United Nations Action on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

A/RES/77/333View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 131 Sexual exploitation and abuse: implementing a zero-tolerance policy, published in 2022.

What other versions does this mandate have?

7 versions · 2017–2024

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/78/331

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2024	A/RES/78/331	United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse	1,576	97%Compare
2023	A/RES/77/333	United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse	1,583	98%Compare
2022	A/RES/76/303	United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse	1,566	95%Compare
2021	A/RES/75/321	United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse	1,566	16%Compare
2019	A/RES/73/302	United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse	261	89%Compare

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

10 reports · 2018–2026

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2026	A/80/644	Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/71/278A/RES/72/312A/RES/73/302A/RES/75/321A/RES/76/303A/RES/77/333A/RES/78/331
2024	A/78/774	Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/71/278A/RES/72/312A/RES/73/302A/RES/75/321A/RES/77/333
2024	A/79/789	Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/71/278A/RES/72/312A/RES/73/302A/RES/75/321A/RES/76/303A/RES/77/333A/RES/78/331
2023	A/77/748	Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/71/278A/RES/72/312
2022	A/76/702	Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse report of the Secretary-General

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 subjects

Accountability Coordination Within UN System Covid-19 Crime Prevention Gender-Based Violence Peacekeeping Operations Sex Crimes

What’s in this document?

16 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms its commitment to the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse throughout the United Nations system, including the agencies, funds and programmes, and takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;¹

¹A/77/748.

Notes with concern that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed those in vulnerable situations to increased risks of sexual exploitation and abuse and limited the capacity of the Organization to provide victims and relevant Member States with assistance and to investigate allegations, urges the Secretary-General to continue to prioritize preventative action across the United Nations system, in particular throughout the COVID-19 pandemic response, and calls upon the Secretary-General to remain actively engaged and, in collaboration with Member States, to scale up efforts to create a harmonized approach to preventing sexual exploitation and abuse throughout the United Nations system, including by enhancing the alignment of the policies and practices of the Organization;

Reaffirms that all categories of United Nations personnel must be held to the same standard of conduct so as to keep people safe from harm, while also preserving the credibility, impartiality, integrity and reputation of the United Nations, and remains committed to further consideration of ways of ensuring managerial, command and individual accountability;

Stresses the importance of Member States holding accountable those responsible for sexual exploitation and abuse, in a timely and appropriate manner, and that prevention and accountability are critical for the United Nations and its Member States to demonstrate their collective commitment to the zero-tolerance policy and for maintaining the trust of the international community and providing justice for victims, in this regard emphasizes that accountability rests on the cooperation of the Member States, and also emphasizes the need to enhance international cooperation in this regard;

Reaffirms its support to the United Nations for its efforts to implement the zero-tolerance policy, in particular to strengthen the Organization’s prevention, reporting, enforcement and remedial actions in order to promote greater accountability, and in this regard requests the Secretary-General to continue to work in close consultation with Member States for the effective implementation of the policy;

Stresses that enhanced accountability and transparency at all levels, including at the senior leadership level, both at Headquarters and in the field, contribute positively to combating sexual exploitation and abuse;

Recognizes that a culture of impunity could result in an increase in sexual exploitation and abuse, and in this regard underlines the necessity of immediate, safe and appropriate measures, including through investigations and prosecution where appropriate, and of reporting to the United Nations promptly on action taken;

Underscores that predeployment and in-mission training on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse plays an effective role in raising awareness about the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on such acts, and encourages relevant stakeholders, including Member States and the Secretariat, in accordance with their different responsibilities, to continue to collaborate to ensure that mandatory, effective, monitored and targeted training on sexual exploitation and abuse is implemented;

Also underscores that troop-contributing countries bear the responsibility for investigating, and troop- and police-contributing countries bear the responsibility for holding their personnel accountable for perpetrating, acts of sexual exploitation and abuse in accordance with their national laws, in this regard takes note of Security Council resolution 2272 (2016), and requests the Secretary-General to consult with Member States, as appropriate, in particular troop- and police-contributing countries, regarding the implementation of the Operational Guidance for the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 2272 (2016);

Stresses the importance of further improving the collaboration between the Secretary-General, United Nations system entities and Member States, including troop- and police-contributing countries, regarding preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse to improve accountability and transparency and support for victims, and emphasizes the need to maintain a frequent exchange of information on all aspects related to sexual exploitation and abuse;

Requests the Secretary-General and all relevant entities to continue to immediately inform the Member States concerned about allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel system-wide, as well as by non-United Nations personnel serving under a Security Council mandate, of which United Nations entities may become aware, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the Member States concerned receive all available information to allow for appropriate follow-up by their national authorities;

Pays tribute to all peacekeepers who risk their lives while serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations, underscores that acts of sexual exploitation and abuse damage the credibility, effectiveness and reputation of the United Nations, in this regard commends the troop- and police-contributing countries that have taken effective steps to prevent and investigate acts of sexual exploitation and abuse, and combat impunity and hold accountable those individuals responsible for such acts, and highlights the importance of establishing best practices within the United Nations system;

Calls upon Member States deploying non-United Nations forces authorized under a Security Council mandate to take appropriate steps to investigate allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse and to hold perpetrators accountable, and urges all non-United Nations forces authorized under a Security Council mandate to take adequate measures to prevent, and combat impunity for, sexual exploitation and abuse by their personnel;

Underscores that victims of sexual exploitation and abuse should be at the core of the United Nations efforts, throughout the United Nations system, in implementing the zero-tolerance policy, in this regard highlights the importance of providing expeditious support to them and welcomes voluntary contributions to the trust fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, encourages the Secretary-General to strengthen coordination across United Nations entities in order for victims to safely access immediate basic assistance and support in accordance with their individual needs, and also encourages the relevant authorities of non-United Nations personnel serving under a mandate of the Security Council to provide adequate and immediate assistance and support to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse committed by their personnel;

Takes note of the pilot mapping of victims’ services, capacities and approaches completed in May 2020 by the Office of the Victims’ Rights Advocate, through which it was noted in particular that there was no cohesive system-wide tool to track services and assistance received by victims, and requests the Secretary-General to analyse shortcomings that were identified through the mapping exercise and present possible solutions to support and track victims’ access to and utilization of services;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-eighth session the item entitled “Sexual exploitation and abuse: implementing a zero-tolerance policy”, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to submit annual reports, pursuant to resolution 57/306 of 15 April 2003, on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, including on progress made in implementing a zero-tolerance policy within the United Nations system and information on the impact of COVID-19, as well as on emerging best practices and lessons learned, for consideration by the General Assembly under the aforementioned item, in line with existing mandates and procedures.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

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