Government of LiberiaMinistry of Gender & Development

EPAG Quality Monitoring WorkshopSeptember 23 – 25, 2013

YMCA Conference Room, Monrovia

Preventing Sexual Exploitation & Abuse

Presentation by:

Barclay B. Dennis, Jr.EPAG Project Officer, Grand Bassa

Sexual Exploitation & Abuse,What are they? Sexual exploitation means:

means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to:

o profitingo money o Social acceptanceo political gains for recognitiono for jobo Food and shelter

CONT’Do acceptance in a program- EPAG

o sexual exploitation for grades

o for help of any form

ABUSE

Sexual abuse means:Actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by: force under unequal or coercive conditions

For example: NGO Workers taking advantage of impoverished

people. EPAG trainers taking advantage of trainees

CONT’D

EPAG Facilitators/Trainers inappropriately touching students.

Trainers telling trainees to love to him/her and she/he will mark trainee present every day

WHO COMMITS SEA?

Humanitarian personnel EPAG TRAINERS Government officials People who have money(rich and affluent)

WHY SO? This is because these people are often in a position

of power over the local population.

Because of this power dynamic:Sexual relationships between humanitarian personnel, EPAG Trainers, Government Officers, people who have money, can constitute sexual exploitation

EPAG’s POSITION ON SEA THERE IS A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SEA FROM

THE POINT OF EPAG.

WE STROGLY CONDEMN ANY FORM OF SEA.

SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST ENSURE THAT THEIR INTERNAL POLICY ON SEA MUST BE EQUALLY SHARED WITH IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS.

IN THE SERVICE PROVIDER’sCONTRACT

14.3 During Round Three the EPAG project

will continue to take strong measures to prevent SEA.

During the trainee orientations and continually throughout project implementation, service providers must educate trainees about SEA and how to report it.

CONT’D If one or more cases of sexual exploitation and

abuse are reported, investigated, and confirmed,

MoGD reserves the right to terminate the contract if it deems that the actions taken by implementing partners are not sufficient.

Please note: All EPAG service providers are required to take all reasonable steps to prevent acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

A key mechanism to minimize SEA is to employ only women classroom trainers

EXCEPTION TO SEA There are no exceptions to the

rules on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse with beneficiaries.

Sexual relationships with persons under the age of 18 age of consent locally, is prohibited.

Any sexual affairs with the trainees is strictly prohibited.

If reported and found true contract with SP would be terminated.

ALLEGATIONS All allegations should be taken

seriously and investigated by trained personnel.

Anonymous complaints as well as complaints where the institutional affiliation of the alleged perpetrator is unidentified or unknown should be treated just as seriously as complaints where the identity is known.

STEPS IN PREVENTING SEA Service Providers, should include SEA

policy standards in all contracts with Implementing Partners.

Each trainer should sign an SEA policy before taking up assignment in the classroom.

During the trainee orientations and continually throughout project implementation:

Service providers must educate trainees about SEA and how to report it.

Designate a focal person and give a cell phone number to which actions of SEA can be immediately reported.

END

QUESTION?

WELL……

Zuoh Ne Yon Bae Emamma Hoo Ezoueh Wei Esehyea Merci THANKS FOR LISTENING!!!!