Attachments
1. Introduction
Background: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) by Humanitarian Workers directly contradicts the core values of humanitarian action and is a protection failure on the part of the aid and humanitarian community. SEA inflicts harm on those whom humanitarian worker is obligated to protect, as well as jeopardizes the credibility of all assisting agencies. The revelations of the extent of the problem in West Africa in 2002 led to several initiatives by the humanitarian community to address the matter, including the introduction of strict measures of prevention and response as elucidated in the UN Secretary-General’s Special Bulletin: Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, (2003) Secretary-General’s Bulletin: Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13), 9 October 2003 which demanded zero tolerance for SEA perpetrators. UN and humanitarian partners personnel, Humanitarian workers everywhere are always expected to uphold the highest standards of personal and professional conduct to protect beneficiaries of assistance.
The PSEA Taskforce in Afghanistan was rapidly reestablished in mid-2019 with UNICEF, with IRC and UNHCR as co-chairs until May 2020, and DRC and UNFPA as Co - chairs until May 2021 to ensure that this critical issue is a central part of coordinated humanitarian action. As part of the measures to protect beneficiaries of assistance and vulnerable populations in affected communities, since its Establishment, the PSEA taskforce continues to work on an inter-agency approach and actions on PSEA. The PSEA Taskforce has an agreed term of reference (ToR- Annex i) and Inter-agency workplan. Furthermore, the PSEA Taskforce though its members have committed to Reinforce and establishing and maintaining Community Based Complaints Mechanisms (CBCMs) to provide opportunity for affected populations to raise concerns related to AAP and Sexual exploitation and abuse and seek appropriate support. The SOPs address some of the objectives in the agreed inter-agency workplan and strategies, some aspects of the functioning of the PSEA taskforce and how complaints received through the established CBCMs will be addressed.
2. Purpose
a) Aim to prevent and respond to SEA committed by UN and humanitarian partners personnel by establishing a common response system to ensure coordinated and effective responses to potential SEA cases. More specifically, it aims at facilitating joint efforts in response to protecting beneficiaries of Humanitarian Assistance and those staff delivering Humanitarian Assistance by enhancing collective capacity of agencies and affected populations to prevent and respond to SEA.
b) The SOP is in no way intended to change or override the existing organization specific internal policies on PSEA. Rather, they are procedures to supplement internal policies and reinforce common action to prevent and respond to SEA on a one humanitarian community basis.
3. Scope - This SOP covers and provides clarity on the following areas in the context of Afghanistan:
a) Key definitions.
b) Key principles and a standardized method to receiving and forwarding SEA complaints;
c) Roles and responsibilities of PSEA stakeholders and the PSEA coordinator.
d) A common procedure for responding to SEA allegations including referrals for (I) survivor/victim assistance provision and (ii) Investigations.
e) The SOP covers all UN entities and humanitarian partners in Afghanistan and, and their personnel. All agencies in Afghanistan are invited to endorse and implement the SOPs and to act according to its principles.