Oxfam controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2021
Oxfam faces backlash over staff racial justice survey
Public backlash
In 2021, Oxfam faced public criticism over a racial justice survey distributed to its UK staff. According to the report, some workers objected to the survey, and social media users also criticized the charity. The report further stated that Oxfam had not yet commented on the matter at the time. The coverage centered on the internal survey and the negative reactions it drew from employees and online commentators, without detailing the survey's specific contents or any resulting organizational changes.
Source excerpt
While Oxfam has not yet commented on the survey, several social media users have questioned why the charity had let itself become “ and politicised”“ignored their mission” in the process.
Poverty charity Oxfam has drawn flak for imposing on its UK staff a “divisive” racial justice survey that rejects the idea of “reverse racism” and calls racism a “power construct” made by “white nations” to “benefit white people.”
2018
Sexual exploitation and safeguarding failures
Investigations and media reports concerning alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by former Oxfam personnel, particularly in Haiti, exposed weaknesses in safeguarding, management and reporting. The episode led to resignations, investigations, donor scrutiny and commitments to strengthen safeguarding systems across the organization.
2018
Oxfam faces fresh Haiti sexual misconduct allegations
Issue disclosure
A report published on March 17 alleged that Oxfam kept a senior aid worker in Haiti for more than a year despite harassment claims. Oxfam acknowledged past mistakes in handling the allegations and said it had introduced a whistleblowing hotline and new standards.
Company response
Apology — Oxfam
“We are very sorry for what happened.”
Ongoing disclosure — Oxfam
Oxfam said it had since introduced a confidential whistleblowing hotline and had this week announced new standards to improve referencing
Source excerpt
Oxfam faced fresh allegations of sexual misconduct by staff in Haiti, with a report on Saturday, March 17, claiming the charity kept a senior aid worker in the earthquake-hit country for over a year despite harassment claims.
“The behavior of some former Oxfam staff working in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake was completely unacceptable,” an Oxfam spokeswoman said in a statement.