UN deputy resigns over allegations of sexual misconduct

Justin Forsyth, the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) deputy director has stepped down from his post over sexual misconduct allegations levelled against him.

Moments after throwing in the towel, Forsyth said he made the decision because he doesn’t want the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him to “damage” the agency’s work.

According to Forsyth in a statement, the decision to step down from his UNICEF role was not because of “mistakes” made while head of UK-based charity Save the Children.

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Forsyth said on Thursday the cases had been dealt with “through a proper process many years ago”.

“I apologised unreservedly at the time and face to face. I apologise again. There is no doubt in my mind that some of the coverage around me is not just to – rightly – hold me to account, but also to attempt to do serious damage to our cause and the case for aid,” he said.

Forsyth had been accused by female colleagues who worked with him at Save the Children initiative raising complainst against him in 2011 and 2015, alleging he had sent inappropriate text messages and commented

 

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