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Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Terms of Reference for HCT task force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) by UN/NGO/INGO Personnel (July 2020)

Attachments

Background

1. Further to the Resident Coordinator (RC) /Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) presentation to the UNCT on PSEA on 25 of July 2016, it was agreed a Task Force on PSEA be established under the direction of the RC/HC. The HCT Task Force will be the venue for collaboration among humanitarian actors.

Principles

2. The humanitarian community in Afghanistan affirms the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s (IASC) commitment to promote and protect the rights enshrined in international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The humanitarian community recognizes their responsibility, in fulfilling their mandates, to guard and protect vulnerable persons from sexual exploitation and abuse and to address such violations appropriately in their work. In particular, they must ensure that their staff and partners do not abuse their power and influence to exploit and harm others.

Leadership

3. The PSEA Task Force will function under the auspices of the Resident Coordinator (RC) / Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and report to him/her who will have ultimate oversight of the task force and may delegate consistent control. The PSEA Task Force will be chaired by the IASC Champion on PSEA and Sexual Harassment Agency (rotation for a period of 12 months) and supported by another co-lead from NGOs, and acts as secretariat – UNICEF until 31 May 2019 and UNHCR from 1st June 2019 to 30 May 2020; IRC from now until 30 May 2020 and DRC and UNFPA until May 2021.