Accountability to Affected People (AAP) & Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

Model PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) Clause in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF)

The Joint United Nations-Government Framework for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) aims to bring together existing legal obligations and voluntary commitments made by Member States under an overarching framework on PSEA.  The UN shall promote a whole-of government approach to PSEA that considers the need to engage all relevant line ministries. The framework will lay the foundation for improved cooperation, balancing PSEA compliance with capacity development and technical support.

A model PSEA clause will be included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The model PSEA clause represents an aspirational standard, encompassing a clear prohibition of sexual exploitation and abuse, reaffirming the shared commitments to PSEA of the UN and governments.

“Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is a key priority for the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) entities, with a special focus on prioritizing victims' rights and creating an environment in which sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) do not occur. Sexual exploitation and abuse is unacceptable behavior and is prohibited for UN personnel and UN implementing partners. The UNCT entities will therefore pursue all appropriate means to protect against, prevent and respond to SEA, and will require a similar commitment from its partners. In delivering on the obligations articulated in the present Cooperation Framework, the UNCT and the government of [insert name] affirm their commitment to preventing and responding to reports of SEA in connection with their personnel involved in common/joint projects. It is understood that this would entail the need to: (i) adhere to common values on PSEA, (ii) take preventative measures against SEA, (iii) investigate allegations, and (iv) take appropriate corrective action when incidents occur, including providing support to victims in accordance with a victim-centred approach.”

https://psea.interagencystandingcommittee.org/joint-un-government-framework-psea

Statement by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment | 30 July 2024

We, the IASC Principals, re-affirm our determination to achieve our vision of a humanitarian environment in which people caught up in crises are safe, respected, and can access needed protection and assistance without fear of sexual exploitation or abuse (SEA) by any aid worker and in which aid workers themselves feel supported, respected, and empowered to deliver assistance free from sexual harassment.

We recognize that sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH) occurs everywhere and is a symptom of power imbalances that are particularly acute in humanitarian contexts and even greater for those who are systematically marginalized. Given the gender dimensions of SEA and sexual harassment, we will therefore strengthen the role of women, girls and people at risk as key partners and accelerate work to increase accountability of the aid community to the affected people. We will protect those reporting SEA and sexual harassment. 

We will redouble our efforts to ensure that all our staff and affiliated personnel are aware of, and comply with, their rights to, and their responsibilities in maintaining, a workplace free of discrimination, exploitation, harassment or abuse. We will be even more proactive in improving diversity and gender parity in all our organizations, especially at the frontlines of programme delivery and at the most senior levels.

We recognize our leadership responsibility to strengthen the humanitarian community’s resolve to protect from SEA and sexual harassment to create a system of collective accountability, and we commit to provide the necessary resources to prevent and address this wrongdoing.

Read the full statement here

https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/iasc-champion-protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-and-sexual-harassment/statement-inter-agency-standing-committee-protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-and-sexual

UNHCR and International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) are pleased to announce the launch of the fifth round of the Interagency Community Outreach and Communication Fund on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). 

Raising community-awareness on the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by aid workers and available reporting channels is critical to preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as to ensuring that those affected know where and how to safely report sexual exploitation and abuse when it does take place. Local stakeholders have noted the need for effective, updated information, education and communication materials on PSEA that are tailored to local cultural contexts, operational realities, the groups that are most at risk, and which take into account aspects like languages, literacy, age and capacity. 

To support NGOs in meeting these needs, the PSEA Outreach Fund will provide rapid, targeted financial support to NGOs to develop and disseminate PSEA outreach and communication materials, and to make the materials developed through the Fund available to all stakeholders for their further use or adaptation.

The online application form can be accessed on the PSEA Outreach Fund website https://www.icvanetwork.org/pseafund/ and the form is available in 3 languages - English, French and Spanish.

Application deadline is 12 August 2024 CoB CEST.

The selection of grantees will be carried by a Steering Group of experts from NGOs and UN agencies. For queries, please contact PSEAfund@icvanetwork.org

The office of Christian Saunders, the United Nations Office of Special Coordinator for Improving the UN’s Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OSCSEA), is inviting contributions from practitioners, academics, organizations, civil society and others, to review the Secretary-General’s Bulletin on Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, ST/SGB/2003/13.

The revision aims to: 

• Advance a victim/survivor-centered approach
• Identify policy gaps 
• Adopt the most effective approaches 
• Align with recent thinking on these issues and UN policy change 
• Clarify definitions and application

Please share your inputs on or before Sunday, 7 July 2024 (midnight EST) to OSCSEA@un.org and copying mara-katharina.thurnhofer@un.org and anivesh.bharadwaj@un.org 

The format/file to submit the inputs can be accessed using this link

https://www.un.org/preventing-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse/call-for-inputs