Identify, Report Cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, Harassment, UNICEF Tasks Govt Agencies, CSOs

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has tasked civil society organisations and government agencies to identify and report cases of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) so as to save children and vulnerable adults.

The UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Fatima Adamu, gave the task at a two-day training for UNICEF implementing partners on Strengthening Accountability to Affected Populations in Kano.

The capacity building training organised by UNICEF had civil society organisations, government officials and journalists from Katsina, Kano and Jigawa States.

She explained that the CSOs and government agencies as UNICEF implementing partners, must imbibe the culture of zero-tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse on the children and vulnerable adults.

In her presentation titled ‘Background to SEAH in the International Development and Humanitarian Sector’, Adamu said the UNICEF partners are obliged to report cases of sexual exploitation and abuse through designated channels for responses.

The UNICEF child protection specialist added that sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers constitute acts of gross misconduct and are grounds for termination of employment, hence the need for the partners to shun and report such unwholesome practices.

She stressed that UNICEF was committed to strengthening the capacity of its implementing partners in identifying, preventing, reporting and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in the country.

She urged CSOs, government agencies and other UNICEF partners to establish a robust, secure referral system for complaints related to sexual exploitation and maintain an up-to-date list of local service providers, including services for both child and adult survivors of the SEA.

The UNICEF official reiterated that the feedback and accountability systems should not only seek to mitigate the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse, “but to provide the necessary response when abuse occurs”.

He said: “Any sexual relationship between those providing humanitarian assistance and protection and a person benefiting from such humanitarian assistance and protection that involves improper use of rank is prohibited.

“Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of the humanitarian aid worker. So, staff and partners are obliged to report any concern regarding sexual exploitation and abuse by a fellow worker.”

Speaking on ‘Understanding Accountability to Affected Populations’, Amina Bala of the UNICEF Country Office Abuja, charged participants to be accountable to affected populations by listening to and acting on feedback and complaints to ensure that programmes and responses are effective. 

She noted that CSOs and the government agencies need dedicated systems that allow communities to share their views and feedback safely and ensure that the information is collected, analysed and used appropriately.

By acting on the information provided by the feedback mechanisms, she said: “UNICEF implementing partners can become more accountable to affected populations in their respective states.”