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| British MP among men alleging harassment by senior UN adviser | British MP among men alleging harassment by senior UN adviser |
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| A British MP who claims he was harassed by a UN official under investigation for sexual misconduct, says Ravi Karkara should never have been given a senior adviser role working with young people because concerns had already been raised about his behaviour. | A British MP who claims he was harassed by a UN official under investigation for sexual misconduct, says Ravi Karkara should never have been given a senior adviser role working with young people because concerns had already been raised about his behaviour. |
| Lloyd Russell-Moyle worked with Karkara during his time as vice-president of the European Youth Forum and later as chair of a UN Major Group for Children and Youth, before he was elected as Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown in 2017. | Lloyd Russell-Moyle worked with Karkara during his time as vice-president of the European Youth Forum and later as chair of a UN Major Group for Children and Youth, before he was elected as Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown in 2017. |
| The 31-year-old, who is a member of the UK’s international development committee, which last month published a report into sex abuse in the aid sector, claims Karkara sent him “penis pictures” on a dating app and bombarded him with messages. | The 31-year-old, who is a member of the UK’s international development committee, which last month published a report into sex abuse in the aid sector, claims Karkara sent him “penis pictures” on a dating app and bombarded him with messages. |
| The news comes amid fresh allegations made to the Guardian by two young Pakistani activists who claim they became victims of cyber bullying and sexual harassment after meeting Karkara on social media. | The news comes amid fresh allegations made to the Guardian by two young Pakistani activists who claim they became victims of cyber bullying and sexual harassment after meeting Karkara on social media. |
| Last year, Karkara was suspended from UN Women, where he was responsible for promoting gender equality, after a number of young men including policy advocate Steve Lee, accused him of sexual abuse. | Last year, Karkara was suspended from UN Women, where he was responsible for promoting gender equality, after a number of young men including policy advocate Steve Lee, accused him of sexual abuse. |
| But it was while Karkara was still working for another UN agency – UN-Habitat – that Russell-Moyle says he complained to his managers about a pattern of manipulating behaviour. | But it was while Karkara was still working for another UN agency – UN-Habitat – that Russell-Moyle says he complained to his managers about a pattern of manipulating behaviour. |
| Russell-Moyle told the Guardian: “He was always a bully and used his power to intimidate young people. | Russell-Moyle told the Guardian: “He was always a bully and used his power to intimidate young people. |
| “The reality is that he should never have been hired by UN Women. He was a mid-ranking member of staff on a consultancy in Habitat – there was too little oversight and so he was able to abuse his power,” he said. | “The reality is that he should never have been hired by UN Women. He was a mid-ranking member of staff on a consultancy in Habitat – there was too little oversight and so he was able to abuse his power,” he said. |
| “During that time he sent me penis pictures on the dating app Grinder and bombarded me with WhatsApp messages. Whilst this was unsolicited I was a 25-year-old adult and I don’t really think it’s a problem on a dating site. | “During that time he sent me penis pictures on the dating app Grinder and bombarded me with WhatsApp messages. Whilst this was unsolicited I was a 25-year-old adult and I don’t really think it’s a problem on a dating site. |
| “What is a problem is that he would also send messages linked to those pictures about the work of the UN, telling me to ‘be a good boy’, accusing me of letting down young people and needing to make it up to him by pleasing him. That bullying and threatening tone was very common.” | “What is a problem is that he would also send messages linked to those pictures about the work of the UN, telling me to ‘be a good boy’, accusing me of letting down young people and needing to make it up to him by pleasing him. That bullying and threatening tone was very common.” |
| The MP says he complained to Karkara’s managers at UN Habitat in 2013/2014, in the belief that he was trying to block his European youth organisation through intimidating behaviour. | The MP says he complained to Karkara’s managers at UN Habitat in 2013/2014, in the belief that he was trying to block his European youth organisation through intimidating behaviour. |
| His successor at the UN major group, Aashish Khullar, also reported Karkara after young people in the organisation complained of abuse. | His successor at the UN major group, Aashish Khullar, also reported Karkara after young people in the organisation complained of abuse. |
| Khullar, who first met Karkara in 2012, said: “Everybody knew the guy was a creep. There were always issues with Ravi from day one. This manipulating behaviour and harassment was his modus operandi.” | Khullar, who first met Karkara in 2012, said: “Everybody knew the guy was a creep. There were always issues with Ravi from day one. This manipulating behaviour and harassment was his modus operandi.” |
| He added: “If robust processes had been in place then action should have been taken earlier and Ravi removed from UN-Habitat. People complained, including Lloyd, but no action was taken. The whole perception was he was probably bringing in money and getting publicity so nobody cared.” | He added: “If robust processes had been in place then action should have been taken earlier and Ravi removed from UN-Habitat. People complained, including Lloyd, but no action was taken. The whole perception was he was probably bringing in money and getting publicity so nobody cared.” |
| Based in Nairobi, UN-Habitat probably lacked the capacity for day-to-day oversight of Karkara, who was based in New York, according to Khullar. | Based in Nairobi, UN-Habitat probably lacked the capacity for day-to-day oversight of Karkara, who was based in New York, according to Khullar. |
| Khullar said he spoke to seven young men between the ages of 21 and 26 who alleged they were sexually harassed by Ravi. | Khullar said he spoke to seven young men between the ages of 21 and 26 who alleged they were sexually harassed by Ravi. |
| Another source said Karkara was not being monitored and the door of his UN-Habitat office was removed because there were complaints of harassment – sexual and non-sexual – in his office with the door closed. | Another source said Karkara was not being monitored and the door of his UN-Habitat office was removed because there were complaints of harassment – sexual and non-sexual – in his office with the door closed. |
| Since the initial revelations, two more young men have come forward and alleged to the Guardian that they were sexually harassed by Karkara. | Since the initial revelations, two more young men have come forward and alleged to the Guardian that they were sexually harassed by Karkara. |
| Former youth activist, Muhammad Junaid Mandoori, 26, said he was harassed online for two years after the connected on Twitter in 2015. | Former youth activist, Muhammad Junaid Mandoori, 26, said he was harassed online for two years after the connected on Twitter in 2015. |
| “Ravi added me to this youth for gender equality group on email and WhatsApp – linking me to people all over the world doing great work. | “Ravi added me to this youth for gender equality group on email and WhatsApp – linking me to people all over the world doing great work. |
| “But then he started sending me love emojis, messages telling me I was ‘cute’ and ‘handsome’, that Pakistan was not for me and that I should go to New York,” he said. | “But then he started sending me love emojis, messages telling me I was ‘cute’ and ‘handsome’, that Pakistan was not for me and that I should go to New York,” he said. |
| “He sent me every tweet he posted asking me to retweet. He would bombard me with messages of a sexual nature and invite me to masturbate. I tried to tell him indirectly to stop but I didn’t want to be kicked out of the group and denied opportunities.” | “He sent me every tweet he posted asking me to retweet. He would bombard me with messages of a sexual nature and invite me to masturbate. I tried to tell him indirectly to stop but I didn’t want to be kicked out of the group and denied opportunities.” |
| Mandoori, who now works for a pharmaceutical firm in Dubai, said Karkara was partly responsible for him becoming disillusioned with his youth work. | Mandoori, who now works for a pharmaceutical firm in Dubai, said Karkara was partly responsible for him becoming disillusioned with his youth work. |
| “I left social activism because of Ravi’s behaviour. He was showing the world he was helping young people and enhancing their profiles. But in private he was harassing young men.” | “I left social activism because of Ravi’s behaviour. He was showing the world he was helping young people and enhancing their profiles. But in private he was harassing young men.” |
| A 25-year-old, who works for a Pakistani NGO empowering women, said he had also been sexually harassed by Karkara. Ali, who did not want to give his full name, said Karkara followed him on Twitter before asking for his contact details. | A 25-year-old, who works for a Pakistani NGO empowering women, said he had also been sexually harassed by Karkara. Ali, who did not want to give his full name, said Karkara followed him on Twitter before asking for his contact details. |
| In 2016 he added him to the same WhatsApp group listing 150 others, including employees from UN Women, and across the aid sector. | In 2016 he added him to the same WhatsApp group listing 150 others, including employees from UN Women, and across the aid sector. |
| Ali explained: “He was very formal with me at first but then started being weird. | Ali explained: “He was very formal with me at first but then started being weird. |
| “He would offer invitations for conferences in New York or invite you for an internship and then later ask for sexual favours. He would say ‘you look beautiful … I like young people and young boys’.” | “He would offer invitations for conferences in New York or invite you for an internship and then later ask for sexual favours. He would say ‘you look beautiful … I like young people and young boys’.” |
| He alleged that Karkara invited him to masturbate, asked him for nude photos of himself and repeatedly sent him links to porn. | He alleged that Karkara invited him to masturbate, asked him for nude photos of himself and repeatedly sent him links to porn. |
| “I told him it was harassment but he denied it and said you are the only friend I’m sharing this with.” | “I told him it was harassment but he denied it and said you are the only friend I’m sharing this with.” |
| No criminal charges have been brought against Karkara. Last week UN Women issued a statement saying the investigation into its staff member, whom they declined to name, was nearing completion. | No criminal charges have been brought against Karkara. Last week UN Women issued a statement saying the investigation into its staff member, whom they declined to name, was nearing completion. |
| It read: “UN Women continues to ensure that the case is investigated thoroughly and receiving the priority it deserves. We recognise the gravity with which such cases should be treated and have taken the allegations very seriously at every stage.” | It read: “UN Women continues to ensure that the case is investigated thoroughly and receiving the priority it deserves. We recognise the gravity with which such cases should be treated and have taken the allegations very seriously at every stage.” |
| Karkara and UN-Habitat were contacted separately by the Guardian and have not responded to a request for a comment. | Karkara and UN-Habitat were contacted separately by the Guardian and have not responded to a request for a comment. |
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