Implementation Guidelines for the Field on the
Secretary-General's Bulletin
on Special Measures for Protection from
Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
(ST/SGB/2003/13)

Responsibilities of Representatives of the Secretary-General (RSG), UN Resident Coordinators (RC):
1. Representatives of the Secretary-General and Resident Coordinators are in the best position to ensure that the Bulletin is implemented coherently at the field level. As the Secretary-General has noted, they therefore bear specific responsibility for ensuring implementation of the Bulletin on the ground.
2. Where a UN peacekeeping or peacebuilding mission is in place the RC is responsible for liaising with the SRSG/RSG to agree on respective responsibilities for ensuring overall implementation of the Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) prevention strategy and the SG's Bulletin.
3. The RC is responsible for ensuring the establishment and functioning of the in-country Networks on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The Networks will function under the auspices of the RC, and report to him/her. (See TORs for Networks.)
4. Under the auspices of the RC, the Network is responsible for ensuring that the local community, including refugees and other beneficiaries of assistance, is properly informed of the existence and role of the SEA Focal Points and their field counterparts and how to contact them. All communications to staff and local populations about (a) prevention of and reporting on SEA and (b) channels of recourse for victims of SEA should be issued in the relevant languages by the in-country Network to prevent local communities from being inundated with conflicting information about where to turn.
5. The RC is responsible for ensuring that rumoured or 'in-the-air' allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse are dealt with appropriately, and for liaising with the (S)RSG where Mission personnel may be involved. (See TORs for Networks.)
6. The RC is responsible for reporting annually to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Working Group (in a humanitarian crisis context) or the United Nations Development Group (in a development context) on progress made toward preventing and responding to sexual abuse and exploitation. (See TORs for Networks.)

General management responsibilities (applicable to all organizations in the field):
1. Managers are responsible for creating and maintaining an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, and for taking appropriate measures for this purpose.
2. Managers are responsible for ensuring that all staff (national and international) receive a copy of the SG's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.
3. The field manager of any organisation with a substantial presence in a particular country is responsible for appointing a senior-level (in the UN system, P4 level and above) Focal Point and Alternate on SEA. Either the Focal Point or the Alternate will be a female staff member. Managers should ensure that the Focal Points appoint field-level focal points at all the organisation's field/sub-offices with significant staff presence. The Focal Point's role is to receive complaints and reports on cases of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation and to take the lead in developing and implementing SEA preventive measures.
4. Managers are responsible for taking appropriate action where there is reason to believe that any of the standards of conduct listed in the SG's Bulletin have been violated, or that other sexually abusive or sexually exploitive behaviour has occurred.
5. When entering into cooperative arrangements with non-UN entities or individuals (including consultants), UN managers shall inform them of the standard of conduct contained in the SG's Bulletin and receive a written undertaking that these standards are accepted.

   Responsibilities of Headquarters officials dealing with SEA (applicable for UN agencies/departments)

6. Upon receipt of a complaint from a field Focal Point, the Headquarters official responsible for sexual exploitation and abuse must take appropriate action to launch a preliminary investigation.
7. S/he must also inform the Department of Management of all investigations into cases of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and the actions taken as a result of such investigations.

   Responsibilities of staff

8. Where a staff member develops concerns or suspicions regarding sexual exploitation or sexual abuse by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency or not, he or she must report such concerns via established reporting mechanisms.