DEPLOYMENT PACKAGEFORPSEA COORDINATORSSEPTEMBER 2020

INTRODUCTION
This tool provides guidance to PSEA Coordinators
tasked with supporting an inter-agency PSEA Program
in country under Resident and/or Humanitarian
Coordinators. While targeted to Coordinators who
are dedicated full time to this role, the tool can beused by anyone who is coordinating PSEA work incountry, e.g. PSEA Network co-chairs or PSEA Focal
Points.
The Deployment Package is a 1-stop shop for PSEA
Coordinators that are getting started in their role. It
compiles the questions that a recently deployed PSEA
Coordinator needs to ask themselves, and where tofind the answers by linking to core resources available.
The Deployment Package is not a compilation of all
information that will support the work of the PSEA
Coordinator over time but aims to cover the essentials
to get started.

The package is structured
around 4 key questions:

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS

1Part I: What is my role as a PSEA Coordinator?
Part II: Who do I work with?
Part III: What needs to be in place?
Part IV: How do I take care of myself?
The 4 questions are followed by links and introductions
to global guidance and protocols, existing support
networks, and specialized PSEA funds.

Results Group 2 on Accountability and Inclusion

The Deployment Package is a deliverable of the 2020
IASC Results Group 2 on Accountability and Inclusion(RG2) Action Plan. The content of the package isbased on consultations with the RG2 PSEA TechnicalExpert Group and 30+ practicing in-country PSEA
Coordinators.

The PSEA Coordinator
The full-time independent inter-agency PSEA
Coordinator role is a relatively new position, as
endorsed by the Inter-agency Standing Committee(IASC) Principals in the 2016 Global Standard
Operating Procedures on Inter-agency Cooperationin Community-Based Complaint Mechanisms(“Global SOPs”) and reinforced in the 2018 IASC Plan
for Accelerating PSEA in Humanitarian Response atCountry Level (“IASC Acceleration Plan”) that calls
for a dedicated PSEA Coordinator in all humanitariancontexts. The need for a Coordinator is not limited
to emergencies, as the minimum standards on
PSEA and leadership responsibilities are the same indevelopment, peace, and humanitarian contexts. A
dedicated and independent PSEA Coordinator has
been found critical to support and create momentum
for the inter-agency PSEA program at the country
level.
The standardized responsibilities of the PSEA
Coordinator are outlined in the Generic PSEA
Coordinator TORs (2019). A global Training for
PSEA Coordinators based on these TORs is available
as part of IOM’s PSEA Coordinator capacity building
activities. As the training is carried out once a year and
PSEA Coordinators need immediate guidance to getstarted, the Deployment Package is a complementary
tool to the global training and is rooted in the PSEA
Coordinator TORs.

PART 1
WHAT IS MY ROLE AS A PSEACOORDINATOR?
1.1 What are my responsibilities?
The PSEA Coordinator is responsible for overseeing
and supporting the inter-agency PSEA Program
in country. The PSEA Program consists of thestrategic leadership priorities as operationalized by
implementation of the PSEA Network Work Plan.
The PSEA Coordinator role was standardized in the
Generic PSEA Coordinator TORs, including thefollowing responsibilities:• Establish the PSEA in-country Program• Oversee the PSEA Network• Strengthen PSEA within Organizations• Engage Stakeholders• Establish/Strengthen an inter-agency CBCM
• Promote Information sharing
The Coordinator responsibilities as laid out in the
TORs describe the full support needed to coordinate
a PSEA Program. If there is no PSEA Coordinator incountry, these responsibilities should be delegated toother actors in country. For more information, see: theFAQs on inter-agency PSEA. (FAQ 7. What happens if
there is no PSEA Coordinator in our response?; FAQ
8. How does the PSEA Coordinator role compare to
the PSEA co-chairs role?)

The PSEA Coordinator contributes to collective
PSEA efforts and their presence does not replace
individual agency commitments. For instance, the
PSEA Coordinator never investigates SEA allegations,however the Coordinator should support Network
members on request in strengthening their investigation
capacity. (See Section: Strengthen PSEA withinorganizations of the Coordinator TORs). The interagency Coordinator’s work builds off – but does not
replace – the work of the PSEA Focal Points appointed
in each organization, who hold the responsibility tosupport PSEA within their organization and contributeto the collective on their organization’s behalf. (seeQuestion 2.1 for the role of PSEA Focal Points).

1.3 What are the principles that will
guide my work?
The IASC Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse are at the core of the PSEA
Coordinator’s work. Note that Principle 4 was updated
in 2019; the other principles of 2002 remain the same,reflecting the standards of conduct for all aid workers.
Translators without Borders and the IASC created aplain language version of the 6 principles (2002), andtranslated the 6 principles in 100-plus languages. In
all contexts where aid organizations work, the PSEA
Coordinator’s effort are supported by the standardsof conduct that incorporate the Six Principles andprohibit sexual misconduct by personnel (e.g. theSecretary-General’s Bulleting on SEA for the UNwide system).
When a humanitarian response is triggered, the
Humanitarian Principles of humanity, neutrality,
impartiality and independence also underly the
PSEA Coordinator’s work. The Core HumanitarianStandard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is aframework consisting of Nine Commitments madeto people affected by crisis, which organizations andindividuals involved in humanitarian response canuse to improve the quality and effectiveness of theassistance they provide. Indicators relevant to PSEA
and Sexual Harassment are integrated throughout the
CHS, and the CHS PSEAH Index compiles 22 such
indicators that are most relevant to PSEA work.

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1.2 What are the limits to myresponsibilities?

The PSEA Coordinator role is limited to PSEA. SEA is
a form of Gender-Based Violence committed by aid
workers. Despite important overlaps, the Coordinatorrole on PSEA should be distinguished from sexual
harassment and safeguarding, as there are collective
commitments unique to PSEA for Coordinators to
support and report on. Depending on the country
context and risk factors, leadership may wish toinclude broader safeguarding initiatives under the
PSEA Network workplan; the Coordinator should
therefore be familiar with these distinctions to carveout limits of their role and engage with actors who do
hold accountability for harassment and safeguarding.
For more information, see the BOND safeguarding
definition and the UN Glossary on PSEA.

The PSEA Coordinator should implement asurvivor-centered approach throughout the PSEA
Program. For more information, see the Inter-Agency
Minimum Standards for Gender-Based Violence in
Emergencies Programming, the IASC GBV Casemanagement Guidelines (in particular 2.2.2 on
explaining confidentiality and its limits), the IASC Best
Practice Guide on inter-agency CBCMs (in particular
Chapter 4: Intake and review of complaints), the UN
Victim Assistance Protocol (in particular section 3.
Principles), the Caring for Child Survivors of Sexual
Abuse Guidelines, and the FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA (FAQ 45: How do we respect both victim
consent and mandatory reporting obligations?).

1.5 How do I get oriented on arrival?
Upon arrival in country, especially if an unfamiliar region,
the PSEA Coordinator should orient themselves to thecontext. Take time to learn about the local culture andits potential effects on (P)SEA, for instance the culturalbarriers to reporting, attitudes about gender and sex,
and the perceptions of the community about aid
workers. The Gender Advisor and AAP Coordinator(if in place) can be helpful here.
Immediately on arrival, the Coordinator should also:•

Learn early on the UN coordination structure
in country and how it differs from the standard
humanitarian response in ways that could affectrelationships with the wide variety of actors the
Coordinator will engage with.

•

Review the latest HNO/HRP and/or consult
colleagues in the RCO to learn where funding
is being directed, priority initiatives, and strong
personalities.

•

Attend meetings of the Inter-Cluster Coordination
Group and NGO Coalition (or equivalents) topick up on any coordination dynamics and identify
potential PSEA allies.

•

Understand how aid is delivered (e.g. is the
UN implementing directly or working throughpartners?) and how civil society, the government,
and local NGOs engage with the UN in-country,
as these factors will directly impact the design of
the PSEA Program.

For more information on the Do No Harm principle
and protection principles, see the IASC Policy on
Protection in Humanitarian Action.
As PSEA is an integral part of Accountability to
Affected Populations (AAP), find more information
on linkages and principles in the IASC’s Essential
Linkages Between AAP and PSEA and the IASC
Revised Commitments on Accountability to Affected
Populations (CAAP).

1.4 What are my reporting lines?
The PSEA Coordinator reports to the senior-mostUN leadership in country (RC/HC or equivalent), as
they are ultimately responsible for collective PSEA
in country. Senior leaders are an important ally in
explaining the PSEA Coordinator role to others andregular engagement and support of senior leadershipis important for the success of the role. For more on
the reporting lines of the PSEA Coordinator and therole of leadership in-country, see the Coordinator
TORs, IASC Acceleration Plan, and Question 2.1).

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Unless funded directly by the Resident Coordinator
Office (RCO) or equivalent, or the Coordinator is
deployed through a roster system, a Coordinator’s
contract will be held by one organization in country.
It is good practice that the PSEA Coordinator does
not report solely to the organization that is providing
funding for the PSEA Coordinator contract, butrather has accountability to and oversight from the
RC/HC. This way, the PSEA Coordinator can maintaintheir independence and direct access to leadership.
It is important when starting the role to both clarify
reporting lines and identify who will support the
Coordinator with administrative issues that may arise,as reporting lines and administrative support may
come from separate bodies.

PART IIWHO DO I WORK WITH?
As indicated in the diagram, the PSEA Coordinatorworks with all actors:
1. Actors with defined PSEA roles: the RC/HC,
the HCT/UNCT, the PSEA Network, and theaffected community
2. Key sectors (e.g. AAP, GBV, Protection, Child
Protection, Gender) to collaborate on activities
3. Actors to engage in risk reduction / safer
programming: Clusters and the ICCG
4.

Actors that have strong influence on PSEA
activities: State actors and Donors

2.1 Who is included in the interagency PSEA structure at country-level?

The below diagram depicts the proposed inter-agency PSEA structure at country level (Source: IASC
Acceleration Plan). The PSEA Coordinator provides both support to the strategic/senior level and technicallevel of the in-country PSEA structure. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all actors under this structure promote efficiency and sustainability of the PSEA Program.

4
DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSRC/HC/(D)SRSG: This senior leader is ultimately responsible for ensuring a PSEA Program is functioning incountry, leads the UNCT/HCT (or equivalent) in overseeing said Program, and is actively advised by the PSEA
Coordinator. The Management and Accountability Framework (MAF) is the source of accountability of the
UN Development and Resident Coordinator System, and notes that the senior leadership responsibilities on
PSEA do not change when an emergency is triggered, and the HC role is appointed. The corresponding HC
leadership role is articulated in the 2015 IASC Principals Statement on PSEA. The Office of the UN Special
Coordinator on improving the UN response to sexual exploitation and abuse is currently developing a UN
Manual on PSEA that will be the definitive guide for leadership on PSEA (anticipated date of release 2021). For
more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (FAQ 1. What are the responsibilities of senior-most UN leadershipin country?).

Senior-level oversight body or “Steering Committee”:
The senior-level body consists of all heads of offices
in country, typically the HCT, UNCT, or othercomparable body (see the Generic HCT TORs). If noappropriate body exists, or the HCT/UNCT wishes todesignate a dedicated leadership body, a new “Steering
Committee” can be created to oversee the activities of
the PSEA Network Work Plan. The PSEA Coordinator
engages with this senior-level body to report on theimplementation of the Work Plan – including any
necessary advocacy for human and financial resourcing– and to design the PSEA Strategy (see Part III). For
more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (FAQs
3-4 on oversight of collective PSEA implementationin country).
PSEA Network: The PSEA Network (interchangeably
called Task Force) consists of member organizations incountry (NGO and UN) as represented by their PSEA
Focal Points. It is the primary body for technical-level
implementation and coordination of PSEA activities
in country via the PSEA Network Work Plan (seePart III) and is overseen by the senior-level oversight
body. The PSEA Coordinator assists in the design,monitoring, and reporting on the Work Plan; supports
collaboration between the Network and clusters; andmakes sure that the Network has clear TORs (see Part
III). For more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA.
(FAQs 9-12 on the role of the PSEA Network).
PSEA Focal Points: The PSEA Focal Points represent
their organization in the PSEA Network and support
PSEA within their organization on behalf of their Headof Office. The PSEA Coordinator provides supportand enables capacity building opportunities for PSEA
Focal Points. Generic PSEA Focal Point TORs thatorganizations can tailor are forthcoming from the
IASC. For more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA.
(FAQ 13. What are the roles and responsibilities of an
in-country PSEA Focal Point?)

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PSEA Co-chairs: The co-chairs, ideally one UN
agency and one NGO, commit to advocate for PSEA
and at the leadership level promote PSEA within the
UNCT/HCT. In practice, they are often the mostactive Network members in achieving the deliverablesof the Work Plan. The Network co-chairs are one of
the closest allies to the PSEA Coordinator, and one of
the Coordinator’s first tasks should be to define theresponsibilities in overseeing the Network between
themself and the co-chairs. For more on the co-chairrole, including a comparison of
the role of the Coordinator tothat of the Network co-chairs,
see the FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA (FAQs 7-8).
The
affectedcommunity:
Members of the affected
community feed into the PSEA
Program so it is culturally
appropriate and needs based.
The PSEA Coordinator assists
the PSEA Network to engage theaffected population in program
design, implementation, andadjustment, in coordination with
AAP actors and others working
with the affected community.

For more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA. (FAQs
15 & 30 on contextualizing the PSEA Program andmeasuring “success”).

2.2 How do I engage local /nationalorganizations?
The PSEA Coordinator should engage localorganizations and NGO fora in the PSEA Program,whether or not they are members of the PSEA
Network, to foster information sharing and long-termsustainability of the PSEA Program. The Coordinator
TORs outline the Coordinator role to proactively reachout to non-Network members. When getting started
in the PSEA Coordinator role, it is recommended
to carry out a mapping of NGO coalitions to learn
your allies and key players. For support to identify andconnect with coalitions, see the contact information
for ICVA at the end of this package. To facilitate
linkages in-country, it is good practice to develop andshare information about the PSEA Network and PSEA
Program – such as a 1-pager introduction – and yourown and/or the co-chairs’ contact information online,
so that local organizations are informed and can get
involved.
For more information, see FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA on how to engage local NGOs and implementing
partners (FAQs 23-24), and the Best Practice Guide
on Inter-agency Community-Based Complaint
Mechanisms (Section A. Ensuring Support and Active
Engagement, Chapter 2: National NGOs, CBOs, andCommunity Structures).

2.3 Which sectors will I work closelywith and how?
Some thematic groups implement activities that will
overlap and/or interact with the activities under the
PSEA Program. While these actors may not explicitly
work on PSEA, coordination with these key sectors
will be vital for success of the inter-agency PSEA
Program.
Accountability to affected populations

As reflected in the above chart, collaboration with AAP
actors in country will facilitate in making the in-country
PSEA Program accountable to the affected population
it exists to serve. The AAP activities of community
engagement, information sharing, and Complaint andFeedback Mechanisms (CFMs) are the cornerstone ofa localized, needs-based PSEA program. For more on
the linkages between AAP and PSEA, see the FAQs
on inter-agency PSEA (Fundamentals section).
For information on the roles and responsibilities of
AAP/Communication and Community Engagement(CCE) actors you may encounter in-country (including
Generic TORs), and surge efforts to build capacity on
community engagement in-country, see the CDAC
Network’s Roster webpage.
Gender-based Violence (GBV) and Child Protection(CP)
Under the PSEA Program, survivors of SEA shouldhave access to services that already exist. In mostcontexts, members of the GBV and CP subclusters will provide direct assistance to survivorsof SEA, because they deliver the kind of specialized
services that SEA survivors often require, with due
consideration for confidentiality and survivors’ safety.
A PSEA Coordinator must work with the GBVCoordinator/GBV actors to incorporate assistancereferral pathways into the SEA referral pathways
under the PSEA Program (see Q 3.4 below on theinter-agency CBCM).

Protection
The PSEA Coordinator should engage with Protection
actors to ensure that protection principles are in place
to avoid the chance of community members being
put at risk for taking part in the PSEA Program (e.g.
contributing to complaint channel design of the interagency CBCM). Protection actors should be also be
involved (whether through the cluster or the concerned
agency) when an individual security/protection plan isdrawn up for an SEA survivor. For more information,
see the Best Practice Guide (Section B. Structuringand Establishing a CBCM).
Gender
The PSEA Coordinator can engage with genderspecialists on applying lessons learned through the

If there is a Gender Adviser in the response, it isadvisable to clarify responsibilities and reporting lines
early on, as Gender Advisers have often (especiallyprior to the PSEA Coordinator role being articulated)advised on PSEA and may have strategic PSEA
responsibilities in their TORs. Gender Advisers haveestablished PSEA Networks, integrated PSEA in HRPs,
and can – depending on experience of the Adviser –be a wealth of knowledge on PSEA coordination.

2.4 How do I work with other sectors/
clusters?

All clusters (or sectors / working groups outside an
emergency response) should be mainstreaming PSEA.
Engaging these actors on PSEA mainstreaming means
working with all stakeholders across the humanitarian and development architecture to reduce risk of
SEA as a cross-cutting issue. Working with sectors/
clusters – and calling upon the relevant focal points
within the PSEA Network to strengthen linkages – isan efficient way to “do” mainstreaming. For more on
mainstreaming, see question 3.7.
When engaging sectors and clusters it is always
advisable to:
1. Know your entry points: e.g. invite the Cluster
Coordinators to the PSEA Network and/or brief
on PSEA at the ICCG.
2. Know your collaborators: Work jointly with
GBV, Protection, and Gender specialists toavoid duplicating safeguarding initiatives or overburdening the different clusters.

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DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSFor further linkages with GBV see the Handbook
for Coordinating GBV Interventions in Emergencies(Chapter 1.8 on Coordinating with PSEA actors),
the UN Victim Assistance Protocol (on roles andresponsibilities for providing services to victims of SEA),
and the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (Fundamentals:
Linkages with the GBV sub-cluster). For the GBV rolesof all actors across a humanitarian response, which the
PSEA Coordinator can build off of and work PSEA
into, see the GBV Accountability Framework. For
information on ensuring that the PSEA Program iseasily accessible to children (e.g. awareness messages
and reporting channels), see the Best Practice Guide(Section B. Structuring and Establishing a CBCM).

gender analysis to reduce risk, collaborating on
safeguarding and risk reduction interventions, and on
integrating a gender-sensitive approach to the PSEA
Program. See the IASC Gender Handbook for_
Humanitarian Action for more on the gender analysis
and targeted actions to meet the needs of womenand girls.

3. Guide clusters to targeted risk reduction activities
throughout the Humanitarian Program Cycle
that are appropriate for their work and contact
points with the community.
For more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA
(FAQ 26. How does the PSEA Network engage with
Sectors/Clusters?).

2.5 How does the PSEA program
engage with state actors?
Actors delivering on PSEA in-country will be impacted
by state actors based on their authority and powerof the state in which the humanitarian/development
coordination structure – and therefore PSEA Program– is based. Various actors within the PSEA structure(see Question 2.1) should engage military, relevant
ministries, and any other identified entities to ensurethat they understand (and ideally are prepared toengage with) the PSEA Program early on, and to agree
on a means to handle allegations of sexual misconductagainst state actors.

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To get started, the PSEA Coordinator should support
leadership to develop a strategy that includes: thegovernment’s current system of protections fromsexual misconduct, including their process of dealing
with allegations; who the entry points are within thegovernment to engage and build capacity; and who in
the humanitarian and/or development senior leadershipis already engaged with state actors in country who
can bring the PSEA advocacy. The Coordinator cansupport with key messages while the implementation
should build on existing relationships between UNCT/HCT members and relevant government actors (e.g.
UNDP in a development or mixed context; OCHA’s
CivMil officer in an emergency response). It canbe helpful to conduct a mapping or analysis of thegovernment response and key actors early on. For
more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (FAQ
27 on engaging the host government) and the Best
Practice Guide (Section A. Ensuring Support andActive engagement in the CBCM; Chapter 3. Host
governments).

2.6 How do I support engagementwith donors?
Donors influence in-country PSEA Programs at
the global and field level and it can be the PSEA
Coordinator’s role to both directly work with donor
representatives and support leadership to develop
a strategy for their own engagement. As with state
actor engagement, it is helpful to start with a mappingof the donors that are present and active in country
and their interest in engaging on PSEA. Coordinators
should also be aware of the global donor standards
and initiatives in safeguarding and PSEA, e.g. the OECDDAC Recommendations (see Question 3.8) and the
DFID Safeguarding Hubs (see Networks, Support andGlobal Bodies on PSEA).

Engaging donors in-country on their expectations andhow they work with their partners on PSEA can havegreat influence on PSEA priorities in the response.
As donors are results-based, the questions that they
demand of their partners will directly affect how
those partners prioritize and view PSEA “success.”
The Coordinator, directly or through the Network,
can create common messages for donors to focus
attention on meaningful PSEA activities rather than“box-checking” activities. For example messages andmore information, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA
(FAQ 29 How should a PSEA Network communicate
with donors?) and a list of Key Messages for Donors
on PSEA developed by the IASC AAP/PSEA Task
Team in 2018.

2.7 How does the PSEA program
work with the UN Mission?
The UN Mission, where in place, will have a separate
PSEA Program and Structure from the humanitarian
and/or development PSEA coordination structure. It
is good practice to coordinate through information
sharing and seating representatives in each other’s
Networks (e.g. a member of the CDT joining the
PSEA Network). While the Coordinator does nothave direct oversight of the PSEA program of the UN
Mission, his/her role as advisor to leadership makes
the PSEA Coordinator an informed party that can
support all UN leadership in carrying out their PSEA
responsibilities at a strategic level. For more, see FAQs
on inter-agency PSEA (FAQ 28 on coordinating with
the Mission).
In some missions there is an appointed Field Victim
Rights Advocate (FVRA) or Senior Victim Rights Officer(SVRO) who supports monitoring and coordinationof the provision of assistance to SEA survivors for
the UN-wide system. The existence of a FVRA or
SVRO does not take away the PSEA Coordinator’srole in integrating a survivor-centered approach in all
PSEA initiatives and activities. Find more informationon the role of the HQ UN Victim Rights Advocate(see also: TORs of the VRA) and the role of a Field
Victim Rights Advocate (FVRA). FVRAs are currently
operating in field missions of CAR (MINUSA webpage), DRC (MONUSCO web page), Haiti (BINUH
web page), and South Sudan (UNMISS web page).

PART III
WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE?
Onboarding checklist: what is already in place on arrival?
Every context will be different when starting out as a PSEA Coordinator. While it is the Coordinator’s roleto help put in place the full PSEA Program, one rarely will start from scratch. Before getting started, a new
Coordinator should assess 1) what already exists, 2) whether the structure/systems are functioning, and 3) if
systems are non-existent / non-functioning, what are reasons why.
The following onboarding checklist will help to assess what is already in place to guide the approach todeveloping and/or strengthening an in-country PSEA Program. Guidance and tools relating to each of the“checks” immediately follows.

Onboarding Checklist:

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9

Is there a PSEA Network?

9

Is there a PSEA Network Work Plan and high-level PSEA Strategy (i.e. “PSEA Program”)

9

Does the PSEA Program have sustainable funding?

9

Is there a means in place for monitoring PSEA?

9

Has a risk assessment been done recently?

9

Are there complaint channels in place that are safe and accessible to all potential SEA complainants?

9Is there an inter-agency agreement in place on complaint and survivor assistance referrals?

9

Is there an inter-agency agreement in place to monitor and track SEA allegations?

9

Are awareness-raising activities for affected communities being carried out?

9

Are key messages and tools available in local languages?

9

Is PSEA mainstreamed in the programming of sectors/clusters?

9

Are organizations meeting minimum standards on PSEA?

9Is PSEA part of the humanitarian response plan?

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Is there an accessible information portal where the Network’s materials and updates are stored?

3.1 How do we set up an efficient
PSEA network?
If there is no PSEA Network in country, the PSEA
Coordinator should first and foremost create the
Network (see Question 2.1) and its Work Plan(see Question 3.2). If a Network exists but is not
functional the Coordinator should engage leadershipto learn where the de-prioritization is coming fromto rebuild investment. Considerations when setting
up or strengthening the Network should include
membership, planned deliverables, meeting frequency,
and the roles of members. It is the Coordinator’s roleto engage with leadership for a common understandingof what it means for their Focal Point to represent
their organization in the Network, and the anticipatedoversight role of the “Steering Committee” (seeQuestion 2.1). Once agreed, all these factors should
be captured in Terms of Reference to cement the
Network’s accountability.

Creating the high-level PSEA
strategy
The PSEA Coordinator assists the senior-level bodyto draft a country-level joint PSEA strategy. The PSEA
Strategy is a document that articulates high-levelcommitment to collective PSEA efforts and the way ofworking towards a common vision. While there is notemplate for a PSEA Strategy, it can include:• Clear statement of support for PSEA efforts• Roles and responsibilities of all actors under the
PSEA Structure• A vision statement describing the goals that
contributing organizations are working towards• Strategic objectives that the PSEA Program will
focus on to achieve its vision statement• Guiding principles to reinforce a common approach• How the PSEA Program will be monitored andevaluated• A clear plan for how the PSEA program will besustained, including financial sustainability.

Clear ToRs:

Creating the PSEA workplan

The PSEA Network and senior-level oversight bodyshould have clear Terms of Reference (TORs). The
PSEA Network TORs include the Network roles andresponsibilities, role of the co-chairs, membership, ameeting schedule, and anticipated deliverables in linewith the Network Work Plan. Generic PSEA Network
TORs which can be tailored in-country are forthcomingon the IASC website. The senior-level body should
include its PSEA oversight role in their existing TORs orwrite a dedicated set of leadership PSEA TORs. Agreed
responsibilities of the “Steering Committee” are listed in
the Global SOPs.

The PSEA Coordinator supports the PSEA Network
to draft their Work Plan (interchangeably called
Action Plan), in line with the objectives of the PSEA
Strategy. The PSEA Coordinator involves all member
organizations of the PSEA Network in drafting theWork Plan, to reflect the ongoing work of membersthat will contribute to the joint Work Plan and identify
leads on each activity throughout the membership. The
Work Plan can also account for activities of the sectors/
clusters on PSEA.

For more information on how to set up an accountable
PSEA Network, and its roles and responsibilities, see
the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (FAQs 9-12).

The PSEA Program (sometimes called “PSEA
Mechanism”) is the collective in-country prevention
and response approach to SEA at both the technicaland strategic level (see diagram on the next page). It
encompasses the work of the PSEA Network andthe senior-level body overseeing collective PSEA. The
purpose of the country-level PSEA program is tostrengthen collaboration between agencies to build
capacity on PSEA within organizations. At the sametime, strong internal PSEA capacity will strengthen theinter-agency agenda of the collective PSEA structure.
For information on how to make the inter-agency
PSEA Program sustainable, contextualized, and how
to implement it with limited resources or in a remote
operation context, see the FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA (FAQs 14-17 on the inter-agency PSEA Program;
FAQs 47-48 on Funding the PSEA Program).

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3.2 What is a PSEA program?

To be effective, the Work Plan needs to be:• Prioritized around the greatest risks (see Question
3.3), contextually appropriate, and based on thecommunity’s identified needs.
• Easy to monitor. The indicators of the Work
Plan need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). Eachactivity should follow the RACI matrix, i.e. specify
which actors are Responsible for carrying out theactivity, who is ultimately Accountable, and which
actors need to be Consulted and Informed. Learn
more about how to use SMART and RACI inthese two videos.
• Funded. Each activity of the Work Plan should
indicate what common source of funding will be
used or which organization commits to bear thecosts (financial or in-kind).

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS

10IASC Priority Outcomes to Measure PSEA Implementation atCountry-level
The country-level PSEA Program should be informed by the 3 priority outcomes of the IASC, as outlined in the IASC
Acceleration Plan:
1. Safe and accessible reporting: Every affected child and adult recipient of humanitarian assistance has access to a safe,
gender and child-sensitive pathways to report SEA (through community-based complaints mechanisms) that reachwhere humanitarian assistance reaches, are appropriate to the context and are accessible to the most vulnerable.
2. Quality assistance for the survivors of SEA: Every child and adult complainant/survivor is offered immediate, quality
assistance (medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, reintegration support).
3. Enhanced accountability, including investigations: Every child and adult survivor of SEA who is willing has their caseinvestigated in a prompt, safe, and survivor-centered way.
The IASC Country-Level Framework on PSEA is a global tool that offers outputs and indicators to measure success against
the 3 IASC priority outcomes and the coordination structure to lead, oversee, and deliver on the outcomes. While theFramework itself is not a Work Plan, the outputs and indicators contained within it can be used to inform the priorities of
the PSEA Strategy and the full range of country-level activities captured in the Work Plan to achieve those priorities. This
arrangement will align tracking PSEA progress in-country with the global initiative to map PSEA achievements against the
Framework. HCs, through the support of PSEA Coordinators, will contribute to this mapping, the results of which will beshowcased on the IASC PSEA Website. Guidance on how to measure the indicators of the Framework will be provided
in a forthcoming Indicators Guidance Note.

In 2020 the UN Development Coordination Officereleased a UNCT Action Plan on PSEA which captures“corporate” responsibility on PSEA, i.e. measuring
the PSEA standards as met by the organizations thatmake up the UNCT, not the inter-agency initiatives
that the UNCT will oversee by the PSEA Network.
Efforts are underway between the UN Working
Group on SEA and the IASC to harmonize a templatethat will capture both measures of accountability andstandardize reporting between humanitarian anddevelopment contexts.
For more information, see the FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA (FAQ 30 How to measure success of the PSEA
Program).

3.3 What should we consider in ajoint risk assessment?

A joint SEA risk assessment, carried out by the PSEA
Network as part of its Work Plan, saves time andeffort, and avoids duplication. If risk assessments are
already being performed by Network members ora joint assessment is otherwise difficult to perform,

For more information on why and how to carry out
a joint risk assessment, see the FAQs on inter-agency
PSEA (FAQs 30-31), and the DMSPC/DPO SEA Risk
Management Toolkit for UN Missions.

3.4 How do we set up a joint complaint and assistance referral system?
To have collective accountability for SEA, a complainantshould be able go to any formal complaint andfeedback mechanism (CFM) or informal channel, andtheir complaint should get to the right organization forfollow up while they receive the services they need.
The system to achieve this aim is the inter-agency
community-based complaint mechanism (CBCM).
Safe and accessible reporting channels and agreed
referral pathways (SOPs) that link CFMs and victim
assistance services are the bare minimum to speakof an inter-agency CBCM that can handle SEA. To
follow good practice, the inter-agency CBCM should
also include complaint monitoring, information sharing
on anonymized SEA complaints, and community
awareness.
PSEA Coordinators play a role in each step of
establishing and implementing the CBCM, frommapping and strengthening existing CFMs, to drafting
the complaint and assistance referral pathways to
be endorsed by senior leadership, to engaging all
stakeholders so the CBCM is localized and well-used,
and raising awareness on the impact of having a CBCM
in place.
To learn more about inter-agency CBCMs, see theFAQs on inter-agency PSEA (Fundamentals section
and FAQs 33-34). For good practice is setting up
CBCMs see the IASC Best Practice Guide on

11
DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSA SEA risk assessment provides a baseline to monitor
success, helps to prevent SEA through programadjustment, raises awareness around SEA risks among
stakeholders, and informs the PSEA Program design.
Upon arrival, the PSEA Coordinator should verify
whether a SEA risk assessment has been carriedout, when, and what the scope was. Ideally the risk
assessment should measure both the risk of SEA
happening, and the capacity of organizations to handle
SEA incidents that do occur. For the former, it is usefulto check whether the Gender Advisor, Protection
Coordinator, or other relevant actors have alreadyconducted a risk assessment for the response that
includes SEA. For the latter, there are several means toassess whether organizations in country are meeting
minimum standards in PSEA (see Question 3.8).

the Coordinator can aggregate the learning fromthe various assessments and circulate widely withstakeholders.

inter-agency CBCMs. For writing SOPs see the
Global SOPs. Assistance for SEA survivors is coveredin the UN Victim Assistance Protocol and the GBVCoordination Handbook (see Question 1.8 on PSEA/GBV collaboration on assistance).

The PSEA Coordinator Role inComplaint Handling
The role of the PSEA Coordinator on complainthandling should be agreed on in the CBCM SOPs and/or information sharing protocol in country. Generally,
the PSEA Coordinator is responsible for the referralof complaints, i.e. determining whether the complaint
alleges SEA, to immediately refer the complaint to theappropriate agency, and to record the complaint formonitoring. As the PSEA Coordinator is not affiliatedwith any agency, they can receive community allegations
as a “neutral” channel. The PSEA Coordinator neverinvestigates complaints; this is the role of the organizationthat is employing the alleged offender.

3.5 How can we safely manage data to
track and learn from SEA allegations
in country?
Anonymized information sharing on SEA allegations
can be integrated in the CBCM SOPs or under aseparate Information Sharing Protocol (ISP). These
agreements should standardize the role of the PSEA
Coordinator and Network in monitoring, analyzing
trends, and sharing information based on the
anonymized information from SEA allegations.

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS

12

Reporting on SEA allegations incountry
The PSEA Coordinator never reports or publicly
discloses individual allegations of SEA in country. This
would duplicate reporting by agencies to the Secretary
General, which is captured in a publicly accessible
database compiling SEA allegations reported for the
UN-wide system. When the Coordinator receives an
SEA allegation, the only person(s) to receive that fullcomplaint information is the unit of the concerned
agency responsible for follow up on sensitive complaints.
The Coordinator should, however, take all information
known in country on SEA allegations and aggregate it
to learn anonymized SEA trends. These can be used
to work with Network members and clusters toward
safer programming and targeted reduction of SEA risks.
For more information on reporting, see the FAQs
on inter-agency PSEA (FAQs 40-42 on promoting
information sharing and reporting requirements).

It is good practice for the PSEA Network members
to systematically share anonymized info on SEA
allegations that were received through their respective
complaint and feedback mechanisms. This allows the
PSEA Coordinator to have an overview of the SEA
allegations received in country, to ensure programmingis adjusted where necessary, and to share anonymized
trends with senior management that will steer the
PSEA Strategy in country. The PSEA Coordinatorshould securely keep records of SEA allegations thatwere referred to the organization concerned, inline with organizations’ data sharing policies and asendorsed by the IASC Principals in the Global SOPs.
The Best Practice Guide on inter-agency CBCMs
provides guidance on how to safely gather and store
SEA allegations.

3.6 How do we raise awareness of thecommunity on PSEA?
While many organizations conduct their own PSEA
awareness raising activities, the PSEA Coordinator cansupport the PSEA Network to create contextualized
key messages for affected communities on PSEA.
Effective community messaging is simple to digest
and should be accessible to its target audience –through use of the appropriate language, visuals, andvetting through test audiences. Key messages andconsiderations when designing awareness campaigns
are in the Best Practice Guide, (“PSEA AwarenessRaising: Affected Communities).
If joint awareness raising activities are not yet
being carried out, the PSEA Coordinator should
integrate joint awareness raising activities in the
PSEA Network Work Plan. Network members
working together on messaging initiatives saves timeand effort for all organizations and helps promote
appropriate and consistent PSEA messaging to thecommunity. For example community engagement
initiatives, see the IASC PSEA Website. Editable andopen source awareness raising materials produced
under the Interagency Community Outreach andCommunications Fund on PSEA (led by ICVA and
UNHCR) will be published early 2021.

Translations
Translating materials into relevant local language(s)and using culturally appropriate terminology is key tocontextualize the PSEA program. Upon arrival, the
PSEA Coordinator should confirm all the language(s)spoken in the community, verify which awareness raisingmaterials for the affected community and local staff arealready available in the appropriate local languages, andwhich materials would benefit from translation. For
expertise on translations in local languages, the PSEA
Coordinator can reach out to Translators without
Borders (TWB), a non-profit organization offering
language and translation support for humanitarian anddevelopment agencies. The TWB Glossaries including
protection- and COVID-19-related translations areavailable in many languages.

3.7 How can PSEA program reducerisk of SEA?
Good programming reduces the risk of SEA. On
arrival the PSEA Coordinator should verify whether
and how SEA risk reduction has been integrated into
the programming of each sector/cluster. With thisbaseline, the Coordinator should identify entry points
by engaging with Cluster Coordinators bilaterally,joining in Cluster meetings to lead a PSEA brainstorm,
and/or regular engagement with the Inter-Cluster
Coordination Group (ICCG), to identify concretemeans to reduce SEA risks and build safer programs(see Question 2.4). As PSEA is not the only groupengaging in safer programming, the PSEA Coordinatorshould identify collaborators, such as GBV/Protection/
Child Protection actors, in their approach with eachcluster to avoid duplication of efforts. A joint risk
assessment can inform the interactions with clusters/
sectors to work on safer programming (see Question
3.3).
The PSEA Coordinator can help mainstreaming PSEA
by working with each cluster/sector separately ontargeted activities they can take to reduce SEA risk
and/or to improve PSEA response throughout the
program cycle. PSEA mainstreaming activities should
be reflected in the PSEA Network Work Plan. It is goodpractice to appoint a PSEA Focal Point for each cluster
as well as the ICCG to facilitate support and requests
by the clusters. This systematic cluster engagement,
combined with strengthened PSEA programs withinorganizations (see Question 3.8), creates a strong
prevention agenda for the inter-agency PSEA Program.
For more on SEA prevention, see the FAQs on
inter-agency PSEA (FAQ 18. What actually works
to prevent SEA?) and for a comprehensive overview
of GBV mainstreaming in humanitarian action, see
IASC Guidelines for Integrating GBV Intervention in
Humanitarian Action. See also this checklist of sector
and department-specific steps to mainstream PSEA.

3.8 How do we measure andstrengthen organizations’ capacity on
PSEA?
Strong organizational PSEA means having thenecessary policies, procedures, and staff capacities
in place to effectively prevent and respond to SEA
within the organization. The in-country PSEA Program
relies on minimum PSEA capacity of all organizations
to achieve collective success. The PSEA Coordinatorhelps organizations to strengthen their capacities andcan support coherence by monitoring assessments
and capacity building activities.
There are a variety of means to measure PSEA capacity
within an organization:• The Minimum Operating Standards of PSEA
(MOS-PSEA) and the CHS PSEAH Index are
widely used, and are the standard under the
OEDC-DAC recommendations on ending
SEA and Harassment• Relevant donor assessments, such as the
MOPAN• UN agencies have the obligation to assess,strengthen, and monitor PSEA capacity of
their Implementing Partners (IPs) under the
UN Implementing Partner (IP) Protocol. A
UN Implementing Partner PSEA Capacity
Assessment measures partners against criteria
in the Protocol. The PSEA Coordinator canmonitor the IP assessments to help avoid
duplication where an organization is partner tomore than one UN agency.

Basic PSEA messaging and tools:
Each PSEA Coordinator will at some point be asked for basic PSEA messages, whether to design awareness materials,
respond to staff resistance to the expected standards of conduct, or to gain buy-in to the Program at all levels. It is helpful
to be ready with basic tools and messages when this happens:• The UN Glossary on SEA includes UN-approved, SEA-related definitions. More inter-agency related, IASC-endorsed
definitions are in the Global SOPs.
• The IASC and Translators Without Borders published a plain-language version of the Six Core Principles of PSEA
in 101 Languages.
• The UN “No Excuse” pocket cards (available in all official and some local languages) include a concise and portablestatement of the UN rules and prohibitions related to SEA and provide contact details for reporting allegations.
• The FAQs on SEA by UN Personnel and Partners provide answers on how to handle questions (and potential
resistance) of UN personnel and partners towards the Six Core Principles as outlined in the Secretary General’s
Bulletin on SEA• Commitments through NGO coalitions, such as the InterAction CEO Pledge and the ICVA Commitment andMotion to Action can help build engagement from local and national organizations.

13
DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSThe PSEA Coordinator should only support
organizations to strengthen their PSEA capacity on
request and should channel the PSEA Networkas the primary forum for capacity building. It is not
the role of the PSEA Coordinator to establish PSEA
policies and procedures within organizations, butrather to support Heads of Office and their PSEA
Focal Points through sharing resources and promoting
joint initiatives. Prioritizing initiatives that will “cascadeknowledge,” such as Trainings of Trainers over trainings,
can help build ownership of PSEA and reduce stresson the Coordinator.

Resources to strengthen PSEA in country offices
Overall: In line with the UN IP Protocol, UNICEF has developed a PSEA Toolkit (available in English and French) to
support Implementing Partners to meet all the Protocol criteria (see here an Information Brief). The CHS Alliance PSEAH
Implementation Quick Reference Handbook and InterAction Step by Step Guide both introduce measures to implement
PSEA across an organization or project in line with the MOS-PSEA and CHS.
Staff Trainings: Organizations that want to train their staff or implementing partners on PSEA and Sexual Harassment canuse the new IASC Learning Package. NGO coalition InterAction has made available a PSEA Basics Trainers’ Guide, and thetrainings of various agencies are available on the UN’s SEA website. A 6-minute video explaining the Six Core Principles
on PSEA – appropriate for frontline and/or non-traditional staff, is available here. The Coordinator can support by keeping
track of trainings in country to avoid duplication and to integrate context-specific messages (e.g. local reporting contacts)
into global trainings. For more, see the FAQs on inter-agency PSEA (FAQs 19-20 on staff trainings and the Network role).
Avoiding re-recruitment of offenders: See two global initiatives: the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response(SCHR)’s Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (open to UN and NGOs) and Clear Check (UN only).
Investigations: CHS Alliance and UNHCR have guidance materials for NGOs to strengthen SEA investigations; organizations
can also view the OIOS Investigations Manual. The CHS Alliance offers SEA investigation workshops for members of the
Alliance and other stakeholders, and InterAction offers training materials on both conducting and managing investigations
online. Organizations can alternatively call on existing roster systems to hire a trained investigator that will follow international
standards for investigation, such as Justice Rapid Response or HumanitarianHR. An OCHA Fund exists to reimburse costsof an SEA or Sexual Harassment investigation.

3.9 How to get PSEA in Humanitarian
Response Plan (HRP)?
Integrating PSEA in the Humanitarian Response Plan
(HRP) is critical to embed PSEA within the cluster
system as a standard and integrated part of thehumanitarian response, and to ensure that PSEA
activities are properly resourced.

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS

14

As recognized in the IASC Acceleration Plan, it isstrategic to get PSEA in the plan for the response
early in the process. The PSEA Coordinator canintegrate PSEA indicators in the humanitarian needs
assessments overseen by OCHA, as its findings shape
the country-level Humanitarian Needs Overview(HNO). The HNO is then used as a basis for thedesign of the HRP. The PSEA Coordinator, on behalfof the PSEA Network, can coordinate with OCHA
and relevant clusters to incorporate PSEA into their
HNOs. Integrating PSEA in each cluster chapter
reflects the importance of building strong relationships
with each of the clusters (see Question 2.4).
For more information, see the OCHA Guidance Noteon Reflecting PSEA in the HRPs and the FAQs on
inter-agency PSEA (FAQ 47. How can we fund the
PSEA Program through the Humanitarian Response
Plan?). See also a menu of AAP questions for Needs
Assessments from REACH and the IASC.

3.10 How can we spread the word of
our PSEA achievements and lessons
learned?
The PSEA Coordinator should establish a means toshare all contextualized PSEA materials and tools
broadly in country – with PSEA Network members
and non-members. It is good practice to set up a PSEA
Network webpage or SharePoint, so all organizations
can easily access in-country tools, agreements, andcontact info of the PSEA Coordinator and Network.
Uploading to this platform the Network meeting
minutes and any reports or presentations updating on
the Network’s progress can help any newcomer tothe PSEA Program (e.g. a newly-appointed Focal Point
or incoming Country Director) catch up on progress.
Adding a PSEA page to the existing response platform– such as the Myanmar Information Management
Webpage and the Bangladesh Humanitarian
Response Hub – can be helpful to demonstrate the
PSEA Program’s clear placement within the country
coordination structure. In addition, the global
dashboard on the IASC PSEA Website provides an
overview of PSEA materials and tools for each country
response.

PART IVHOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MYSELF?

4.1 How do I build my resilience andfind support?
Being a PSEA Coordinator can feel like a lonely job, as
they are the only person with this position in country.
Therefore, it is important to find allies and build a peer
support network.
Keeping close relationships with PSEA Network
co-chairs will be key. Another tip is to build on theknowledge and skills of highly capacitated Focal Points
in the PSEA Network and galvanize their support in a“core team” that is responsible for the oversight of key
deliverables. Similarly, building strong connections with
Heads of Office and supporting their ownership of
PSEA can make for strong champions for the Program.
Coordinators should build strong connections withsenior leadership, know when to ask for their support,
and remember that the RC/HC has the overall
responsibility for PSEA in country.

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS

15

Sharing experiences with a support network or
bilateral conversations with fellow PSEA Coordinators
can provide support and relieve stress. The IASC
Secretariat Field Support Team Coordinator (Penelope
Muteteli penelope.muteteli@un.org) can provide
information on how to connect with fellow PSEA
Coordinators or arrange for a Coordinator mentor.
If at any point stress becomes uncomfortable and/or
you wish to seek a specialist, contact the staff wellness
officer of your contracting organization for more
information on targeted mental health support.
Chapter 4: Caring for yourself and your colleagues ofthe WHO Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field
Workers provides additional tips on how to build
resilience and ask for support.

4.2 How do I manage expectationsof others and clarify the limits of myrole (without losing support)?
As a PSEA Coordinator it is important to know what
you can do, but just as important, what to delegate
to others. Knowing, conveying, and holding otheractors to account for their responsibilities is needed
to not get overworked and stressed. Maintaining theboundaries of the Coordinator role will be key: after
all, the Coordinator’s role is to support and coordinate,
not to accomplish everything themself.
To set boundaries, have clear and understooddefinitions of the responsibilities of all PSEA
stakeholders. Agree on the co-chair role in Network
TORs and remind PSEA Focal Points that they are
responsible for keeping their Head of Organization incountry updated on PSEA developments. The Head of
Office should in its turn keep their PSEA Focal Point
updated on developments at the strategic level. The
Coordinator is not responsible for training everyone
in country on PSEA, but rather supports the Network
to monitor who has been trained.
A Coordinator’s management (both RC/HC and thehost agency Head of Office) should understand theboundaries of the PSEA Coordinator role. Whenbeing introduced as the PSEA Coordinator to actors
in country, help management to be clear on what
this role entails to manage expectations and to avoid
criticism by people/actors who were not informed.
Prioritizing objectives as a PSEA Coordinator, andgaining agreement on this prioritization with seniorleadership, is important, especially in crisis situations.
Labeling tasks as urgent/not urgent, and setting clear
timelines for deliverables, will help to prioritize. Lastly,
make sure to have a back-up person to cover eachtask for when you are on leave or not available. If notpossible in your office, this could be on a rotation basis
within the PSEA Network members.

KEY RESOURCES
The following list introduces and links to the most frequently cited global tools, guidance, and protocols cited in this
Deployment Package.
Real examples from in-country PSEA programs
Country-level PSEA resources and tools, along with key global protocols and guidance, are available on the IASC
PSEA Website. There are sample GBV referral pathways, risk assessments, community awareness materials,
mainstreaming checklists, reporting tools, and more.

• IASC Generic PSEA Coordinator Terms of Reference, 2019
The Generic PSEA Coordinator TORs harmonizes the role of the PSEA Coordinator based on good practiceand IASC guidance and was developed with the contributions of in-country and global practitioners. The TORs
are used by RCs/HCs, HCTs/UNCTs, and agencies who are recruiting dedicated inter-agency PSEA Coordinator.
The PSEA Coordinator can use this tool to identify any gaps in their role in country, and to advocate for a robust
country-level PSEA Program that includes all elements of the TORs.
• IASC Plan for Accelerating PSEA at Country-Level, 2018
The Acceleration Plan proposes an enhanced PSEA structure at country level, including the PSEA Coordinatorrole, building on existing good practice in the field and contributing to a broader accountability strategy. The
plan outlines 3 priority outcomes for PSEA at country level: 1) safe and accessible reporting, 2) quality assistancefor the survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), and 3) enhanced accountability, including investigations.
The PSEA Coordinator can use the Acceleration Plan to help clarify the roles and responsibilities in country,
and to set out priorities of the PSEA Strategy based on the three priority outcomes. The Country-level PSEA
Framework provides outputs and indicators to measure success for each of the 3 priority outcomes, as well as
having a PSEA in-country structure in place.
• Frequently Asked Questions on inter-agency PSEA: IOM’s lessons learned from PSEA
implementation in-country, 2019
The FAQs on inter-agency PSEA capture the recurring challenges on inter‐agency PSEA implementation andprovides practical solutions and guidance. Based on IOM’s lessons learned from collective PSEA implementation
at country level, it includes answers to commonly raised questions of PSEA actors about the country-level PSEA
Structure, roles and responsibilities, how to establish an accountable PSEA Program, and how to engage withstakeholders in country.
• UN Uniform protocol on the provision of assistance to victims of SEA, 2019

• The UN Protocol on Allegations of SEA involving Implementing Partners, 2018
The IP protocol outlines requirements of the United Nations, including its funds and programmes, when working
with implementing partners to ensure adequate safeguards and appropriate action related to sexual exploitation
and abuse (SEA). The Protocol was developed under the auspices of the UN SEA Working Group, as part ofits work to strengthen a UN system-wide approach to prevention and response to SEA, with contributions
from PSEA specialists in the IASC. The PSEA Coordinator can use the Protocol, along with the 2020 UN
Implementing Partner PSEA Capacity Assessment, to help UN country offices with strengthening the capacityof their partners and to keep track of IP assessments carried out in country.
• Best Practice Guide on inter-agency community-based complaint mechanisms, 2016
The Best Practice Guide provides operational guidance on how to set up and run an inter-agency communitybased complaint mechanism (CBCM) to handle reports of sexual abuse and exploitation by aid workers. The
Guide offers practical guidance and examples of good practices to set up an inter-agency CBCM in country.
PSEA Coordinators can use this guidance to establish or strengthen an inter-agency CBCM, one of the maindeliverables of the country-level PSEA Program. The Guide will be updated in 2021.

16
DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSThe Victim Assistance Protocol outlines a common set of norms and standards based on existing frameworks tostrengthen a coordinated, system-wide approach to the provision of assistance and support, which prioritizes therights and dignity of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. The Protocol is important for PSEA Coordinators
to advocate for the use of GBV and other existing services in country and clarify the roles and responsibilitiesof actors on provision of services to SEA survivors.

• Global Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Inter-Agency Cooperation in
Community-Based Complaint Mechanisms, 2016
The Global SOPs are an agreement by the IASC Principals on how agencies can coordinate sensitive complaintreferrals while operating under an inter-agency CBCM. Drafted with the collaboration of 16 agencies, the
SOPs cover how to receive, assess, refer, and follow-up on complaints between agencies in line with diverse
confidentiality and data protection policies. Because the SOPs have already been aligned with agencies’ policies,
PSEA Coordinators can use this agreement to negotiate CBCM SOPs in country.
• IASC Learning Package on Protection from Sexual Misconduct for UN partnerorganizations, 2020
This interactive and innovative learning package that aims to raise awareness among IASC member staff andpartners to ensure they have the skills and tools to define, detect, and respond to sexual misconduct, including
SEA and sexual harassment. PSEA Coordinators can recommend this learning package to implementing partners
and other organizations that want to train their staff on sexual misconduct.
• Handbook for Coordinating GBV Interventions in Emergencies, 2019
This Handbook from the GBV AoR / Global Protection Cluster is a quick-reference tool that provides practicalfield-level guidance for GBV actors. It is recommended for the PSEA Coordinator to be familiar with Chapter 1.8,
which is dedicated to guidance on coordination between GBV sub-clusters and PSEA stakeholders in-country.
• Minimum Operating Standards on PSEA (MOS-PSEA), 2012
These are agency commitments under the IASC to combat SEA and to institutionalize PSEA at all levels (HQ
and in country). The MOS-PSEA provides specific indicators on how organizations can set up internal structures
to meet a common minimum standard of policy and procedures to address SEA. The MOS-PSEA can help
the PSEA Coordinator to clarify the organizational responsibilities on PSEA and differentiate organizational
responsibilities from the Coordinator role to help strengthen coordination and learning on these responsibilities.

The following IASC guidance will support implementing and strengthening PSEA in times of COVID:• Interim Technical Note: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) during COVID-19
Response• PSEA during COVID-19 Response: Field Examples of Adaption of IASC guidance• Checklist to Protect from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse during COVID-19

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17

NET WORKS, SUPPORT, AND
GLOBAL BODIES ON PSEA
• The IASC Championship on PSEA and Sexual Harassment
The Championship role was created in 2011 to give the humanitarian community a unified voice on PSEA
and to strengthen PSEA collaboration between IASC members at the Principals level. In September 2019,
the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, took over the role of Champion on Protection from
Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment from UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.
UNHCR’s three priorities on PSEA and key initiatives can be found on the UNHCR Championship website.
The Championship role will be passed to UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem in January 2021.
• IASC Results Group 2 on Accountability and Inclusion
The IASC Results Group 2 supports humanitarian leaders and responders in demonstrating system change
through collective approaches to accountability and inclusion in overall response efforts including enabling
people to address SEA and sexual harassment, and the meaningful participation of all community members in all
stages of the humanitarian programme cycle. The group’s scope includes Accountability to Affected Populations(AAP), PSEA/H, and Inclusion. The RG2 helpdesk (rg2advice@gmail.com) is available to answer questions on
all themes•

The PSEA Technical Expert Group (TEG) is a sub-group under the IASC Results Group 2
consisting of technical PSEA experts, with a priority to improve protection from and response to
SEA and sexual harassment.

•

The PSEA Field Support Team is a dedicated inter-agency team of technical specialists with thecapacity to provide remote and in-country field support on PSEA. As part of the PSEA TEG, theField Support Team was created to strengthen an inter-agency approach to support Humanitarian
Coordinators and Humanitarian Country Teams and to accelerate PSEA within humanitarian responseat country-level. For more, contact the IASC Secretariat Field Support Team Coordinator, Penelope
Muteteli at penelope.muteteli@un.org.

• IASC Results Group 2 Accountability and Inclusion Portal
The Accountability and Inclusion Portal is the go-to place for practitioners and leaders who strive to implement
people-centred approaches; covering AAP, PSEAH, age and gender, persons with disabilities and other diversities.
The portal offers a resource library to search, access, and share resources by thematic area; a service directorythat signposts users to available expertise across organisations (accessible soon); a blog space for partners tocontribute relevant case studies, learning and ideas; and connections to other key websites including the new
PSEA Website and dashboard.
• IASC PSEA Website• IOM inter-agency PSEA Support Project
Tasked by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee in 2016, IOM hosts a dedicated team that provides ongoingsupport to inter-agency PSEA stakeholders in country. The project team provides guidance and tailored technicalassistance on setting up and strengthening inter-agency PSEA Programs, in particular inter-agency communitybased complaints mechanisms (CBCMs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for inter-agency complaintreferral and victim assistance. For information and to request support, contact PSEA-CBCM@iom.int.
• International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)ICVA is a global network of non-governmental organizations whose mission is to make humanitarian action
more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. PSEA
Coordinators can reach out to ICVA to strengthen their NGO engagement efforts, and to get information
on relevant NGO forums in their context. For more, contact: secretariat@icvanetwork.org or see the ICVA
Website.

18
DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORSThe IASC PSEA Website (or PSEA Microsite) aims at highlighting the IASC Priorities and Strategy, global andcountry-level resources, and the work of the PSEA Technical Expert Group. The Global Dashboard included in
the Micro-site will provide a regional and country-level overview of the results of the IASC mapping of PSEA
implementation which Coordinators will contribute to under the RC/HC. Each country-page will highlight theessential country-level documents and tools for easy reference.

• CDAC Network
The CDAC Network is a growing platform of more than 30 humanitarian, media development, social innovation,technology, and telecommunication organisations, dedicated to saving lives and making aid more effective throughcommunication, information exchange and community engagement. PSEA Coordinators can access trainings
and guidance on the CDAC Network website, as well as learn more about the Roster of AAP/CCE specialists.
• CHS Alliance PSEAH Community of Practice
The Community of Practice is made up of CHS Alliance members who share insights and information on PSEA
and Sexual Harassment and provide input into the development of materials on the issue.
• United Nations PSEA Website
The UN Website on PSEA provides information on the Secretary-General PSEA Initiatives (including the Fact
Sheet of who-does-what), the Victim Rights Advocate mandate, the Office of the Special Coordinator on
improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse, the Victim Trust Fund (see info below),and UN-wide data on allegations. The UN Knowledge Gateway, accessible to UN personnel, provides extra
resources, communities of practice, and links to trainings.
• Safeguarding Resource and Support Hubs (RSH)The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) is a platform that aims to support organizations in theaid sector to strengthen their safeguarding policy and practice against SEA and Sexual Harassment. The Hubis an open-access platform bringing together relevant guidance, tools and research, and signposting qualityassured safeguarding support. It creates opportunities for meaningful engagement through Communities ofPractice, discussion forums and live events. Ethiopia has a dedicated Hub with a specific focus on smaller localorganizations working in the aid sector in Ethiopia.

PSEA FUNDS• The OCHA Fund for Investigations into Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual
Harassment

DEPLOYMENT PACKAGE FOR PSEA COORDINATORS19The OCHA Investigation Fund can provide rapid grants to organizations to reimburse for costs incurred ininvestigating cases of SEA and sexual harassment, including the cost of investigators. More information on thefund is available here.

• Victim Assistance Trust Fund
The Trust Fund provides funding to specialized services (medical care, legal services, and psycho-social support,etc.) that deliver assistance and support to complainants, victims, and children born as a result of SEA, and toaddress service gaps in the provision of assistance and support. The fund does not provide remuneration toindividual survivors, rather supports building and strengthening services available to survivors. More information
about the Victim Assistance Trust Fund is available here.