The Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Capacity Project Annual Report 2024

Background

The Inter-Agency Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Capacity Project (PSEACap) is a joint initiative managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and NORCAP, a global provider of humanitarian expertise. Established in November 2023, PSEACap was developed to strengthen inter-agency coordination, leadership, and accountability in preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in humanitarian operations.

Developed following extensive consultations under the leadership of the 2022 IASC Champion on PSEAH, with the support of IASC members, the project drew inspiration from the ProCap and GenCap projects. An Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) endorsed initiative, PSEACap provides a predictable and sustainable mechanism for deploying experienced PSEA Coordinators to high-risk humanitarian operations for a minimum of two years, emphasizing capacity development and policy influence for lasting impact on in-country protection and safeguarding systems.

PSEACaps directly support Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) and Humanitarian Country Teams (HCTs) with technical expertise to advance Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) commitments. Through the deployment of dedicated PSEA Coordinators, the project enhances leadership on collective PSEA, reinforces survivor-centered services and strengthens accountability to ensure a harmonized system-wide approach to PSEA. These efforts aim to create a humanitarian environment where aid recipients and affected communities are safe, respected, and protected from all forms of exploitation and abuse.

Endorsed by the IASC in 2022, PSEACap supports the operationalization of the 2022–2026 IASC Strategy on PSEAH. In their 2024 statement on PSEAH, the IASC Principals highlighted the collective responsibility of humanitarian actors to strengthen in-country PSEA systems and committed ‘to ensure that PSEA is staffed and resourced within the humanitarian architecture, … that in-country PSEA networks are led by an inter-agency PSEA Coordinator, safe and accessible community feedback mechanisms are available, and inter-agency SEA Referral Procedures are adopted in all humanitarian contexts’.

Throughout 2024, the PSEACap project played an essential role in supporting senior leaders and the country teams (RCs/HCs and UNCT/HCTs) in fulfilling their commitments and supporting RCs/HCs in discharging their system-wide PSEA responsibilities. The project also contributes to policymaking and capacity development efforts, bringing field-driven insights into global PSEA discussions and strategies.