Prevention and Response to Sexual Misconduct

All forms of sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) are unacceptable and are prohibited in UNDP, whether perpetrated against a coworker or a recipient of assistance. Sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse violate human rights and are a betrayal of the core values of the United Nations. It is our collective priority to prevent such behaviours and to support victims/survivors to protect their rights. We are also committed to ensuring that all allegations of sexual harassment and SEA are responded to swiftly, appropriately and effectively.  

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment occurs between personnel in the workplace and is defined as “any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another person.”

Sexual harassment happens when it interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or when it creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. It can be a one-off act or a series of incidents.

UNDP addresses sexual misconduct through a range of actions aimed to prevent and effectively address sexual misconduct and to support survivors.

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) refers to all forms of inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature committed by UN personnel or implementing partners against recipients of assistance and other members of local communities.  The core principles relating to sexual exploitation and abuse include:

1.      “Sexual exploitation and abuse by a UN, UN partner (NGO) or humanitarian/development workers constitute acts of gross misconduct and are therefore grounds for termination of employment.

2.      Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) is prohibited regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief regarding the age of a child is not a defence.

3.      Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour is prohibited. This includes exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries.

4.      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 or position is prohibited. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of humanitarian aid work.

5.      Where a humanitarian worker develops concerns or suspicions regarding sexual abuse or exploitation by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency or not, he or she must report such concerns via established agency reporting mechanisms.

6.      Humanitarian workers are obliged to create and maintain an environment which prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of their code of conduct. Managers at all levels have particular responsibilities to support and develop  systems which maintain this environment.”

Policy Frameworks

Standards of conduct related to sexual harassment are covered by the  Policy on harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of authority.

UNDP adheres to the Secretary-General Bulletin on sexual exploitation and abuse, (ST/SGB/2003/13) applicable to all UN staff including those working for UNDP and other separately administered organs and programmes of the United Nations. Information on sexual exploitation and abuse is also included in the UNDP  Code of Ethics.

Prevention

UNDP conducts rigorous pre-employment checks of personnel to prevent the rehiring of known offenders. As such, UNDP participates in a joint project with other UN agencies to maintain a system-wide database called "Clear Check" to ensure that former personnel involved in substantiated cases of sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse with one entity in the UN system cannot be employed by another entity. Additionally, UNDP is committed not to partnering with entities that fail to appropriately address sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment.

UNDP has developed and requires all personnel to take inter-agency online training courses on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment in the workplace. The courses, available at UNICEF’s learning site  Agora and available in Ukrainian at the WHO learning site OpenWHO, stress the standards of conduct expected of all personnel, the consequences of breaching them, and the impact of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse on those affected and their families. 

Clear information outlining the “No Excuse” approach of the UN rules and prohibitions related to sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse are also available to all UNDP personnel.

Response

UNDP investigates all allegations of sexual harassment and sexual  exploitation and abuse, imposes disciplinary and/or administrative sanctions when allegations are substantiated, and may, through the UN Office of Legal Affairs, refer matters to national authorities for criminal prosecution.

UN staff members are not covered by immunity for acts that constitute crimes, and the Organization does not protect staff who commit such crimes.

Assistance and Protection

UNDP staff members are protected from retaliation for reporting allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse or sexual harassment in good faith. Retaliation is prohibited and, if established, constitutes sanctionable misconduct.

Staff members who believe that they have been the victim of retaliation may seek informal redress or make a formal complaint to the Ethics Office at ethicsoffice@undp.org 

UNDP has institutional experience in responding to gender-based violence. In collaboration with its partners, UNDP takes action to offer psychosocial assistance and medical treatment to victim/survivors.

Transparency

UNDP publishes annually information on the disciplinary actions taken against its personnel, including in cases of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.  

UNDP also provides real-time reports on any allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse to the Office of the Special Coordinator. In addition, consolidated data on allegations and substantiated cases of sexual exploitation and abuse are published in the Report of the Secretary-General on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

How to report

All allegations of sexual harassmen and sexual exploitation and abuse t should be reported to the Office of Audit and Investigations.

If you are a victim of any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature, contact the Office of Audit and Investigations at:

• For online referral form, click here. 
• By telephone:
• Click here for worldwide numbers (interpreters available 24 hours/day)
• Call +1-844-595-5206 in the USA
• By e-mail at: reportmisconduct@undp.org
• By regular mail to: Deputy Director (Investigations), Office of Audit and Investigations, United Nations Development Programme, One UN Plaza, DC1, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017 USA

Bearing in mind the evolving security and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the PSEA Inter-Agency coordination mechanism has put in place a country-specific referral procedure, and you can report any misconduct at Seareferral@un.org

Learn more about the United Nations' work on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse.

Related links:

•  PSEA Inter-Agency Website
• Reports of the Secretary-General on Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse