Sexual harassment is a major problem for women who work at the African Union Commission (AUC), an internal investigation has found according to the BBC.
The BBC quotes the report as saying most of the victims are short-term staff, youth volunteers and interns looking for jobs.
Those responsible “position themselves as ‘gate-keepers’ and ‘king-makers'”, it added.
The inquiry was launched in May and all staff members who had a complaint were invited for a confidential interview.
The special committee was formed by the AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki, after an anonymous letter alerted him to the abuse.
The team found 44 cases of alleged sexual harassment and that young women were being “exploited for sex in exchange for jobs”.
The report did not name any of the alleged perpetrators.
Staff behind the harassment made “believable promises to young women that they will be offered contracts,” the report said.
Interviewees said reporting incidents of sexual harassment was often counterproductive as there was no process internally to do so because the AUC does not have a sexual harassment policy.
The team also found incidents of bribery, corruption, bullying, discrimination and intimidations
South Africa’s Mail & Guardian paper says the inquiry was established after it reported on a petition signed by 37 female members of AU staff complaining about sexual harassment at the commission.
The AU Commission, which has its headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, said that given the findings and serious allegations, it would establish “a comprehensive sexual harassment policy that protects the victims and takes the strongest punitive measures against any perpetrator”.
Mr. Faki would also form an internal committee to look into all the reported cases and make recommendations, a statement said.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.
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