The Department for International Development (DFID) was plunged into the sexual misconduct scandal sweeping across the aid industry today after it emerged that up to four of its staff were reported for harassment last year, following questions from Christian Today.
The Evening Standard today reported that the overseas aid minister Harriett Baldwin admitted in a parliamentary answer that 'under five' staff were formally reported for sexual harassment in 2017.
However, this website first questioned DFID about whether any of its staff had been reported or investigated for sexual misconduct more than two weeks ago, on February 13.
The following week, the International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt announced in the House of Commons that she had ordered a review to identify the full scale of 'locally reported allegations of sexually misconduct' against DFID staff and its partners delivering aid to some of the world's poorest countries.
On the fresh revelations, the department declined to give a more precise figure as the review seeks establish the full facts and number of cases, which could rise, and whether staff facing allegations are based overseas or in Whitehall, the Evening Standard reported.
Some of the claims are believed to be against staff when working abroad, according to the Standard.
A DFID spokesperson told Christian Today a review into locally reported allegations against its staff should be completed next week.
Baldwin said: 'DFID's standards of conduct set out the ethical behaviours and controls required in our day to day work to incorporate the key principles based on the UN's code on sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian crises.'
She added that there is a confidential email address for staff to use, with 'under five' cases of staff formally reported for sexual harassment last year.
A Labour spokesperson said: 'In light of the sexual harassment scandal in aid agencies, it's important we also have transparency in relation to these cases of sexual harassment inside a key government department.'
