#Metoo/#Aidtoo and Creating an Intersectional Feminist NPO/NGO Sector

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to explore the implications of #metoo and #aidtoo for understanding nonprofit/nongovernmental organization (NPO/NGO) theory and practice. We provide an overview of how women have experienced sexual violence in the context of NPOs/NGOs and draw on an intersectional feminist theory lens to highlight the context that enables violence to persist, and which requires more than implementing bureaucratic accountability reforms. We end by discussing potential avenues for creating change to end such violence.

In the spotlight: Rethinking NGO accountability in the #MeToo era

“…Despite the sectoral commitments to a rights-based approach and a no-harm policy (Darrow & Tomas, 2005), the enforcement of these principles has always been challenging due to sectoral diversity, reliance on local workforce, legislation breaches (Kelley & Mullen, 2006;O'Leary, 2017) and the limitations of available procedural mechanisms of accountability (Levin, 2003;Simić, 2010). The declared zero tolerance of misconduct, the hotlines and safeguarding systems, and the codes of conduct and training practices were unable to tackle impunity for power misuse amplified by the vulnerability of beneficiaries, cultural suppression and gender stereotyping (Gillespie et al, 2019;Inness & Barling, 2006). Ndulo (2009) emphasised the underreporting of sexual abuse in the sector thus: "victims … [felt] frightened and intimidated at the prospects of being confronted by investigators [and]… the … [fieldworkers did] not view the acts they engaged in as wrong or … fear … serious negative repercussions for their actions" (pp.…”

“…Eventually, the combined efforts of 'watchdog' organisations and the media stimulated several waves of public awareness of the issue in the 1990s and 2000s (Ndulo, 2009;Simić, 2010). However, once the issue was removed from the public eye and the sector was left to deal with the problem itself, the position deteriorated, making situational violence an inevitable outcome of power disparity in humanitarian activism (Al-Hussein, 2005;Csáky, 2008;Gillespie, Mirabella, & Eikenberry, 2019).…”

“…A new surge of attention to this issue has been triggered by massive disclosures in the midst of two nearly concurrent events: the investigation into the Oxfam Haiti mission misconduct (Bruno-van Vijfeijken, 2019) and the #MeToo social movement (Gillespie et al, 2019;Xiong, Cho, & Boatwright, 2019). In the digital era, hashtag activism added to the earlier discourses the first-hand testimonies of abuse survivors, who confronted the challenge of "standing in the public eye and speaking about an experience of assault" (Zarkov & Davis, 2018, p. 4).…”

Safeguarding Children in the Developing World—Beyond Intra-Organisational Policy and Self-Regulation

“…Perhaps most significant were the commitments made by 22 donors 4 3 The #MeToo movement started over a decade ago in the US as a grassroots effort to show support for survivors of sexual violence, particularly young women of colour from low socio-economic backgrounds, and gained near global prominence from 2017 when the #MeToo hashtag went viral. Women in the international aid sector used the hashtag #AidToo to bring attention to sexual violence within the sector (Gillespie et al 2019). 4 Australia, Austria, Belgium (Ministry of Development Cooperation), Canada, Denmark, Finland, France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France), Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan), Luxembourg (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs), Mexico (AMEXID), the Netherlands (Ministry for Foreign Trade designed to bring about four "long-term strategic shifts", namely: (i) ensuring support for survivors, victims and whistle-blowers, enhancing accountability and transparency, strengthening reporting and tackling impunity; (ii) incentivising cultural change through strong leadership, organisational accountability and better human resource processes; (iii) agreeing minimum standards and ensuring donors and their partners meet them; and (iv) strengthening organisational capacity and capability across the international aid sector, including building the capability of implementing partners to meet the minimum standards (Commitments Made by Donors to Tackle Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment in the International Aid Sector).…”

A Review of Sexual Harassment Prevention Practices: Toward a Nonprofit Research Agenda

“…Sexual harassment (SXH) in the workplace is a long-standing problem that the #MeToo movement has resurfaced. Despite its altruistic tendencies, recent allegations against 1 The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA high-profile nonprofit executives 1 indicate the nonprofit sector is not immune to SXH (Battaglio et al, 2018;Gillespie et al, 2019). Given the legal, organizational, and ethical implications of SXH in the workplace, it is imperative that nonprofits are equipped to prevent its occurrence and properly address complaints.…”