Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has revealed a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse and exploitation by some local and foreign staff in Chad’s refugee camps along the Sudanese border. The abuses included cases involving minors and exchanges of food or jobs for sex with displaced women. 

According to the Associated Press, MSF launched an internal investigation in late 2024 after reports of abuse surfaced. Completed in July 2025, the probe identified 59 potential violations. Eighteen staff members were dismissed and permanently banned from future employment with the organization. MSF said the findings showed the problem was far more widespread than initially reported.

The allegations ranged from harassment to organized sexual exploitation. Some cases suggested possible “systematic sexual trafficking.” Examples included refugees coerced into sex in exchange for food, water, or milk, and women exploited for jobs. In one incident, seven refugee girls hired as day laborers were taken in an MSF vehicle to a different site and subjected to sexual abuse. Female Chadian staff also reported threats of dismissal if they refused sexual advances from supervisors.

Community leaders imposed curfews to protect girls from visiting MSF staff, while many women remained silent out of fear of losing access to aid. Investigators found that both refugees and staff feared reporting abuses due to risks of losing jobs or assistance. 

MSF acknowledged that the results likely represent only a fraction of the problem, given victims’ reluctance to speak. The organization emphasized that humanitarian contexts create power imbalances that heighten risks of abuse. It pledged to strengthen recruitment, vetting, and complaint systems, though admitted more work is needed to ensure lasting change.