04/29/2021
Protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse
https://www.unicef.org/protection/protecting-children-from-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse
In areas affected by conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies, people trust aid workers to assist and protect them. The vast majority do so with professionalism and integrity. But some aid workers abuse their position of power through the sexual exploitation and abuse of those who depend on them, including children. These acts are…, Sexual exploitation, refers to any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, perpetrated by aid workers against the children and families they serve., Sexual abuse, is the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions, perpetrated by aid workers against the children and families they serve. When a child is subjected to related misconduct at the hands of someone other than an aid worker, this is defined as, sexual violence, . Sexual violence against children occurs in every country, across all segments of society. Women and children in emergency settings face the greatest risk of sexual exploitation and abuse. High levels of need resulting from scarce resources, food shortages or economic insecurity can intensify the power imbalance in emergency settings, raising…, UNICEF’s response, Young women fill water containers in a refugee camp in Tanzania in 2015. Young women fill water containers in a refugee camp in Tanzania in 2015. Women and children in emergency settings face the greatest risk of sexual exploitation and abuse. Every year, UNICEF and partners respond to emergencies around the world, with thousands of aid workers…, three global priority areas, :, Safe and accessible reporting, This means that safe, accessible and child-sensitive complaint mechanisms are put in place for reporting sexual exploitation and abuse in high-risk areas. These mechanisms can include phone hotlines, SMS services, designated focal persons and complaint boxes. Complaint mechanisms are tailored to the local context. Community mobilization and…, How to report, Should you become aware of credible information regarding an alleged incident of sexual exploitation or abuse, please report it directly or through your head of office to UNICEF’s Office of Internal Audit and Investigations by emailing integrity1@unicef.org. If you are uncertain about whether an alleged incident is considered sexual exploitation…, Support and assistance for sexual exploitation and abuse survivors, Through our child protection and gender-based violence programmes, UNICEF supports survivors with holistic age- and gender-appropriate essential services that they can access safely and in confidence, including medical care, safety planning, social services, legal aid, and mental health and psychosocial support ., Enhanced accountability, including investigations, Safe, survivor-centered accountability processes are crucial. UNICEF is working to strengthen the collaboration between child protection workers and investigators so that children who choose to participate in accountability processes are supported and their rights are respected. The IASC Acceleration Plan is adapted within individual countries to…, Learn more, Resources, Publisher Title IASC IASC Plan for Accelerating Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Response at the Country Level UNICEF, IASC UNICEF-IASC Championship Report, 2018 – 2019 IASC Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Website United Nations UN Victim Assistance Protocol United Nations UN Secretary-General Bulletin on…