Women and children face an ongoing risk of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) by aid workers in countries with active humanitarian operations. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated factors contributing to SEA. In a context where humanitarian funds are limited, it's critical for the international community to be able to effectively identify, prevent, reduce and address incidents of SEA.
The interagency Ethiopia PSEA Network has developed a contextualised training package for focal points and clusters, IEC materials for both stakeholders and affected communities, as well as survivor-support resources.
BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo – “We waited for hours in the distribution point until they eventually told us to go home. Hungry and empty-handed, I walked with three other women and two little girls. It was dusk, and I heard the little girls scream.
“Let’s all be champions of protection and place the rights and dignity of victims and survivors at the heart of our efforts.” — Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director.
As of January 2021, UNFPA Executive Director Dr.
The United Nations humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, has released $25 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support women-led organizations that prevent and respond to gender-based violence in humanitarian settings.
Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment is critical to the effective delivery of aid to people in need, and also to the integrity of humanitarian organizations and workers. But more than anything, they cause harm and distress to victims and survivors.The UN and its partners aspire to a humanitarian eco-system where people caught up in crises can access the assistance they need without fear of exploitation, abuse or harassment by any aid worker and feel safe if they speak up when abuses occur.
