Unicef (New York) - March 13, 2003

"Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation are risks that must be factored in when developing all of our programming," said Joanne Dunn, UNICEF Child Protection Officer and organizer of the conference. "This workshop could not be more timely with the current humanitarian crisis brought on by the drought when large numbers of women and children are being displaced from their homes and exposed to a heightened risk of violence."

Sexual exploitation and abuse of beneficiaries, mostly women and children, has been a serious and longstanding problem in peace-keeping and humanitarian operations where aid workers may abuse their position or withhold aid in exchange for sexual acts from desperate children and women. The workshop, hosted and funded by UNICEF, is aimed at informing participating UN staff, NGO representatives, stakeholders, including the Government, law enforcement officials and child welfare advocates, and the beneficiaries themselves about how to combat this problem.

"In any given situation, where a humanitarian crisis exists, the chances of abuse increase, because of the level of need and desperation, particularly on the part of women and children without parents," said Jennifer Nduku Kiiti, a sexual exploitation expert based in Nairobi and one of the leaders of the conference. "Their coping mechanisms are limited, and they may be forced into sexual acts in exchange for economic remuneration for their survival."

Topics for the workshop include, "Possible Points of Abuse and Exploitation within Supply and Distribution Chain," "Principles of Accountability," "HIV/AIDS and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse," and "Reporting Mechanisms and Investigative Protocols." On the final afternoon, the workshop's 50 participants will develop an action plan for the country to decide on what future steps should be taken.

The Save the Children Alliance, the World Food Programme and UNICEF agreed that preventing sexual abuse and exploitation of women and children should be made a priority of their agencies. The Ethiopia workshop stemmed from a UNICEF-sponsored "training of trainers" programme conducted in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi, countries in Southern Africa particularly hard hit by the current drought.

"When you address sexual abuse and exploitation as a global problem, people are more open about it and eager to try and prevent it. A power imbalance and gender inequality are the major contributors to sexual abuse and exploitation," said Jane Wanza Mutinda, a gender trainer based in Nairobi participating in the conference. "These core team of trainers went back to train their communities to prevent vulnerable women and children from being preyed upon in the future."

For more information, please contact the UNICEF Communications Section, telephone: 251-1-515155 or 444400; fax: 517111; e-mail: awalker@unicef.org

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