Lutheran World Federation investigates refugee abuse - World - Brief Article

National Catholic Reporter, May 3, 2002 by Gill Donovan

WEST AFRICA: Lutheran World Federation representatives have visited West Africa in response to allegations of sexual exploitation of refugee children and are preparing recommendations for how to address issues raised by a United Nations report.

The five-person team visited Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea over a two-week period in March. They were responding to a confidential report by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and Save the Children UK, on alleged sexual violence against and exploitation of refugee children in those countries by relief agency workers.

The team learned of a specific allegation against a now-concluded refugee education assistance project that was run in Liberia by Lutheran World Relief Department for World Service in partnership with the U.N. commission.

"In its recommendations, the [federation] team will point to steps that need to be taken to ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place, not only in West Africa but worldwide in all [Lutheran World Relief Department for World Service] field programs and emergency operations," the federation said in a statement.