Guterres vows to improve UN’s handling of sexual exploitation, abuse

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says victims of sexual exploitation and abuse will be placed at the heart of efforts by the UN.

Guterres said this following the release of his annual update on the UN’s efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) on Tuesday, which dovetailed with his system-wide strategy – inaugurated in 2017.

According to him, placing victims at the heart of the organisation’s efforts throughout the system will stamp out the incidents.

Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told a news briefing in New York that the report, special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, looks at progress made over the past five years since the Secretary-General took office, s well as explores areas for improvement.

The report includes data on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse relating to personnel in peacekeeping and special political missions.

It also includes other United Nations entities, implementing partners, and non-UN international forces authorised by a Security Council mandate covering Jan. 1, to Dec. 31, 2021.

“In spite clear gains, allegations implicating United Nations personnel continue to emerge,” he said, noting that in 2021, allegations relating to UN peacekeeping personnel in the Central African Republic led to the repatriation of a military contingent.

According to him, in spite clear gains, allegations implicating United Nations personnel continue to emerge.

In addition, an independent commission, established by the World Health Organisation (WHO), reported on cases concerning personnel responding to the tenth Ebola virus epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“No one, including the secretary-general, is pleased with the fact that we still have these cases,” he assured. “We have not let our guard down and we continue working to end impunity and ensure justice for victims.”

The report said 445 allegations were received in 2021, representing an increase of more than the 387 received in 2020, and the highest number recorded since 2016, when 165 allegations were made.

Of the 2021 total, 194  reports were received system-wide, with 75 allegations related to peacekeeping, up from 66 in 2020, and above the average recorded over the last 10 years.

There were 115 related to UN entities, up from 109 in 2020, and four involving formerly deployed non-UN security forces. In addition, 251 allegations involved non-UN related entities, such as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), an uptick from 244 in 2020 and 174 in 2019.

The Deputy Spokesperson said enhanced policies and protocols, mandatory trainings, risk assessments, institutionalised action plans and accountability measures were among the gains made. In addition, the UN continues to publicly report on allegations on a regular basis.

Also, the UN’s approach, centered on victims’ rights is carried out through the work of Victims’ Rights Officers in various countries where they are increasingly effective in keeping track of victims and investigations, and offering them support.

A team led by Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), visited the Central African Republic in April 2021, to review coordination in response to sexual exploitation and abuse.

The team comprised the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Field Victims’ Rights Advocate.

The UN continues to engage with mission leadership, and troop and police-contributing countries, through dedicated plenary and bilateral meetings, and mechanisms unique to peacekeeping, including the Defence Ministerial meeting, held in Seoul, in December 2021.

Meanwhile, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) has developed an inclusive workplace strategy to strengthen leadership.

This it is doing by promoting culture change, focusing on people management, and respect for diversity, inclusion and standards of conduct.

“Five years ago, I committed to a strategy to ‘change the game’ when it came to combating sexual exploitation and abuse,” Secretary-General Guterres said in his report.

“I acknowledge that the organisation has not succeeded in all respects, but neither have we stood still.”

Guterres said the United Nations has become more attentive to the persistent gender imbalances with associated power asymmetries that lead to systematic unwelcome sexual behaviour.

“While it is easy to become discouraged, he recalled his pledge to “march forward” in improving the way the United Nations deals with sexual exploitation and abuse.

“We must persevere in our efforts to address these wrongs that exist in every society and at every level,” he said.