The deputy chief executive of Oxfam resigned on Monday over the British charity's handling of a prostitution scandal in Haiti involving its staff members and allegations of similar behaviour in Chad. "As programme director at the time, I am ashamed that this happened on my watch and I take full responsibility," Penny Lawrence said in a statement.
Oxfam has faced severe criticism for a lack of transparency over misconduct allegations against staff members accused of using prostitutes in Haiti following a devastating 2010 earthquake. The charity has denied covering up the scandal.
Oxfam's chair of trustees Caroline Thomson and chief executive Mark Goldring had been called to explain themselves at a meeting earlier on Monday with International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt. The minister has threatened to cut government funding for the charity unless it shows "moral leadership".
Oxfam received £31.7 million (35.7 million euros, $43.8 million) from state coffers last year. The allegations centre around Roland van Hauwermeiren who was Oxfam's country director for Haiti and was previously the head of the charity's mission in Chad.
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