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Preventing and Responding to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment

Preventing and Responding to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment

View WHO's dashboard into sexual misconduct investigations

Tackling Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment 

Sexual exploitation & abuse (SEA) of the communities we serve is a grave violation of WHO's commitment to serve and protect the vulnerable. Sexual harassment (SH) of our workforce is a serious failure of our duty of care. This is the sentiment of WHO's leadership, staff and her Member States. But we all know and acknowledge that more could and should be done. And done quickly. The risks of SEA have increased significantly in recent years.

WHO is increasingly operational, being called on to operate to save lives and minimize death, disease and suffering in our health programmes and emergency response operations. Our work in countries of fragility, conflict and vulnerability increase the risk of exploitation.

We work with UN agencies and NGOs to address these risks jointly, and aim to meet the standards set by WHO's own policies and Code of ethics and professional conduct as well as meet the requirements and expectations set by the UN system and IASC partners.

WHO is scaling up its efforts to do everything in its power to prevent and protect from SEAH. Everyone - staff, consultants, suppliers, partners - has an obligation to report any suspected events that may constitute SEAH. 

 

Definitions

Sexual exploitation and abuse relates to the behavior of WHO staff and collaborators towards third parties , often referred to as “beneficiary” populations.

Sexual exploitation

any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, threatening or profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.
Sexual exploitation and abuse also includes sexual relations with a child, in any context, defined as: Child - a “human being below the age of eighteen years.”
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Sexual abuse

the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
Sexual exploitation and abuse also includes sexual relations with a child, in any context, defined as: Child - a “human being below the age of eighteen years.”
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Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment refers to prohibited conduct in the work context and can be committed against UN staff and related personnel. In context of the United Nations, sexual harassment primarily describes prohibited behaviour against another UN staff or related personnel, which may also include nationals of the host state. It is defined for UN staff by ST/SGB/2008/5 and similar directives for uniformed personnel and involves any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
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Source: The United Nations Glossary on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse