Nepal: UN refugee agency clears three staff members accused of gross negligence

The United Nations refugee agency has cleared three staff members in charge of its Nepal programme of allegations of gross negligence in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of young women and children in refugee camps in the Himalayan kingdom.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) noted that the allegations against the three arose in a preliminary investigation of alleged sexual abuse, part of a multi-step process which also included a further rebuttal by the staff concerned, a legal analysis and a final review.

"The final review, which took into account the initial investigation as well as the arguments cited in the rebuttal and the legal analysis, revealed that there had been no wrongdoing on the part of the staff members, that no instructions had been wilfully disregarded, and that therefore the conduct of the staff members did not justify disciplinary action," UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told a news briefing in Geneva.