WHO Rapes Young Girls  WHO  Ebola health workers sexually abused women and girls

September 28, 2021 4:34pm 

 21 World Health Organization workers are accused of sexually abusing women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Aid workers fighting Congo’s Ebola outbreak were accused of raping girls as young as 13, forcing abortions and demanding sex in exchange for favors, .

The report, released Tuesday, identified 83 WHO employees accused of sexual abuse during the WHO’s 2018-20 mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo – including 21 workers confirmed to be on WHO’s payroll at the time.

The accused include Congolese and foreign workers, many of whom were temporary employees.

The findings come from the Independent Commission on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which launched a probe reviewing dozens of accusations in the wake of media investigations 

Administrators faced criticism after they were allegedly notified in writing of sex abuse accusations but didn’t take action to address the issues.

Four people were fired and two people put on leave in the wake of Tuesday’s report, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the Associated Press.

Tedros apologized to the victims and promised reforms in the UN health organization, for which he is seeking reelection to his post.

“What happened to you should never happen to anyone,” he said, according to Reuters. “It is inexcusable. It is my top priority to ensure that the perpetrators are not excused but are held to account.”

The commission investigated accusations of nine rapes, and accusers said their attackers often refused to use condoms which resulted in pregnancies. Six of the accusers told investigators they suffered miscarriages.