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VICTIM/ SURVIVOR CENTRED ASSISTANCE

In December 2019, the UN High Level Steering Group endorsed the United Nations Protocol on the Provision of Assistance to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (“the Protocol”) (FR, SP, AR, UKR). The Protocol outlines a common set of norms and standards based on existing frameworks to strengthen a coordinated, system-wide approach to the provision of assistance and support, which prioritizes the rights and dignity of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. This approach is aligned with broader United Nations efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse and takes into account established good practices to address gender-based violence. It also supports the IASC priority to scale up survivor-centred assistance as part of its overall strategy on PSEA.

To support the roll out of the Protocol, UNICEF led the development of a technical note that provides guidance to support the Special Representatives of the Secretary General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators, the United Nations Country Teams and the Humanitarian Country Teams, PSEA coordinators and networks, PSEA focal points, gender-based violence and child protection sub-cluster coordinators, specialists and practitioners from other sectors in the area of victim assistance for women and children. The note is an inter-agency product that was developed with a technical reference group that included O/VRA, CDS/DMSPC, UNHCR, UNFPA, IOM and the IASC.

About the Technical Note:
(Files can be downloaded below)

  • This Technical Note (FR, SP, AR, UKR, POR) is aligned with United Nations efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as established inter-agency gender-based violence and child protection standards and guidance, and can be considered in all operational contexts, including in humanitarian, development and UN peace operations.  It is also aligned with the IASC priority on PSEA to scale up survivor-centered assistance, as outlined in the IASC PSEA Strategy and Acceleration Plan.
  • To track progress on the roll-out of the Protocol by HCs/HCTs and inter-agency PSEA coordinators and networks, indicators are integrated into the IASC PSEA global dashboard, which inter-agency PSEA coordinators in humanitarian response contexts are reporting against. 
  • The technical note is currently available in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian and Arabic

Training Package:

  • The note is being rolled out alongside a training package, which UNICEF is rolling out for HC/HCTs and inter-agency PSEA networks and coordinators. To date, over 1,000 PSEA, GBV, and CP practitioners have received a briefing or a full training, and the requests for support are accelerating. 
  • Global level Training of Trainers are planned for inter-agency stakeholders to share responsibility and accelerate roll-out across all entities.
  • The training is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese. 
  • For more information about the training, please see the training flyer.

Training Events

Upcoming training/event opportunities on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol:

TBD – Training on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol for the South Sudan PSEA network

Past training/event:

  • 8-10 November – Face to face training on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol for the Tanzania PSEA network

  • 13 July – Training on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol for the Ukraine PSEA network

  • 28 Jun - Webinar on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol (Recording below)
  • 24 June - Training on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol for the Libya PSEA network
  • 23 June – Training on the Technical Note on the Implementation of the UN Victims Assistance Protocol for the Moldova PSEA network

 

 *For questions about participating in the upcoming inter-agency country level training, 
please contact the respective country PSEA coordinator and/or PSEA network co-chair.

Social

Sexual exploitation and abuse represents a catastrophic failure of protection. It brings harm to those whom we are mandated to protect.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee is working to scale up protection from sexual exploitation and abuse across humanitarian response efforts. This website and global dashboard has been developed and managed through the support of UNICEF. It is dedicated to providing technical support and resources to practitioners, and to tracking inter-agency, collective progress across countries with a humanitarian response.