Red Cross workers caught up in charity sexual misconduct scandal
More than 20 Red Cross workers were fired or quit following allegations of sexual misconduct, the charity has confirmed.
In a statement, it said it was "deeply saddened" and admitted it should have been "more vigilant" in preventing the behaviour happening in the first place.
In a statement to staff, International Committe of the Red Cross director-general Yves Daccord said 21 members of staff were either dismissed for paying for sexual services or resigned during an internal inquiry.
A further two workers did not have their contracts renewed.
It comes as almost two dozen charities including Oxfam GB signed an open letter pledging to boost safeguarding, and calling on whistleblowers to report unacceptable behaviour.
The letter, published on the Huffington Post, comes a day after Oxfam GB was temporarily suspended in Haiti pending an investigation into the charity's handling of an investigation into former staff paying sex workers.
Other charities to sign include Save the Children UK, UNICEF UK, Muslim Aid, CAFOD, Christian Aid, and WaterAid.
"Safeguarding is something that, as a sector, we have long taken very seriously and all our organisations have systems in place to prevent all forms of abuse and misconduct. However, we can never be complacent," the letter says.
"We must do even more to protect the very people we were set up to help."We will all increase the resources we devote to safeguarding - meeting our responsibility to protect our staff and beneficiaries."
It adds: "We are truly sorry that at times our sector has failed. We must and will do better."
The letter goes on to vow a collective review of their systems to ensure that anybody who is caught misbehaving or abusing power cannot be re-employed in the sector.
Meanwhile, Plan International UK - which is among the 22 charities to sign - said it had found six confirmed cases of sexual abuse and exploitation of children by staff, volunteers or partner organisations, dated between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2017.
In the blog post, the charity said in the same time period there had been nine confirmed incidents of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct by staff against other adults, which resulted in seven dismissals.
The other two workers, who had used "inappropriate language", were given a warning.
"The painful but important truth to acknowledge is that sometimes things can go wrong," it said.
"When they do, we are deeply sorry."