Reporting Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Any person working in the refugee response is prohibited from:

  • Asking for any kind of favours, including sexual favours, in exchange for services or assistance.
  • Engaging in sexual relationships with people they assist or aim to assist.
  • All sexual activity with children (anyone under 18 years old).

If you or someone you know:

Were forced to have sex or maintain any activity of a sexual nature (such as groping, rubbing, exhibitionism or any other intrusive behavior) in exchange for food, money, clothing, transportation, shelter or any other support or assistance?

Were forced to have sex or undergo any activity of a sexual nature (such as groping, rubbing, exhibitionism or any other intrusive behavior) by a person working in a humanitarian organization or providing services or assistance to refugees, including volunteers and goverment staff?

Is a person under 18 years of age who had sex or any activity of a sexual nature (such as groping, rubbing, exhibitionism or any other intrusive behavior) as described above with a person working in a humanitarian organization?

If you answered YES to any of the questions above, you or the person you know could be a victim of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Sexual exploitation and abuse are unacceptable behaviours and prohibited for all United Nations and NGO partners’ staff members.

Any person working in the refugee response – including humanitarian organizations and goverment staff and volunterrs – is prohibted from:

Asking for any kind of favours, including sexual favours, in exchange for services or assistance.

Engaging in sexual relationships with people they assist or aim to assist.

All sexual activity with children (anyone under 18 years old).

ALL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IS FREE AND HUMANITARIAN WORKERS ARE PROHIBITED FROM REQUESTING OR RECEIVING ANY PAYMENT OR SEXUAL FAVOURS EXCHANGE FOR THEIR HELP AND SUPPORT.

If you experience misconduct by a person working in the refugee response, it is not your fault, and you have the right to report it by submitting a complaint to UNHCR through one of the avaiable channels.

Reporting a concern, suspicious or an incident of Sexual Exploitation and abuse by a person working in the refugee response to UNHCR or to any other humanitarian organization does not affect your rights nor your acces to humanitarian assistance.

Complaints are handled safely and confidentially: your name and personal information will not be shared with anyone or any organization without your consent.

Moreover, it is important that you know that if you have been a victim of sexual exploitation and abuse you have the right to access safety, protection, psychosocial, medical and legal support, and any other relevant service.

In case you submit a complaint, it will be reviewed and an investigation may be launched by UNHCR (in case it concerns a member of UNHCR workforce) or by the organization for which the alleged perpetrator works for. Alleged perpetrators of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse must be investigated, and if proven guilty, held accountable, while respecting due process and confidentiality.

You can submit a complaint through any of the following channels:

By calling to UNHCR Helpline
0 800 800 11  


By sending an e-mail to
[email protected]

When sending an e-mail try as much as possible to share details of what happened, including – if possible – when and where it happened and who is the acused person. In case you do not have some of this information, you still can send an e-mail with the information you have or feel comfortable to share.


By filling the Online SEA Complaint Form.


By sharing your complaint directly with one of the members of UNHCR workforce.