Background
In 2017, the Secretary-General introduced a victim-centred, that aims to address sexual misconduct in the United Nations. Built on the Organization’s earlier efforts, this strategy intends to address sexual misconduct across the United Nations system in a more cohesive manner.
The system-wide implementation of this strategy is supported by the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse and the Victims’ Rights Advocate, who was appointed by the Secretary-General in 2017.
The vast majority of the 100,000+ United Nations staff and related personnel performs their work with integrity. This work is undermined by allegations - many substantiated - of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeeping, humanitarian and development personnel, and sexual harassment by staff in Headquarters and the field.
Root causes
The root causes of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment include a culture of discrimination, privilege and power; a tolerance of abuse based on unequal gender relations; other power dynamics and an expectation of impunity.
Negative and discriminatory legislative and policy frameworks, as well as harmful practices, also enable sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment.
Offenders often single out individuals who are in situations of extreme poverty and/or facing intersectional/multiple forms of discrimination (race, skin tone, membership of ethnic minority, national or social origin, language, diverse sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, age, class, caste, religion, belief, political opinion, residence, property, displacement, birth, health or other status or any other ground).
Impact and barriers
The wrongs may cause long-lasting, life-changing harm and suffering to victims. Victims experience adverse health outcomes, mental and physical including including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), shame, guilt, depression, self-harm, and exposure to sexually transmitted infections. Many victims are left with children.
Victims often face systemic and structural barriers, such as the persistence, prevalence and impact of stigma, stereotypes and stereotypical attitudes and sex and gender-based discrimination, putting women and LGBTQI+ and SOGIESC [sexual orientation or gender identities and expressions or sexual characteristics] individuals at increased risk.
Sexual misconduct has a profound negative impact on communities in the short- and long-term, fractures trust among populations, and undermines the legitimacy and credibility of the United Nations, compromising and sometimes frustrating its essential work.
Sexual harassment results from a culture of discrimination and privilege, based on unequal gender relations and power dynamics. It has no place in the United Nations system."