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Report reveals Oxfam's ‘toxic work environment’

OXFAM has a “toxic work environment” marked by “racism, colonial behaviour and bullying,” an internal report has revealed.

The British-based global poverty charity set up the independent commission on sexual misconduct, accountability and culture change in the wake of last year’s scandal over sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff in Haiti.

A lack of “robust policies and procedures” across the charity has also led to a culture in which such abuses could be misunderstood or go unaddressed, the commission said in its report published yesterday.

The commission heard from staff who raised concerns about elitism, racism and colonial behaviour, sexism, rigid hierarchies and patriarchy affecting relationships among Oxfam staff and between them and its partners and programme participants.

Staff were highly critical of both management behaviour and company procedures for dealing with issues, saying they were “deficient” and compromised staff morale at times.

“Oxfam’s values are printed on wall posters but not always understood or upheld in action — and sometimes are even contradicted,” the report said.

Oxfam International executive director Winnie Byanyima apologised to those who had experienced abuse from the organisation and pledged that cases would be followed up “as a matter of urgency.”

She said: “It is painfully clear that Oxfam is not immune from sexual and other forms of abuse that stem from the abuse of power.”

The commission is still gathering evidence before the full report is published in May.

NGO Safe Space co-founder Alexia Pepper de Caires said Oxfam was “not alone.”
 
She tweeted: “This is the story of many international charities, most are glad the spotlight is not on them. Yet. We will reveal it all, dismantle the harmful structures.”

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