DRC Humanitarian Coordinator calls for continued fight to end sexual exploitation and abuse in DRC

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"This year, courageously, a number of women denounced reprehensible behavior of sexual exploitation and abuse that allegedly occurred during the response to the 10th Ebola epidemic in eastern DRC.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) - the global humanitarian coordinating body - deployed a mission to the DRC, from October 20 to November 14, 2020, to better understand why, despite existing efforts, these abuses could have taken place.

The mission has just shared its report with the Humanitarian Country Team and representatives of humanitarian organizations in the DRC. The IASC mission found that a large cash input as well as a disproportionate male workforce from outside local communities increased the risk of misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). She also noted the lack of easily accessible and secure mechanisms to report abuse in the response to the Ebola epidemic.
 
The United Nations has announced the launch of investigations into the specific allegations that have been received, including an independent commission of inquiry to be led by the WHO. The IASC mission report also recommended systemic changes to strengthen the Country Humanitarian Team's efforts to end sexual exploitation and abuse. 

The Secretary-General has a policy of zero tolerance towards these acts, and a thorough investigation will be carried out for any allegations concerning the personnel, national and international, of the United Nations. If the person is found guilty, he will be punished in accordance with administrative rules and national laws.

The report also includes the following recommendations: reviewing complaints mechanisms to ensure that beneficiaries and staff who wish to report abuse can do so effectively and safely - Increased oversight of recruitment procedures - including due diligence and background checks when recruiting staff, as well as the deployment of SEA protection officers in high risk areas. - More sustained and specific support to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, including the allocation of funds to sensitize the community to SEA and ways to report abuse. - Support for national authorities to hold the perpetrators to account We are now carefully examining these recommendations and working to strengthen prevention measures.

We must restore confidence. Sexual exploitation and abuse of the people we are meant to serve cannot be tolerated".
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Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor

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