Maha Muna Gender Advisor, UNFPA March 2012

1. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)Slides used from DPKO, UNICEF, GenCap and PSEA Task Force MahaMuna Gender Advisor, UNFPA March 2012

2. PSEA is a MUST! • Save the Children report “No one to turn to” (From May 2008) • It was a sampling of beneficiaries in 3 countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Southern Sudan and Haiti • 2/3 of persons surveyed recalled incidents of SEA • HAP report “To complain or not to complain” (From June 2008)

3. Scenario 1 A father approaches John, an NGO worker, and offers his 16 year daughter to him. John replies that she is too young. The father tells him that in that country, the age of consent is 16, so it is legal. John asks you if he is allowed to engage in sexual relations with people under the age of 18 if the local age of consent is younger. How would you reply?

4. Response • -The answer to John’s question is no. UN staff and related personnel and related personnel are never permitted to engage in sexual relations with anyone under 18, regardless of the age of consent locally or in the staff member’s home country. • -Furthermore, even if she were 18 or older, the fact that she is being offered by another person would raise serious concern that she is being sexual exploited or abused.

5. Scenario 2 • You are serving in an OCHA field office. You meet an attractive man who lives in a refugee camp nearby. You meet with him a few times, giving him rides to and from a local market, buying him food and drinks while you are out walking together. As you are not directly involved in assisting him as a beneficiary and you genuinely like him, you think that it is permissible to have a sexual relationship with him. Is this correct?

6. Response • Not all people who commit SEA have questionable intentions. Some are good people who are simply interested in entering into a relationship with someone. Even where we have the best intentions, we need to think through the reason for entering into a relationship and what the consequences might be for the other person, both immediately and down the road, such as after we leave the country. • Are there unequal power dynamics • Would there would be an exchange of goods for sexual relations – i.e. is he interested in you for you or for the transportation and food you buy him?

7. Sexual Harassment vs SEA • Sexual harassment: any unwanted sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature • Takes place in the workplace between UN personnel • For further info: ST/SGB/2008/5, (UNFPA take the mandatory on-line course!)

8. Definitions • What is sexual exploitation? • Sexual exploitation is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. • What is sexual abuse? • Sexual abuse is the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

9. Definition – broken out… • Sexual Exploitation: actual or attempted abuse of a position of: • vulnerability • differential power; or • trust • for sexual purposes, • including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. • Sexual Abuse: actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether: • by force • under unequal conditions or • under coercive conditions.

10. Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (IASC) 1. Sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers constitute acts of gross misconduct and are therefore grounds for termination of employment. 2. Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) is prohibited regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief regarding the age of a child is not a defence. 3. Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviouris prohibited. This includes exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries.

11. Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (IASC) - continued 4. Sexual relationships between humanitarian workers and beneficiaries are strongly discouraged since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of humanitarian aid work. 5. Where a humanitarian worker develops concerns or suspicions regarding sexual abuse or exploitation by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency or not, he or she must report such concerns via established agency reporting mechanisms. 6. Humanitarian workers are obliged to create and maintain an environment which prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of their code of conduct. Managers at all levels have particular responsibilities to support and develop systems which maintain this environment.

13. RESOURCES AVAILABLE: Addressing PSEA in Humanitarian Settings Impact Measurement and Accountability in Emergencies - The Good Enough Guide http://www.un.org/en/pseataskforce/tools.shtml

14. Reporting: You are Protected • Confidentiality – system of reporting is key • Retaliation against a staff member because he/she made a good faith report of SEA is prohibited by another SGB, referred to as the “whistle blower SGB.” • Fraudulent allegations that you know are false are misconduct and not protected.