RASHIDA: It is another hot and sunny day in the camp. There is a long line of people waiting for the LPG (liquid petroleum gas) distribution. Razia is one of those waiting. She has been queuing for a long time. She does not have an umbrella to protect herself from the sun. She is worried. She cares for her siblings and has left them at their shelter alone. Hakim Ali is a field officer. He notices Razia.

HAKIM ALI: Assalamu Alaykum sister. How are you? It sure is hot today. You should be protecting yourself with an umbrella. You don’t want people to see how beautiful you are.

RASHIDA: Razia lowers her head. She feels ashamed hearing such a comment.

HAKIM ALI: Oh, come on. You are so uptight. It was just a compliment, you ladies like them, no?

RASHIDA: Razia doesn’t answer. Hakim Ali bids her farewell and goes towards his office.

RASHIDA: Later he returns with an umbrella and gives it to Razia.

HAKIM ALI: Here you are. Now you can protect yourself from this sun.

RASHIDA: Hot and exhausted, Razia accepts the umbrella.

RAZIA: Thank you.

HAKIM ALI: You are welcome sister. Please, let me help you. I am the big boss here. I can ensure you are treated well. You don’t need to wait in line. Come with me and I will give you your gas myself.

RASHIDA: Razia does not know what to do, but she is tired, and she has been waiting in a line for hours. It is almost time for lunch, her siblings are waiting for her to return home.

RASHIDA: She follows Hakim Ali to the front of the line. He hands her the LPG and smiles.

HAKIM ALI: Next time there is a distribution I will call you personally and will allow you to jump ahead of the line. Give me your number and I will make sure you won’t have to wait anymore.

RASHIDA: Seeing a breakthrough, Razia gives Hakim Ali her phone number then leaves with the LPG towards her shelter.

RASHIDA: That evening Razia meets with her friend Sultana. Sultana has just finished a session on GBV (Gender Based Violence) at the Women and Girl’s Safe Space. She tells Razia.

SULTANA: You should join the sessions. You could learn a lot. There is space to leave the kids as well.

RASHIDA: Suddenly Razia’s phone rings. Hakim Ali is calling. She becomes very uncomfortable.

HAKIM ALI: Assalamu Alaykum sister. How are you? I’m calling to know if you are well. I hope you arrived at your shelter safely. I can come and assist if you need any help with the gas.

RAZIA: Thank you bhai. All is well. I am safe. I do not need any help thanks.

HAKIM ALI: OK then. See you soon. Bye.

RASHIDA: Sultana overheard the call.

SULTANA: Razia, I do not think this is appropriate.

RAZIA: Oh no, he was just being kind. We met this morning at the distribution.

He is the boss there. He told me he can help me to skip the line and not to wait anymore.

SULTANA: I believe this is not right Razia. I am sorry but he should treat everyone fairly. Haven’t you heard people going around the camp saying that humanitarian aid is free?

RAZIA: But he hasn’t asked me for anything. He just wanted to help.

SULTANA: He has your phone number; he did ask for something…and he was willing to come over to the shelter to help you with the gas. Razia, I understand you are doing a lot for your family, but that man can only bring harm to you, not good.

RASHIDA: The friends say goodbye. Razia is left alone thinking about what Sultana said.

RASHIDA: Over the following days her phone rings very often. It is always Hakim Ali. He is now insisting on meeting. Razia gets worried. She can no longer find excuses to avoid him. She worries he might show up at her shelter. Razia and Sultana meet again. As they are chatting, her phone rings.

RAZIA: Ugh! Hakim Ali again! I cannot keep this up anymore. He keeps calling me. I am afraid if I don’t see him, I will no longer get what I need for my siblings and I to survive.

SULTANA: My dear friend, this is terrible. Something needs to be done. There is a woman at the Women and Girl’s Safe Space you should talk to.

RASHIDA: That is when Sultana told Razia about me.

RAZIA: I am afraid if I talk about it, everyone in the whole community will find out. They will definitely treat me badly.

SULTANA: Don’t worry my friend. I will introduce you to Rashida. She is a good woman, and I trust her. She keeps things to herself. She has helped many women. She will let you know what you can do and how you can get support. Remember the messages in the camp which say: ‘If you encounter a humanitarian worker who behaves badly you should report them to someone you trust’. I trust Rashida.

RASHIDA: Sultana convinces Razia to come to the WGSS and meet with me. I listen carefully to her story.

RASHIDA: Thank you for sharing your story with me. I believe you. It is a difficult and inappropriate situation. I understand you must feel scared. This behaviour is totally unacceptable coming from a humanitarian worker. I must report this situation. I will tell this story to the PSEA Focal point. The Focal Point cannot share any information with anyone except the investigation team that will initiate an investigation of the incident.

RASHIDA: Razia is understandably scared. Thankfully, Sultana is there with her, holding her hand.

RASHIDA: Don’t worry Razia, I will not mention your name if you do not feel comfortable. But please Razia, tell me how can I support you?

RASHIDA: Razia wasn’t sure what to say, but she did ask for a follow up meeting.

RASHIDA: A few days later she returns to meet with me. She happily tells me that the phone calls have stopped, and that she has not seen Hakim Ali as she passed by the site.

RASHIDA: Hakim Ali is fired from the organisation and no longer works in the camp. I am so very thankful we can provide Razia, and others like her, the help and protection they need

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You were probably concerned for Razia as she is potentially being targeted by Hakim Ali for future abuse. There is also concern for the wider community since they are not being treated fairly if others are being given preferential treatment. Using the IASC PSEA 6 Core Principles, it is clear that even when the formation of a relationship may seem consensual on the face it, that does not necessarily mean this, especially where there is coercion and manipulation employed.

Aid workers must remember that they are in positions of power and must be very careful not to abuse the trust that has been given to them. In this case study, Hakim Ali was in breach of Principles 3, 4 and 6 of the IASC PSEA standards, which prohibit aid workers from using humiliating behaviour and trying to form sexual relationships with beneficiaries in exchange for services that they already have a right to.

The breach of the IASC Principles and similar standards (when incorporated into his organisational code of conduct) has meant that Hakim Ali has been summarily dismissed from his job in accordance with Principle 1. His misbehaviour could even amount to violations under national law for assault and/or sexual harassment.

Sultana knew that Hakim Ali’s conduct was inappropriate as she had attended Gender-based Violence (GBV) sessions run by the organisation. Fortunately, she accompanied and supported Razia to report her concerns to the GBV facilitator, which were listened to and taken seriously.

Razia was also assured that the matter would be investigated confidentially, and that her identity would not be revealed, thereby reducing any risk of further harm to her.