Attachments
Mission and Goals
Sexual violence – in and out of conflict settings – is a global phenomenon disproportionately affecting women and girls worldwide. Current data suggest that 1 in 3 women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. While it has only recently begun to be openly discussed, sexual violence within and against the humanitarian community is not a new or emerging problem. Report the Abuse’s (RTA) survey data suggests that 87% of humanitarian aid workers are reporting they know of a colleague who has experienced sexual violence in the course of their work; 72% of those reporting are survivors themselves.
RTA grew out of a call to action that became evident when our Founder and Director, Megan Nobert, spoke publically about her own experience with sexual violence while working as a humanitarian aid worker in South Sudan. A collective of voices followed this publication, as other humanitarian aid workers who were also survivors of sexual violence spoke out. The strength of these voices created the foundation of RTA’s work, and informed its direction and passion.
First hosted by the International Women’s Rights Project, RTA established itself as a separate entity on 1 July 2016. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the organisation was strategically placed to keep the issue of sexual violence within and against the humanitarian community on the agenda of relevant organisations, both large and small. Others have since begun to work on the issue; a move welcomed as the organisation strengthened its global network.
RTA was the first global non-governmental organisation (NGO) solely devoted to the prevention, mitigation, and response of sexual violence against humanitarian aid workers. Working towards creating sustained change, our holistic approach covered the entire cycle of sexual violence prevention: tackling stigma, encouraging reporting, and improving the prevention and response strategies of humanitarian organisations.
By advocating for a global agenda to end sexual violence against humanitarian aid workers, and developing and promoting survivor-centred organisational policies and mechanisms that tackle sexual violence and stigma against humanitarian aid workers, RTA became a trusted knowledge sharing hub for humanitarian aid workers who are survivors of sexual violence, and the contact point on the issue for the humanitarian community.
RTA’s Humanitarian Workplaces Free from Sexual Violence: The First Steps and a Call to Action report reflects a challenging and yet rewarding two years for the organisation. Our efforts not only included advocacy on the existence and scope of the issue at hand, but also important steps towards the creation of the first good practices to address sexual violence against humanitarian aid workers. Out of a difficult and complicated subject, new spaces to discuss this problem emerged, attitudes began to shift, and survivor-centred policies began to emerge. Significant positive steps were taken in the right direction, though we have only begun the path to safer workplaces for all humanitarian aid workers.
This report also serves as the final publication for RTA as an NGO under Swiss law, as the organisation closed that door on 20 August 2017, due to the absence of sustainable funding streams needed to continue operations. This is not a reflection of the lack of work needed on the issue or our lack of passion, it is merely an unfortunate reality in the current challenging funding climate for the humanitarian community.
There is considerable work to be done, more than one person or one organisation can accomplish on its own. However, with barriers having been broken, momentum built, and the first stages of good practices set, this is the time for real change in the humanitarian community on the issue of sexual violence against humanitarian aid workers.
We urge all members of the humanitarian community to keep addressing this issue, to form networks and alliances, to raise their voices, support survivors, and to implement the changes and recommendations proposed by RTA and others.