Sexual Harassment And Exploitation Of Aid Workers During Congo's Ebola Outbreak: 14-Year-Old Girl Raped Into Childbirth

JAKARTA - More than 80 aid workers, including some employed by the World Health Organization (WHO), are suspected of involvement in sexual harassment and exploitation during the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an independent commission said on Tuesday.

The probe was prompted by an investigation last year by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The New Humanitarian, in which more than 50 women accused aid workers from WHO and other charities of demanding sex in exchange for work between 2018-2020.

Many of the male perpetrators refused to use condoms and 29 of the women became pregnant and some were forced to have an abortion later, he added.

A 14-year-old girl whose name was disguised as 'Jolianne' in the report told the commission she was selling phone recharge cards on the roadside in April 2019 in Mangina, Congo when a WHO driver offered her a ride home.

Instead of being driven home, the driver took her to a hotel where she said she was raped and gave birth to her child.

Meanwhile, some already employed women told the review team they continued to be sexually harassed by men in supervisory positions who forced them to have sex to keep their jobs, get paid, or get better positions.

Others said they had been laid off for refusing to have sex, while others did not get the job they wanted despite having agreed (to have sex).

"The victim is allegedly not provided with the necessary support and assistance for such a degrading experience," the report said, citing Reuters September 29.

Separately, deputy head of investigations Aïchatou Mindaoudou said there was "no overlap" between the victims who testified in media reports last year and those interviewed, admitting this could point to a bigger problem.

Some people at higher levels of the WHO were "aware of what was going on and didn't act", he added.

In June last year, the Congolese government announced the end of a two-year Ebola outbreak that killed more than 2.200 people, the second-largest outbreak since the virus was identified in 1976.

Congo and other aid agencies have also promised an investigation into sexual abuse. Meanwhile, Congo's Minister of Human Rights could not immediately be reached for comment.

Previously, a total of 83 suspects, 21 of whom were employed by the WHO, were suspected of a number of sexual harassment and exploitation offenses, including nine counts of rape, perpetrated by national and international staff.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has vowed a zero-tolerance for sexual harassment, said the report made a "terrible reading" and apologized to the victims.

"What happened to you should never happen to anyone. It is unforgivable. My top priority is to ensure that the perpetrators are not forgiven, but held accountably," he said, promising further steps including a thorough reform of the structure and our culture."

Separately, Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti said the WHO was ashamed, afraid and saddened by the findings. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also apologized and thanked the victims for their courage to testify.