FAO's

Prevention and Response to

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Eastern Africa PSEA Workshop

Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER)

20 June 2023, 11:00 CEST
©FAO/Fahad Kaizer
Voices from affected communities on SEA

“I want to talk about food. At times, you find that we girls

or women we find difficulties with the distributors. These
distributors who are distributing. They come and tell that,
‘if you fall in love with me, I will add you more food, or
for the cooking oil you will get a big share.’ So you end
up… after they have realized the food is about to come,
they move around corning girls or women, that, ‘if you
really fall in love with me, I will add you food.’ So those
are big challenges.”
-Uganda, Participatory group discussion with South Sudanese adolescent girls
living in Uganda as refugees
Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Headlines

June 2023
 Pillars of the FAO policy against SEA - Zero Tolerance
& Whole of Organisation Approach

In line with the UN system, Sexual exploitation and

FAO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation abuse threatens the lives
and abuse. Preventing and of people that we serve
FAO considers such acts, when substantiated, responding to sexual
exploitation and and protect. At all
to beserious misconduct
abuse requires a 'whole times we must treat the
that will result in summary dismissal or termi of organisation local population and
nation of contract. approach'.
Where appropriate, acts of SEA may be affected communities
referred to national authorities with respect and dignity.
for investigation and/or prosecution.

June 2023
Pillars of FAO's PSEA policy – Victim/Survivor-centred
approach

A A victim/survivor-centred approach places

the rights, wishes, needs, safety, dignity and
well-being of the victim/survivor at the centre
of all prevention and response measures
concerning sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)
and sexual harassment (SH).

June 2023
 FAO PSEA global priorities and key messages
• PSEA is critical to delivering on FAO's mandate for the people we serve and
ensuring this happens in a safe and dignified manner.
• PSEA is a cross-organisational priority for FAO (OER, OIG, EO, HR, PSS, LEG,
CSL…) PSEA is everyone's responsibility!
• PSEA Focal Points in DOs play an essential front-line role (needs time /
resources / capacity building/ support) – AAP/Gender/Protection/M&E
• Management/Senior level support key
• New FAO PSEA Policy is forthcoming (cross-organisational approach)
• Technical resources, SOPs, training and awareness materials
• FAO Implementing Partners PSEA capacity and compliance
• PSEA Networks in country – use resources and technical capacity

June 2023
Credit: OCHA