(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 DAC adopted the “DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance.”
In response to such movements, MOFA conducts awareness raising activities such as training for its staff. It also posts the summaries of Japan’s basic position and the DAC Recommendation on the MOFA website Note 30 to promote public understanding.
JICA raises awareness of the importance of SEAH prevention among a wide range of relevant parties involved in JICA projects by posting a message from the president about eradicating SEAH on its website, Note 31 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.
The eradication of SEAH was one of the agenda items at the Partnership Promotion Committee Meeting of the NGO-Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regular Consultation Meetings, which were held in August 2021 and January 2022. In response, MOFA took measures such as incorporating SEAH prevention into the implementation guidelines for the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects in FY2022, and continuously considers specific measures in collaboration with relevant parties in Japan.
In December 2021, a joint letter to the UN 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.
- Note 30: https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/oda/about/doukou/page24_000019.html (in Japanese only)
- Note 31: https://www.jica.go.jp/english/our_work/compliance/seah_eradication.html