The World Food Programme clinched the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger and prevent it from being used as a weapon in conflict. It was hard won, with over 23,000 staffers in 120 nations grappling to alleviate the plight of millions struggling to find food amid ever-worsening crises.
But how does it handle internal crisis and conflicts? WFP was commended for its efforts after pledging to take “aggressive” action to combat sexual harassment following a 2018 staff survey that found 28 employees said they had experienced extreme sexual violence while working at the agency. Yet some staffers say it has not yet faced up to charges of institutional racism and ethnic discrimination within its ranks.
The 2021 WFP Global Staff Survey found that over 1,500 staff members, or 8% of those surveyed, said they had experienced racism during the last year, while another 12% said they had witnessed their colleagues being treated unfairly because of their race. Eight current and former staff members — who mostly spoke to Devex on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisal — said not much has changed.