Attachments
Introduction
The Sudan Inter-Agency Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Network (hereinafter referred to as the Network) is a collaborative and coordinating body committed to preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in Sudan, particularly during emergencies and conflicts. This body serves for PSEA coordination and oversight, establishment and review of policies/guidance, and implementation of the Sudan PSEA Action Plan endorsed by the HCT and UNCT.
In the context of escalating conflict and humanitarian crises in Sudan, the urgency for a coordinated response to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) has never been more critical. Recent developments, including widespread displacement and the breakdown of essential services, have heightened the vulnerability of already marginalized populations, particularly women and children. The proliferation of gender-based violence amidst ongoing instability underscores the necessity for a unified approach to protect those at risk and ensure accountability among humanitarian actors. As the situation continues to evolve, the PSEA Network must play a pivotal role in fostering collaboration among stakeholders, implementing effective prevention strategies, and enhancing support systems for survivors of SEA. This collective effort is essential not only to safeguard the rights and dignity of affected individuals but also to restore trust in humanitarian responses in a time of profound need.
Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) refers(1) specifically to acts committed against persons of concern by humanitarian and development actors, including international and national personnel of the United Nations (UN) and other partners, including national and international personnel of non-government organizations (NGOs). SEA represents a failure on the part of humanitarian and development agencies to provide protection and care for communities, especially for the most vulnerable members of the population. These Network's terms of reference outline the coordinated and harmonized actions of the Sudan partners working on SEA, particularly during humanitarian, development and peace settings.
1 Sexual exploitation means “any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.” Sexual abuse is "the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions." See, UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, 9 October 2003, ST/SGB/2003/13, Section 1.