(ConservativeHub.com) – Former President Donald Trump warned Americans not to trust World Health Organization (WHO) officials. He even took official steps to cut ties with the United Nations agency in 2020. Unfortunately, according to a disturbing new report, some of his concerns may have been justified.
On Tuesday, September 28, an Independent Commission of Inquiry appointed by the WHO to investigate sexual exploitation and abuse allegations in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 10th Ebola outbreak released its final report.
The report identified 21 WHO workers who allegedly perpetrated 84 instances of exploitation and abuse from August 2018 through the end of June 2020, with the majority occurring in 2019. Investigators believe the youngest victim, identified as “Jolianne” in the report, was only 13 years old.
BREAKING: @WHO staff took part in Congo sex abuse during Ebola crisis, report says.
WHO is "humbled, horrified and heartbroken" by the findings.
Some people at higher levels of WHO "were aware of what was going on and did not act", said the inquiry.https://t.co/8J91l9dwmI
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) September 29, 2021
Paula Donovan, the co-director of a campaign to end exploitation by aid workers, said the report was the largest finding of instances of abuse “perpetrated during a single UN initiative” in one country or region.
Several victims told investigators their attackers didn’t use any birth control, with the attacks leading to an indeterminate number of pregnancies. Some of them also reported their attackers forced them to procure abortions.
The Commission of Inquiry recommended the WHO take the necessary steps to make reparations to the victims, establish the paternity of any children using DNA testing, and allow the women to assert their legal rights and those of their children. It remains unclear if any of the perpetrators will face criminal prosecution.
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