Good morning, all!
Mingalabar!
It is indeed a great pleasure to give my remarks at this orientation workshop on WHO policy on preventing and responding to Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment to you as a special group. Many of you are our close implementing partners.
As you know in countries that WHO is engaging with state sector as well as non-State sector including private sector entities, NGOs, philanthropies, for implementation of WHO’s mandate in the advancement and promotion of public health.
Therefore, it is important that our implementing partners are also aware of WHO policies and procedures.
As you may be aware, after certain incidents happened in Democratic Republic of Congo, WHO intensified its efforts to strengthen organization’s work on Prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment.
I am not telling, it started in Congo. I believe, it had been there for decades but came to lime light recently.
Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment constitutes acts of serious misconduct and reflects catastrophic failure by our organization to protect people we serve, to do no harm and to protect the vulnerable.
Sexual harassment reflects gross failure of our duty of care to provide workforce with safe and respectful environment in which we serve.
WHO has zero tolerance for SEA and inaction against SEA. The resolutions on preventing and responding to Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment has been endorsed in WHO Executive Board and WHO aligns itself in essence with the consideration and criteria set out in UNSG Bulletin 2003/13.
WHO has adopted the UN protocol on assistance to victim of SEA, the UN protocol on implementing partners related to SEA and IASC principles and minimum operating standards.
The “UN Protocol on Allegations of SEA involving Implementing Partners” outlines requirements of the United Nations, when working with implementing partners, to ensure adequate safety measures and mechanisms and appropriate actions to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).
There are 3 objectives of this orientation workshop with our strong commitment we decided to have this workshop. They are -
a. To raise awareness on WHO’s policy on PRSEAH among implementing partners of non-state actors including private entities such as suppliers and vendors working with WCO Myanmar (no direct connection with beneficiaries) and NGOs partners who are working with us for various types of service delivery (they have direct contact with beneficiaries) and WCO staff
b. To inform our partners
i. standards of conduct in relation to PRSEAH expected from them,
ii. to explain the further process needs and required by those entities or individuals that they accept these standards including reporting procedure for SEAH and how WHO protect the reporters and victims from retaliation
iii. To inform what are the implications to the implementing partner in case any of such cases are reported
You are provided with many materials related to WHO policies and procedures related to prevention and response to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in your dockets in English and Myanmar language for your easy reference. For example, you will find Code of conduct; Whistleblowing and Protection Against Retaliation; Code Of Ethics And Professional Conduct; WHO Policy Directive on PRSEAH.
I am very glad that we can have an opportunity to learn more about PRSEAH from our resource persons. I thank them in advance for their facilitation in this workshop.
While appreciating your participation for today’s orientation, I hope you will understand better WHO policy on Preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment as the discussion to follow.
Further, I would like to thank the resource persons from WHO headquarters, Mr Chiritos Mylonas and Ms Sarah Cato and PSEA Focal Points at WHO regional office for supporting us for this event.
PRSEAH team at WHO Myanmar is the key players of this event and their contribution in organizing this important event is highly valued.
Thank you.