Oxfam GB’s board has announced an independent review of its own processes following the departure of former chief executive Halima Begum, as scrutiny intensifies over governance, transparency, and how allegations were handled at one of the U.K.’s largest aid charities.
In a statement released on Jan. 9, Oxfam said the review will be led by a “senior external lawyer” and will be overseen by trustees on the charity’s governance committee, with fact-finding conducted independently. Oxfam said the review will not revisit the board’s decision to end Begum’s employment, but will “establish an accurate picture of events.”
But a senior Oxfam source who was interviewed as part of the all review by employment investigation firm Howlett Brown — which led to Begum’s departure — questioned whether the new review would be sufficient to rebuild confidence internally.