Senior officers at the African Union Commission have been harassing young female staffers on contract for sex, an inquiry report has revealed.
A special committee commissioned in May by AUC chairman Moussa Faki to probe allegations of sexual harassment also reveals massive corruption and nepotism incidents.
The High-Level Committee chaired by AUC's Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security Bineta Diop states that youthful female volunteers and interns have also been targets of sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment by the victims' “supervisors” often happens during official missions away from work stations.
"It would appear that the vulnerability of this category of staff is exploited on account of their insecurity of tenure," reads part of the report released on Thursday.
AUC is based at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Diop-led HLC team points out lack of a policy against sexual harassment and abuse at AUC is to blame for the to the existence of the vice.
"Senior departmental staff, who position themselves as 'gate-keepers' and 'king-makers', are well-positioned to make believable promises to young women that they will be offered contracts, are the identified perpetrators of this vice," reads the report.
Faki commissioned the inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations leveled against the Commission through an anonymous letter in addition to fulfilling his pledge of getting rid of malpractices after taking over in March 2017.
The HLC during the inquiry interviewed 88 employees across all departments including senior officials and junior staff.
"Interviewees claim that these cases are not reported as this would be counter-productive to the victim because there is no sexual harassment policy in the Commission," reads the report.
"Therefore, no dedicated, effective redress and protection mechanism available to victims or whistle-blowers. According to interviewees, the young women are exploited for sex in exchange for jobs."
Senior male and female staff are also implicated in intimidation, bullying and harassing of junior employees.
Diop's team, thus, asks AUC to reinforce its zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment by developing comprehensive guidelines to protect victims and punish perpetrators heavily.
Some of serious graft practices rocking the Faki-led Commission, according to the findings are payments for services not offered and officers colluding to overcharge costs of goods and services for selfish gains.
The Commission is also implicated in nepotism and conflict of interest and favoritism in awarding tenders to suppliers.
"HLC concluded that human resources malpractices and irregularities include backlog in staff recruitment, seconded staff disadvantaged, management of youth volunteers and interns and lack of consistency in the implementation of rules relating to acting appointments," the report reads.
Other malpractices are continued extension of contracts of retirees which should be done in a limited way, shortlisting of applicants, gender discrimination in hiring, promotions, transfers and field deployment of employees.
The inquiry team recommends a review in the leadership structure of AUC, audit of employees in terms their competency and gender representation.
"Lifestyle audit to be carried out in order to detect any patent manifestation of unexplained income_ with the introduction as appropriate form of declaration of interest by procurement and human resource managers as a precondition for appointment," the team recommends.
The inquiry team asked Faki to set up an internal committee to ensure the recommendations are fully implemented in bid to reform the Commission.