40 unnamed agencies cited in report on sexual abuse of refugee children.

GENEVA -- An independent team is investigating allegations of widespread sexual abuse of children by aid workers in West African refugee camps.

Non-governmental international aid agencies and African diplomats were highly critical of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Save the Children U.K., because they had the report in December but did not reveal the problem until recently, They were also critical of the failure to name the agencies involved. (It is not known if any Canadian agencies are listed.)

A preliminary report outlined accusation from children against 67 aid workers from more than 40 agencies, including UN peacekeepers and community leaders. The children mainly girls, in refugee camps in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone said they traded sexual favours for shelter, education and medicine.

A preliminary report was leaked ahead of the official release in late February because of the disturbing nature of the allegations and the apparent scope of the problem, said a UNHCR spokesperson.

The report said most of the allegations concerned male national staff who traded humanitarian commodities and services for sex with girls under 18.

Save the Children immediately fired one employee and two volunteers. Some aid workers said the abuse was well known but consistently covered up by senior staff.

International Council of Voluntary Agencies said "Without being informed as to whether or not our agencies are named or not in the report, these agencies are unable to take some of the responsible management decisions that are urgently needed."

UNHR has said providing the names of the accused could put child victims still living in refugee camps at risk. Both organizations have developed a set of measures including employing more female staff, establishing a complaints procedure for refugees and identifying refugee girls who are most vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

According to a UPI report, one humanitarian official was cynical and said the "fate of victims is given less weight by UNHR than concerns over legal liability."