Partners, colleagues, and friends,
We are here today to review, discuss and plan our collective actions on a very important issue – preventing and responding to sexual misconduct.
Let me start by reiterating WHO remains committed to driving leadership and action on zero tolerance for sexual misconduct within the organization, with UN partners and our Member States. Our policy on preventing and addressing sexual misconduct is pillared on the vision that we do no harm to the people we are entrusted to serve or to the people with whom we serve.
Previously, at WHO headquarters, I had the responsibility of leading this work as Chef de Cabinet. Today, as Officer-in-Charge of WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Office, I directly oversee PRS and related matters.
This reflects the highest priority we attach to this agenda. PRS is not peripheral. It is central. It is both inward and outward facing: setting our own house in order, while also addressing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as a public health challenge.
We meet at a time when the development landscape is shifting. Financial pressures and resource constraints are testing us all. But the work of PRS must never be placed on the back burner.
In fact, it is in such moments of pressure that vulnerabilities grow and the risks multiply. Leadership must be strongest in such times, and stewardship of PRS remains in my office as WHO undergoes restructuring.
It is encouraging to colleagues across WHO and the UN have advanced a survivor-centred approach. Regular monitoring—and the recent global stocktaking exercise—have improved our approach.
Member States at our World Health Assembly have been clear. They expect stronger PRS engagement in emergencies, greater capacity building, stronger regulations, and sustained culture change.
We know, of course, that challenges exist. Reporting remains low. Investigations take too long. Culture change is slow. Survivor support services are still inadequate. And entrenched gender inequality and discrimination continue to undermine our efforts.
But we must rise to action. WHO’s Accountability Framework and the PRS Framework of Engagement with Member States provide us with strong foundations.
The way forward must be collective. I want to applaud our partners, WHO Country Representatives, PRS focal points, and all of you - who make this work real at the country level.
We must pool resources, generate joint proposals, and ensure that PRS is integrated not just in emergencies, but also in peace and development settings.
I trust that at this workshop, you will come up with innovative solutions, to also strengthen joint operations, because we know that PRS is everyone’s business.
I wish you a successful workshop.
Thank you.