Support to the operationalization of the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse System In recognition of the global concern over Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) committed by Aid Workers, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) has prioritized efforts to prevent and respond to these abuses at both the agency level and through collective efforts in the field. To address the need to strengthen accountability and organizational reform, the Humanitarian Country Team in Palestine has created a Network on the Prevention and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The Network reports to the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator and is co-chaired by one UN and one NGO Head of Agency and it is supported technically by an International PSEA Advisor. The current system addresses the protection needs of an estimate of 2,1 million people in need, (1.32 mill in Gaza, 0.75 mill in WB and East Jerusalem) of whom: 934k are children, 458k are girls under 18, and 560k are adult women (HNO 2022). Since the inception of the Network, most partners and agencies have been assessed against PSEA standards and have reporting channels. However, awareness of PSEA is very low among affected communities, and initiatives to encourage reporting are needed. The Multisectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA), which gathered evidence for the HNO 2022 highlighted that 74% of the respondents whether they did not know where and how to complaint or hold negative views about the consequences of doing so. SAWA helpline’s annual review also shows that men are twice as likely to have better access to counseling than women,  while women callers highly referred to psychological violence followed by physical health and physical violence in similar trends. This goes in line with the results of extensive consultations, which have clearly demonstrated that while there is a general reluctance among community members to use reporting channels, this reluctance is particularly strong among women and girls. To accomplish the mandate of PSEA Network a Community Based Complaint Mechanism (CBCM) has been established. This is the core instrument of the PSEA Network to listen to communities, and it collects all types of claims and they are all referred to the appropriate channel and follow up for quality and accountability purposes. 

Against this background, to eliminate SEAH committed by aid workers, we proposed to address community mobilization hand in hand with changing organizational culture and the creation of a survivor’s centered protection mechanism to redress and prevent further harm. The proposed outcomes contribute to the theory that an intersectional approach to awareness and participation, accompanied with the creation of confidential practices tailored for different constituencies will lead to create the appropriate channels that vulnerable constituencies, particularly women and girls, will trust and use. This must be accompanied by organizational change of all PSEA Network members to address gender discriminatory practices that deter reporting, dismisses claims, and further reproduce gender inequalities.

To date, the PSEA network has relied upon financial contributions from its members to carry out its activities. These funds have allowed for the handling of PSEA cases over the last several years, and for the establishment of a comprehensive framework to operationalize the CBCM.  In order to fully operationalize the CBCM and its component parts fully the Network is now seeking additional funds the HPF. This support will strengthen the capacity of strategic CBCM partners such as SAWA and support community mobilization effort at the community level through a national coordinator that will work hand in had with the PSEA Advisor. These two initiatives will also reinforce referral of survivors and enhance assistance in coordination with the GBV and CP SubClusters.