No to sexual exploitation and abuse in the Central African Republic

Bangui, 3 September 2018 – The Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), United Nations agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian response in the Central African Republic (CAR) have signed a protocol for information sharing and reporting of sexual exploitation and abuse allegations.

By signing this protocol, the signatory organizations commit: to ensure protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA); to establish internal management procedures for alleged cases of SEA committed by staff, including investigation and sanctions; and to ensure assistance to victims in compliance with the multi-sectoral response mechanism to cases of gender-based violence.

“I am thrilled by the commitment made by humanitarian actors to fight against this issue and to respect human dignity. We have a responsibility to protect and we are accountable to the Central African population whom we are assisting. Through the signing of this protocol we say with one voice “NO to exploitation and sexual abuse” in relation with our zero-tolerance policy” said the CAR Humanitarian Coordinator, Najat Rochdi.

Background:

The protocol for information sharing is a document which clarifies the process for reporting SEA allegations committed by the personnel of the United Nations organizations, international and national non-governmental organizations.

The aim is to improve collaboration and ensure the reporting, referral and effective management of SEA allegations. This protocol should complement the internal protection policies against SEA of each organization. According to the protocol, signatory organizations must report cases committed by their staff or those by the staff of another organization they are aware of. The allegations will be taken seriously and investigations will be conducted. Once the facts are proven, guilty parties will be held responsible for their actions. The protocol reaffirms the need to prioritize assistance to victims; regardless of the investigation’s outcome.

In 2017, the United Nations Secretary-General released his report on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse: an approach defining his new strategy to fight against this issue. This strategy focuses on four areas: making the rights and the dignity of victims a priority; focusing on ending impunity; building on the experience and the advice of victims, civil society, local populations and other relevant stakeholders so to strengthen and improve activities; and informing and sharing good practices to put an end to this problem. The protocol is aligned to the same framework as this report.

For more information, please contact:
Laura Fultang, Public Information, OCHA fultangl@un.org; (+236) 70 18 80 64
Amira Diallo, PSEA Task Force Coordinator, amdiallo@unfpa.org; (+ 236) 72 30 05 36