The recent allegations of sexual exploitation by some Oxfam aid workers initially focused on Haiti following the earthquake there in January 2010.
In the immediate aftermath, Oxfam announced that it would not bid for any new UK Government funding until the UK’s Department for International Development (“DFID”) was satisfied that it could meet the requisite standards.
Guernsey’s Commission then asked Oxfam to confirm if this position also included applications for funding from Guernsey, and Oxfam has now replied saying it will not be applying for Grant Aid Funding until at least 2020.
In a statement released on Thursday 22 February, Oxfam thanked the island for its generosity in the past:
“We are immensely thankful for the support the Guernsey Overseas Aid and Development Commission has provided Oxfam over the years – not just in humanitarian response but also the longer-term development programmes lifting people out of poverty for good.”
Oxfam said it intends that “significant progress will have been made on this matter” before it considers making funding applications again.
Pictured: File image of aid work delivered by Oxfam
In response, the Commission said it will “closely monitor the investigations undertaken by DFID and the Charity Commission, and the unfolding developments within this area, to determine what action may need to be taken in future.”
As an immediate response, the Commission said it is “introducing additional compliance checks for all charities who are awarded funding, to ensure that the recipient charities have in place appropriate safeguards to protect children and other vulnerable groups from all forms of exploitation and abuse.”
The Commission does not have any active award agreements with Oxfam currently, so the charity’s decision does not affect any development work that is ongoing at this time.