CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR

2003 (Executive Committee—54 th Session)
(d) Urges States to respect and ensure the right of all individuals within their territory and subject to their
jurisdiction, to security of person, inter alia by enforcing relevant national laws, consistent with international
law, and by adopting concrete measures, where they do not exist, to prevent and combat sexual abuse and
exploitation including through:
(i) The development and implementation of training programmes, guidelines and other practical
measures aimed at promoting respect by all government officials, as well as persons acting on
behalf of the State, who have contact with refugee populations, for the right of every individual to
security of person and at promoting protection from sexual abuse and exploitation;
(ii) Appropriate follow-up action in response to allegations of sexual violence and exploitation
including, where necessary, by implementation of remedies, such as facilitating the filing and
investigation of complaints of sexual violence and exploitation, the prosecution of offenders, and
timely and proportional disciplinary sanctions in cases of abuse of power or gross negligence
resulting in sexual exploitation;
(iii) Complaint and redress mechanisms, where appropriate, which are easily accessible, do not
compromise the security of the survivors or other informants, and give due regard to
confidentiality. Such complaint mechanisms should, where feasible, provide victims and
witnesses with referrals to support services with appropriately trained personnel, including in
particular female counsellors;
(e) Calls on States to ensure that all humanitarian agencies funded by them and working with refugees
integrate and promote policies consistent with the core principles of the plan of action of the Inter-Agency
Standing Committee Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises;
(f) Calls on UNHCR to support its internal investigation capacity within the Inspector General's Office to
ensure that the Office is able to react swiftly and effectively to ascertain the veracity of any allegations of sexual
abuse or exploitation by UNHCR or implementing partner staff;
(g) Calls upon the international community in cooperation with UNHCR and other international
organisations to mobilize the resources necessary to ensure the provision of protection and material assistance in
support of host countries, based on international solidarity, cooperation, burden and responsibility-sharing, since
inadequate protection, or inadequate, inappropriate or poorly distributed assistance can increase the vulnerability
of refugees and asylum-seekers to sexual abuse and exploitation;
(h) Calls upon UNHCR to continue its cooperation with other actors to ensure protection from exploitation
and abuse of refugees and asylum-seekers, including through participation in the Inter-Agency Standing
Committee Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises, and other
coordination mechanisms;
(i) Calls upon UNHCR to continue to report on a regular basis on progress made in the implementation of
measures to combat sexual abuse and exploitation.
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