Important note:
Sexual exploitation is defined as an actual or attempted abuse of someone’s position of vulnerability, differential power or trust by a humanitarian worker (such as a person depending on a humanitarian worker for survival, food rations, schoolbooks, transport, or other services) to obtain sexual favors. It includes exchanging money, employment, goods or services for sex, for example.
Sexual abuse means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature by a humanitarian worker, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. Any sexual activity by a humanitarian worker with children (persons under the age of 18 years) constitutes sexual abuse.
UNHCR and humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies and NGOs, do not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse. Sexual exploitation and abuse committed by UNHCR, UNHCR partners, volunteers or other humanitarian workers is considered to be serious misconduct and will result in severe consequences for the perpetrator.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual exploitation and abuse by a humanitarian worker (UNHCR staff, UNHCR partner staff, volunteers, for example), please report this misconduct directly to the Inspector General’s Office at UNHCR Headquarters:
You can also report misconduct through any of the following means:
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