Sexual Exploitation By Staff Will Not Be Tolerated, Says UNMISS State Coordinator The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Eastern Equatoria State Coordinator Ms. Hiroko Hirahara Mosko has vowed that she will not tolerate any sexual exploitation and abuse related acts committed by staff. 08 December 2013
*By Peter Lokale Nakimangole* *TORIT, 08 December 2013 [Gurtong] –* She detailed that the practice refers to exchanging of money, shelter, food or other goods for sex or sexual favours from someone in a vulnerable positions threatening or forcing someone to have sex or provide sexual favours under unequal or forced conditions. “As the State Coordinator of UNMISS and Area Security Coordinator of the United Nations Community in Eastern Equatoria State, I will not tolerate Sexual exploitation and abuse, often abbreviated as SEA committed by the Staff Members,” she said during a campaign lauch to create awareness on SEA. She explained that purchasing sexual acts with money, employment, goods or services, exchanging humanitarian assistance for sexual act, any forced, coercive or degrading sexual act, are all prohibited and considered serious misconduct. In addition to this, sexual relationship between staff and beneficiaries of assistance are strongly discouraged, because of the difference in power and the potential for this to be abused. “If you are a victim of SEA, or if you are aware of someone who is, please report to us. Please remember act of sexual exploitation and abuse committed against you are never your fault. Please report any suspicious or concerns you have to UNMISS or any United Nations Office nearby,” the UNMISS Coordinator advised the audience during the launch in Torit. In addition to this, sexual relationship between staff and beneficiaries of assistance are strongly discouraged, because of the difference in power and the potential for this to be abused. The state-wide campaign against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) was launched to raise awareness among the most vulnerable groups in the country and provide them with sufficient knowledge to identify, prevent or report sexual exploitation. Being supported by the United Nations agencies along with other development partners in the region, the blistering campaign led by the Eastern Equatoria state government is conducted alongside 16 Days of Activism to run till 9 December. Speakers uniformly concurred that sexual exploitation and abuse basically imply those actions intending to intimidate somebody or a group of people into unwanted sexual activity such as rape or sex with children. Describing it as an immoral practice, the state Gender Minister Paska Hifita Oduho condemned the practice as she summarized it as bullying acts directed to an individual or a group of individuals who are easily susceptible to prey by other group (s). The campaign intends to raise awareness among the most vulnerable groups in the country and provide them with sufficient knowledge to identify, prevent or report sexual exploitation. She pledges a war against the practice as she announced that her Ministry will provide adequate tools including necessary knowledge by first seeking to identify behaviours that may lead to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, to prevent and report when it occurs through appropriate actions. The stakeholders emphasized the importance of raising awareness on the most vulnerable groups, women and young girls in the community. The state governor Louis Lobong Lojore said SEA is the abuse of positions of authorities to subject another someone exposed to sexual demands for particular favours. “As such, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is a form of gender-based violence. Therefore, the national campaign will take place alongside the annual 16-Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence,” he said. One of the main goals of the national campaign is to raise awareness on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse among all community groups, especially the most vulnerable ones. Reports say since 2011, UNMISS has reportedly received nine allegations involving its staff, five of which are still under investigation, while four could not be substantiated. Posted in: Home<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx>, Governance<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/6/Governance.aspx> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14orn11Mzqw9opON0mxuwk2TaHbTG2PHMsQ471R4NGhZ0Cg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
