More than 20 International Committee of the Red Cross charity workers were sacked or quit their roles following cases of sexual misconduct, it has emerged.
The charity said it was “deeply saddened” to report the figures, admitting it should have been “more vigilant” in preventing the behaviour.
It found that since 2015, 21 staff members at the charity for war victims were either dismissed for paying for sexual services or resigned amid an internal inquiry.
A further two staff workers suspected of sexual misconduct did not have their contracts renewed.
The Swiss-based charity, which was set up in 1863 to help victims of war, said its decentralised structure means it is "difficult to accurately compile overall figures".
In a statement to staff, ICRC director-general Yves Daccord said: "I have instructed my teams to scour the data we do have on sexual misconduct, and I can tell you that since 2015 we've identified 21 staff members who were either dismissed for paying for sexual services or resigned during an internal enquiry.
"Another two staff members suspected of sexual misconduct did not have their contracts renewed. I am deeply saddened to report these numbers.
"This behaviour is a betrayal of the people and the communities we are there to serve. It is against human dignity and we should have been more vigilant in preventing this.
"The ICRC has more than 17,000 staff members worldwide. We are concerned that incidents that should be reported have not yet been reported, or were reported but not properly handled. We are taking action to address this."
Additional reporting from the Press Association.
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