Women working in the humanitarian aid sector are backing urgent and widespread reforms to halt the sexual exploitation of vulnerable people in crisis areas.
Reports in the UN-backed Voices from Syria 2018 telling of abuse prompted UAE charity workers to use International Women's Day to bring about change.
More women appointed to high-ranking positions would help reforms, they said.
A lack of women working in senior positions and delivering aid is making the problem worse, according to Sarah Brook, 28, who has spent seven years building the Sparkle Malawi foundation to develop a community project working with orphans and school there.
“Sexual harassment is occurring everywhere we look today, but there are certain sectors that are more exposed, specifically those dealing with vulnerable people,” said Ms Brook, who was named 2017 humanitarian of the year at the World of Women Film Fair awards in Dubai.
"We need to tackle the root causes of these endemic problems. This starts by encouraging more women to get involved in the charity sector and be positioned in these developing countries. How many of these cases involve women as the perpetrator?"
Since examples of sexual exploitation by aid workers were exposed last month, UK charity watchdog the Charity Commission has received safeguarding incident reports from 26 charities.
So far, charities have admitted to the UK’s Department
for International Development that 80 more sexual harassment cases are being investigated.
“As chief executive of a small charity I have seen and experienced first-hand sexual harassment and assault,” Ms Brook said. “People are discouraged from complaining. Some of my own community members in Malawi did not think even rape was wrong.
“In a male-dominated industry, there is a common fear that if people speak the truth, the reputational damage to agencies will lead to a loss of funding.”
A fully independent regulator to carry out spot checks on charities and aid organisations is one suggested way to help clean up the sector, along with a clear line of reporting for misconduct concerns.
One refugee camp showing good practice, according to the head of a UAE cancer charity, is the Emirati-Jordanian Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp.
Nora Al Suwaidi, director general of the Cancer Patient Care Society – Rahma in Abu Dhabi, recently visited the camp for Syrians fleeing the civil war.
“The kids seemed happy and well behaved, it was my first visit to a camp like this,” she said.
"It was mainly men who were delivering help at the camp. Apparently there are women working with the Emirates Red Crescent, but they were not there during our visit."
In another area, the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan, half of the population is comprised of women and girls, yet 76 per cent of cash-for-work opportunities targeted men before a UN Women's intervention.
UN Women has since designed a female-focused cash-for-work programme as part of its Oasis safe spaces.
It is now the largest female-focused cash-for-work programme in Za’atari camp, where 87 per cent of those reached are women. “Mothers and women are the teachers in communities,” Ms Al Suwaidi said.
“If more women are there to address these communities and in positions of responsibility, we will see more progression in culture and well-being.”
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Read more:
Aid organisations facing financial crisis make funding plea at Dubai conference
Syrian women 'sexually exploited for aid', UN report
Britain calls for reform of global humanitarian aid system
_________________
According to UN Women, about 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, and gender-based violence increases in conflict settings.
More than 70 per cent of women in some crisis settings have suffered gender-based violence.
Former Costa Rica ambassador to the UN, Laura Thompson, now deputy director general of the International Organisation for Migration, said aid organisations do not have access to the intelligence required to check the background of every aid worker.
“Very often in emergencies you need a surge of people and you do not have the time to do the necessary checks,” she said. “It needs to be approached differently, with people on lists available to help in emergency situations who have been previously checked.
“We are all absolutely committed to eliminating this type of behaviour, but we have to be realistic – you cannot avoid some of these people entering aid organisations for the wrong reasons,” Ms Thompson said.
“Protection of whistle blowers is important, but you have to create an environment in which these behaviours are totally unacceptable.
“The majority of aid organisations, like mine, have internal justice systems that are extremely cumbersome.”
The UN Population Fund said women and girls face a significantly increased risk of unwanted pregnancy, gender-based violence, STIs and maternal mortality during conflict and displacement. Ms Thompson would like to see more women in senior roles in the sector, but admits it is a wider reflection of society.
“Humanitarian aid is traditionally a male-orientated field,” she said.
“There is a certain reluctance from women to take up these roles. A male circle is difficult to break – but that is the same for many industries.
“Women are willing to take the same risks as men, they are just as committed.
“The problem arises when experienced women start families, leaving a generation gap of women who should be going for senior positions.
“Organisations need to look at the make-up of selection panels. Like men, women can be extremely professional, but also extremely human.
“Refugee camps are very male-orientated environments. There is a big advantage in the contribution women make, but very often they are operating under a man.”
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
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Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The%20specs%3A%202024%20Panamera
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
SPECS
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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Available: Now
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RESULTS
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Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
