107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 349
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Calling for effective measures to end the sexual
exploitation of refugees.
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 349
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas the United Nations and organizations engaged in
international humanitarian relief periodically receive re-
ports of sexual exploitation of refugees, particularly
women and children;
Whereas last year a report commissioned by the United Na-
tions High Commissioner of Refugees and the British or-
ganization Save the Children accuses aid workers in Libe-
•HCON 349 EH
ria, Sierra Leone, and Guinea of refusing to give food
and medicine to young girls unless they perform sexual
favors;
Whereas in response to this report the Secretary General of
the United Nations denounced sexual exploitation of refu-
gees and called for a full investigation of the humani-
tarian staff from the agencies involved;
Whereas the charges against aid workers in West Africa are
still being investigated and in recent years there have
been reports implicating employees of international non-
governmental organizations, government agencies respon-
sible for humanitarian response, and peacekeeping forces
in sexual exploitation of refugees;
Whereas many of these reports have involved children, some
as young as 10 to 12 years of age;
Whereas the insufficiency of food rations in refugee camps
has been cited as a primary factor contributing to sexual
exploitation;
Whereas refugees are often extremely poor and cut off from
employment and other ordinary means of income, so that
they can be highly susceptible to demands that they ex-
change sex for food to help their families survive: and
Whereas the relationship between refugee workers and refu-
gees is a custodial or caregiving relationship in which the
custodian or caregiver can exercise substantial power over
the life of the other party, and which carries a cor-
responding risk of abuse: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
•HCON 349 EH
(1) supports the Secretary General of the
United Nations in condemning the sexual exploi-
tation of children by humanitarian aid workers;
(2) urges the United Nations to conduct a com-
prehensive worldwide investigation into the extent, if
any, of sexual exploitation of refugees by agents or
employees of United Nations agencies, of other
international nongovernmental organizations, and of
governments;
(3) urges the President to—
(A) affirm the commitment of the United
States to protecting the well-being and human
rights of women and children, particularly those
in refugee situations; and
(B) instruct the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Devel-
opment and the Secretary of Agriculture to re-
view the distribution of food assistance to ref-
ugee communities throughout the world to en-
sure that humanitarian assistance to refugees
provided by the United States is respectful of
the human rights of women and children and is
distributed in such a way as to minimize the
risk of sexual exploitation; and
•HCON 349 EH
(4) urges the Secretary General, the President,
and the executive authorities of all governmental and
nongovernmental entities engaged in refugee work to
adopt codes of conduct for employees, contractors,
and other agents of the United Nations, of the
United States Government, and of such govern-
mental and nongovernmental entities, respectively,
who are engaged in refugee work that strictly pro-
hibit sexual relationships between international ref-
ugee workers and those entrusted to their care, and
to enforce these prohibitions vigorously.
Passed the House of Representatives October 16,
2002.
Attest:
Clerk.