Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

PSEA Network logo
Caption: PSEA Network logo
Photo: © PSEA Ph

 

ABOUT THE PSEA NETWORK 

Protecting and safeguarding the rights of the communities we serve, especially the members who are most vulnerable, such as women, children, youth, and people with disabilities, is a core tenet of development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding work. This includes protecting these vulnerable groups from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), especially at the hands of development and aid workers. Such abuses are a violation of human rights and an abuse of the power and influence granted by their perceived status within the communities they work in.  

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) are committed to strengthening the country's efforts on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). Under the leadership of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, the Philippines Inter-Agency PSEA Network was established to systematize and synchronize the development sector’s efforts to address SEA. The Network is co-chaired by United Nations agencies and a civil society organization (CSO). For 2024-2025, the Co-Chairs are the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Food Programme (WFP) and Plan International Pilipinas.  

The PSEA Network is focused on building and increasing the internal capacities of its members to meet and implement the minimum PSEA operating standards, and on building partnerships with other stakeholders, such as the government, local CSOs, private sector, and donors for the integration and institutionalization of PSEA in programming and operations.  

A PSEA Communications Strategy is under development to coordinate and effectively communicate PSEA principles and key information to the communities served by the PSEA Network’s members. The strategy is a key first step in boosting awareness and understanding of SEA reporting channels.  

At present, the PSEA Network meets every month at the national level, while a dedicated sub-group composed of Mindanao-based agencies meets every other month. The UN/Inter-Agency PSEA Coordinator acts as the Convenor and Secretariat. All members of the UNCT and HCT are de facto members of the Network, which at present has a membership of 29 UN agencies and 29 CSOs.  

 

REPORTING CHANNELS

Your vigilance and responsibility are key in maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone. If you witness or suspect any incidents of sexual exploitation or abuse, please report it immediately—your action can make a difference.

The information received will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Confidential information will only be shared when informed consent is given, and only when necessary for the purposes of investigation and providing professional support to the complainant/victim.

Philippines Inter Agency PSEA Network

 

DEFINITIONS

a) What is Sexual Exploitation and Abuse?

Sexual exploitation: is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust for sexual purposes, including but not limited to profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. 

Sexual abuse: is actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

b) Sexual Harassment versus SEA

SEA occurs against a beneficiary or member of the community. Sexual harassment occurs between personnel/staff and involves any unwelcome sexual advance or unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Both SEA and SH are human rights violations based on gender discrimination, intersecting with all forms of social inequalities; both SEA and SH are expressions of, and contributors to, structural power inequalities. 

c) Who are UN Personnel?

Staff members of the UN Secretariat or any UN System Organization, UN Volunteers working with any such organization, people deployed to a UN System Organization under Stand-by Personnel arrangements or on reimbursable loans, interns, people deployed to a UN System Organization through an employment agency or similar arrangements, gratis personnel, and individuals who have a consultancy contract with a UN System Organization, as well as international or regional military forces operating as part of a UN Peacekeeping Mission or otherwise under or associated with a UN mandate.

d) Who are UN Implementing partners?

An entity to which a UN office or entity has entrusted the implementation of a programme and/or project specified in a signed document, along with the assumption of responsibility and accountability for the effective use of resources and the delivery of outputs. Implementing partners may include – but are not limited to:

  • Government institutions
  • Inter-governmental organizations,
  • Civil society organizations, including NGOs.

Implementing partners’ subcontractors are subsumed within this definition.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR

 

RELEVANT RESOURCES

1. PSEA Network’s Technical Documents 

2. PSEA Network’s Knowledge Products and PSEA Quick Guides

3. PSEA Network’s Learning Sessions, Webinars, Brown Bags (Videos, Presentations)

          a. Webinar: Use of the UN Harmonized Assessment Tool to Understand the PSEA Core Standards

  • Date: February 29, 2024; Resource Person: Mary Scheree Lynn Divinagracia, UN/IA PSEA Coordinator – Philippines and Prof. Etchel Tongson of UP Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc.
  • Date: March 1, 2024; Resource Person: Mary Scheree Lynn Divinagracia, UN/IA PSEA Coordinator – Philippines and Ethel De Jesus of Good Neighbors International Philippines

          b. Learning Exchange Session: Differentiating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse from Sexual Harassment

  • Date: April 18, 2024; Resource Speaker: Veenu Kk, Inter-Agency PSEA Coordinator – India

          c. Brown Bag: Feedback from Communities

  • Date: May 28, 2024; Resource Speakers: Florinor Algo, UNICEF; Husni Husni and Malou Eudela, UNFPA; Rhinadel Canete and Carino Antequisa, OCHA

          d. Brown Bag: PSEA in Peacebuilding

  • Date: August 16, 2024: Resource Speakers: Stanley Gajete, OCHA; Mark Sherwin Bayanito, OPAPRU; Boots Rebueno,  Plan International Pilipinas, and Juhaimen Asi, ACTED
  • Date: August 20, 2024: Resource Speakers: Stanley Gajete, OCHA; Gilbert Rivera Guevarra, UN Women; and John Rey Catalan, OPAPRU

           e. Learning Exchange Session: Orientation on the HRS and MDS by CHS Alliance

  • Date: October 25, 2024; Resource Persons: Coline Rapneau and Elena Bezzolato

           f. Webinar: Application of the Victim-Centered Approach

  • Date: November 12, 2024; Resource Person: Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of CATW-AP

           g. Webinar: PSEA Disability Inclusion

  • Date: November 15, 2024; Resource Person: Sarah Moon, Global Safeguarding Manager, CBM Global Disability Inclusion

4. Minutes of Meetings of the National PSEA Network

5. Minutes of Meetings of the Mindanao PSEA Network

6. PSEA Network Communication Materials

7. UN Documents with PSEA            

8. Collaboration of the PSEA Network with ICCG and Thematic Working Groups

9.  PSEA Network’s Action Photos 

10. PSEA Network Calendar