(4) Efforts to Address Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in Development Cooperation
International concern regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) in humanitarian and development assistance has been growing in recent years. In October 2018, the United Kingdom held an international conference on SEAH and major donors including Japan signed commitments to strengthen efforts to tackle it. In July 2019, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) also adopted the DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance.
In response to such movements, MOFA has conducted awareness raising for its staff through activities including training. It has also put the summaries of Japan’s basic position and the DAC Recommendation on the MOFA website to promote understanding among the Japanese public.
JICA has also raised awareness of the importance of SEAH prevention among a wide range of relevant parties involved in JICA projects by posting on its website a message from the president about eradicating SEAH and by adding SEAH prevention measures to its employment regulations and ethics guidelines for JICA personnel. JICA also works to develop a consultation service as well as a response and monitoring system in the event that cases arise.
In 2021, Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH) Working Group, which was the main implementing body of MOFA’s NGO Study Group for “PSEAH in International Cooperation: Study of Global Trends, and the Development and Dissemination of Guidelines to Implement in Japan,” developed “PSEAH Implementation Quick Reference Handbook” and its study group report. Interests in the issue are also growing in Japan and the eradication of SEAH was on the agenda at the First Partnership Promotion Committee Meeting of the NGO-Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regular Consultation Meetings, which was held in August 2021.
In December 2021, a joint letter to the United Nations Secretary-General was issued, led by the United Kingdom and other like-minded countries, as a call for further efforts by UN agencies to prevent and respond to SEAH, and Japan (Foreign Minister Hayashi) joined in signing the letter.