wfn.org | LWF Statement on Sexual Exploitation of Refugee Children

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Statement from the Lutheran World Federation Concerning Sexual
Exploitation of Refugee Children in West Africa

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is deeply disturbed by
testimonies in a report on sexual violence and exploitation of
refugee children in three West African countries.

The LWF condemns all forms of sexual abuse.

The report, a synopsis of which has been made available publicly,
is based on a joint assessment mission to Liberia, Sierra Leone
and Guinea by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees -
UNHCR and Save the Children UK.

The LWF is appalled at allegations contained in the report of
sexual violence and exploitation of children by, among others,
humanitarian aid workers.

The LWF condemns any incident of sexual violence and exploitation,
particularly when it occurs at the hands of people who provide
humanitarian aid and are charged with protection of vulnerable
groups.

The LWF is sending an assessment team to the region to thoroughly
investigate the reported allegations of sexual exploitation.

Through its Department for World Service (DWS), the LWF provides
relief, rehabilitation and development assistance to people in
need including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
worldwide. LWF/DWS assistance to refugees and IDPs in Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Guinea includes food, shelter, medical aid and
trauma counseling. Other activities are school reconstruction and
community involvement in peace building and reconciliation.

Geneva, 28  February 2002

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 133 member churches in 73 countries representing over 60.5
million of the 64.3 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human
rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and
development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted,
material presented does not represent positions or opinions of the
LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an article
contains the notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced
with acknowledgment.]

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