The International Development Committee has published its report on sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector.
Commenting, an ActionAid spokesperson said: “We welcome this comprehensive report, and the focus on improving standards across the not-for-profit sector. We are strongly supportive of the emphasis on listening to the voices of survivors, pursuing perpetrators and increasing accountability mechanisms for beneficiaries.
“We know that no-one is immune to this behaviour. Therefore, it is essential that together we create an environment in which people feel safe to report incidents that in any way make them feel uncomfortable or threatened, and confident that our safeguarding policies will be there to protect and support them.
“We are strongly committed to continuous improvement in our own safeguarding policies to support beneficiaries and staff but will also continue to advocate for a multi-faceted approach where donors, government and agencies work together to maintain this momentum and ensure progress.
“The report rightly highlights the extent to which sexual abuse and harassment is rooted in a systemic power imbalance which exacerbates global gender inequality. This is why ActionAid put the voices of women and girls at the centre of everything we do. We want to see a future where women and girls, regardless of where they’re born, have an equal voice and can claim their rights. In the countries where we work, our local community-based staff work directly with women and girls to listen to their needs and provide them with the tools and skills to help themselves.
“It is essential that we continue to be transparent and accountable to the communities where we work, inspire confidence in those who so generously support our work with women and girls living in the world’s poorest places, and help change lives for good.”