UNAIDS deputy chief to step down after sex assault accusation

The deputy head of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Luiz Loures, says he will not seek to renew his term in office although he was cleared of a sexual harassment allegation.

Loures "has communicated his wish to the UNAIDS executive director not to seek the renewal of his position," the agency said in a statement on Friday.

It added that the Brazilian national "will end his term as deputy executive director at the end of March 2018."

The UNAIDS executive director, Michel Sidibé, has accepted the decision and conveyed it to the Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres.

A formal complaint was brought against Loures in November 2016 by a female employee, who claimed that she has been sexually harassed on multiple occasions beginning in 2011 and assaulted her in a lift in 2015.

However, Loures was cleared of any wrongdoing by the internal probe conducted by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Office of Internal Oversight Services (IOS) which said there was insufficient evidence to support the woman's claims.

Loures also told IOS that he had a graphic sexual conversation with his accuser on the night in question; however, the woman strongly rejected the claim while investigators also queried, according to the IOS findings seen by AFP.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, UNAIDS spokesman Mahesh Mahalingam said Loures's decision had no connection to the allegations against him based on the findings of the internal UN probe.

“The independent investigation done by the WHO’s internal oversight services division clearly found that the case was unsubstantiated and recommended the case to be closed,” Mahalingam said.

"Dr. Loures has had a long and distinguished service of 22 years at UNAIDS," he said, adding, "He clearly feels that this is the time for him to move on."

According to the internal United Nations investigation, Sidibe mishandled the sexual assault complaint against his top deputy.

PressTV-UN criticizes agency chief over sex scandal case

The executive director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe, mishandled a sexual assault complaint against his top deputy, according to an internal United Nations investigation.

The IOS "found it perplexing that Dr. Sidibe stated that he approached (the accuser) in an attempt to resolve the matter informally, given the Dr. Sidibe was aware at the time that the matter was under official investigation by IOS", the internal report said.

Loures made his decision to resign a day after Justin Forsyth, deputy director of the UN Children’s Fund, stepped down following complaints of inappropriate behavior towards female staff in his previous post as head of British charity Save The Children.

UNICEF chief's allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were made during the last three months of 2017 against UN peacekeeping missions, agencies, funds and programs as well as implementing partners, the United Nations said on Thursday.

Forsyth said he decided to resign because he did not want coverage of his past mistakes to damage UNICEF.

UN staffs have reportedly claimed that sexual harassment is widespread and there is a culture of impunity for the perpetrators at United Nations offices around the world.

PressTV-Sexual abuse rife at UN offices, staffers claim

Sexual harassment is widespread and there is a culture of impunity for the perpetrators at United Nations offices around the world, staffers at the world body have reportedly claimed.

On January 19, The Guardian reported the results of an investigation it carried out by interviewing dozens of current and former UN employees working in more than 10 countries.

Fifteen of those questioned said they had experienced or reported sexual harassment or assault within the past five years. The alleged offences ranged from verbal harassment to rape.

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