of sexual harassment were reported at Save the Children International last year.

In 2016, 193 cases were recorded which led to 53 full investigations, Sky News reported.

Twenty files were handed to police and 11 people were dismissed, he added.

Kevin Watkins speaking to MPs about sexual abuse allegations (AFP/Getty Images)
Kevin Watkins speaking to MPs about sexual abuse allegations (AFP/Getty Images)

Speaking as charity bosses were grilled following the scandal engulfing aid charity Oxfam, Mr Watkins said that his charity had produced two reports - dating back as far as 2002 - warning that "predatory men" were seeking to use aid work as an opportunity for abuse.

He told the committee: "What both reports highlighted is the role of powerful men as gatekeepers to food, shelter and security, and the fears and concerns of the people who they were there to serve, who felt threatened by them, unsafe and unprotected.

"What has come to light over the past few weeks cautions all of us against complacency."

Brendan Cox left his role at Save the Children over allegations of sexual harrassment (Neil Hall/Reuters)
Brendan Cox left his role at Save the Children over allegations of sexual harrassment (Neil Hall/Reuters)

Mr Watkins said: "I have seen it argued that if you work in a difficult and dangerous place, you should somehow be subjected to a different set of rules, that the standards should be lower.

"There is only one rule that should apply to our mission and our organisation. That is that you treat other people as you would expect to be treated yourself."

Save the Children has been pushing for an international humanitarian passport, which could be removed if aid workers breach rules.

However, Mr Watkins said the proposal has faced resistance on the grounds that it would be too complex to introduce and administer on a global basis.

He told the committee: "My short answer to that problem is to create one. This is clearly a complicated problem but the consequences of not dealing with it in human terms are utterly appalling, leaving aside the reputational affects for our agency. We absolutely have to tackle this."

Save the Children's director of child safeguarding Steve Reeves said that the likely scale of abuse was such that agencies should act on the assumption that it is taking place, even if proof of wrongdoing had not come to light.

"There is no doubt that there are people with a sexual interest in children who actively seek out the opportunity to work with children," Mr Reeves told the committee.

"It's a very considerable problem.

"We know there are large numbers of these people and we know they will seek access to organisations which appear to be weaker and work with children in regions where protections appear to be poorer."

The figures emerged days after Brendan Cox, widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, stepped down from his posts at More in Common and the Jo Cox Foundation amid a series of sexual harassment allegations.

Mr Cox admitted "inappropriate" behaviour while working for Save the Children but said some of the allegations against him were a "massive exaggeration". He conceded at time that he had at times "overstepped the line" and apologised for the "hurt and offence" caused.

The charity said the complaints against Mr Cox were investigated in accordance with its procedures. It said Mr Cox was suspended but that he resigned from his role as chief strategist before a disciplinary process was completed.

The Mail on Sunday published accusations, made by a former colleague while they both worked at charity Save the Children, in 2015.

Months later, it is alleged he forced himself on a woman during a trip to Harvard University in the US.

He said in a statement: "While I do not accept the allegations contained in the 2015 complaint to the police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I do acknowledge and understand that during my time at Save the Children I made mistakes and behaved in a way that caused some women hurt and offence.

"This was never malicious but it was certainly inappropriate.

"In the past I have focused on disputing what I felt was untrue in the allegations, but I realise now that it's more important to take full responsibility for what I have done.

"I am committed to holding myself to much higher standards of personal conduct in the future."