Doctors Without Resorts/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched an internal investigation in 2024 that uncovered 59 allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation by local and foreign staff operating along the Sudanese border in Chad, according to a confidential internal memo obtained by The Associated Press and reported by Arab News. The months-long inquiry found that staff members traded food, water, milk, and jobs for sex with vulnerable refugees, in some cases targeting underage girls.
Findings of the Internal MSF Investigation in Chad
According to findings cited by Arab News, the organization documented 59 separate allegations spanning sexual harassment, coercion, and exploitation. Investigators found that community leaders in one camp had to implement a curfew to prevent young girls from visiting MSF staff quarters, while workers were observed actively searching for minors.
Out of the total allegations reviewed, MSF dismissed 18 staff members and barred them from future employment with the aid group. However, the organization noted that certain perpetrators could not be identified or verified due to the rapid movement of people and the sheer scale of the humanitarian emergency. The internal document characterized some of the repeated exploitation as potentially indicative of organized sexual trafficking.
Humanitarian Power Imbalances and Institutional Response
The investigation was initiated in the fall of 2024 following reporting by The Associated Press, which the internal memo credited as playing a fundamental role as an external whistleblower. In a written response, MSF described the document as a candid internal analysis that laid out systemic failures, noting that operations in crisis zones create severe power imbalances between dependent populations and aid workers.
MSF stated that the misconduct represented a profound breach of its institutional values and responsibilities. While the group noted that it had previously allocated extra resources to combat abuse in Chad, the findings suggested that the reported incidents likely only scratch the surface of a broader issue, as many affected women remained hesitant to speak out openly.
Corrective Measures Implemented by MSF
Following the conclusion of the investigation, MSF reported that it has strengthened several administrative and operational safeguards. These updates include more rigorous recruitment protocols, thorough reference checks, and overhauled complaint systems designed to protect individuals in displacement camps.
Despite these internal reforms, the organization acknowledged that significant work remains to ensure lasting institutional change and to protect vulnerable populations relying on humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad.