Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation & Abuse in Liberia

Countering Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Liberia (CiSEAL)
With the aim of raising awareness among the INGOs and LNGOs about SEA in Liberia,
this collaborative initiative of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the American
Refugee Committee (ARC), Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) and Save the Children–UK
(SCUK) began on September 15, 2006. CiSEAL received joint funding from USAID-OFDA
and the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM).
The CiSEAL project grew out of the SCUK report on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in
Liberia, released April 20th, 2006. Through this project, IRC established a SEA coordination
unit and resource center providing technical support, educational material and trainings
to the network of international and local NGOs, as well as the Government of Liberia,
in an effort to promote common definitions, codes of conduct, protocols and procedures
including mutually accepted mechanisms for the investigation, reporting and referral of
SEA violations.
The CiSEAL project collected and made available a number of resources to expand
expertise and provide tools on SEA among organizations in Liberia. CiSEAL distributed
the UN Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual
Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the BSO Handbook, and training materials on SEA by
humanitarian workers, among others.
The CISEAL Project was also a strong supporter of the National SEA Awareness Campaign,
providing 40,000 orange bracelets with SEA messaging, which remain an identifiable
symbol worn by many across the country.
Challenges:
The final evaluation report showed that a committed,
long-term effort and increased resources are
required to reach the goal of changing behavior
and reduce incidence of SEA. It also showed the
challenges of dealing with the issue in the postconflict
context, as the country phases out of the
emergency/crisis context. There were several
lessons learned, including the need for increased
local community involvement. The report noted
that:
• many individuals viewed SEA as a legitimate option
for livelihood;
• despite the existence of proper reporting mechanisms,
many did not understand how to report SEA;
• IEC materials should be offered in local languages
and should make better use of images given the high
national illiteracy rate; and
• overall poverty reduction and alternative livelihood
options are essential to curb SEA.
2.3 PSEA Monitoring & Reporting
In an effort to promote common definitions, codes
of conduct, protocols and procedures including
mutually-accepted mechanisms for the investigation,
reporting and referrals of SEA violations, the
Monitoring and Reporting Sub-Working Group
of the ICN developed a monitoring and reporting
action plan (See Annex 11), which sets out seven
objectives for the ICN to achieve. The intention was
for the UN and the INGO community to first “set
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their house in order” relative to these objectives,
and then to support the Government of Liberia and
local NGOs to achieve the following objectives:
1. All staff of UN/INGO and their implementing partners
are aware of and bound by corporate SEA policies;
2. Well informed communities are aware of UN/INGO
SEA policies, reporting mechanisms and survivor
support services;
3. Clear reporting and investigation mechanisms are
understood and utilized by humanitarian community
as well as the general public;
4. Increased confidence of staff and communities of
the confidentiality and effectiveness of SEA reporting
and investigation processes;
5. Increased coordination of SEA prevention and
response;
6. Improved collection and sharing of SEA prevention
and response information; and
7. Establishment of effective on-going monitoring
and evaluation mechanism that feeds into SEA
prevention and response planning.
2.3.1 Training
County-Level SEA Training for PCG Members
A key achievement of the PCGs in 2006 was the
improved coordination and information-sharing
amongst agencies in response to identified
protection gaps. However, during the PCG retreat in
February 2007, the lack of awareness of protection
issues among the public (especially child protection
and SEA issues) was consistently reported as