Country Visits

The Victims’ Rights Advocate regularly visits countries with UN presences to gain firsthand understanding of how sexual exploitation and abuse are addressed. She connects with victims directly to hear about their individual needs and learn from them so the design of prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse is victim-centred.

Visits to countries with outstanding paternity and child support claims (ongoing)

In 2022, the Victims’ Rights Advocate started a series of visits to States whose personnel have outstanding paternity and child support claims. The main purpose of these visits is to seek the good offices of the Government authorities to support the amicable resolution of outstanding paternity and child support claims for children born as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by uniformed personnel deployed to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

To this end, from 29 March to 6 April 2023, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited the Republic of South Africa and met with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, the Deputy Minister of the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the Director General of International Relations and Cooperation, as well as participated in a technical meeting with officials of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). While on the ground in South Africa, the Victims’ Rights Advocate also engaged with the South African Human Rights Commission and civil society active in victims’ rights and gender justice.

Visit to Southeast Asia (23 October to 3 November 2023)

From 23 October to 3 November 2023, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia to assess best practices in implementing a victim-centred approach in development contexts. During her visit, with the support of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and their Offices in each country, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with the United Nations Country Teams, government officials and civil society representatives to strengthen the rights of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse.

In Bangkok, the Victims’ Rights Advocate participated in a UN Thailand all-staff townhall to facilitate a discussion about preventing sexual exploitation and abuse. In Phnom Penh, the Victims’ Rights Advocate discussed with the Cambodian Human Rights Committee how to strengthen the partnership with the UN. In Jakarta, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with several UN agencies and donors, including the Indonesia Ministry of Women and Child Empowerment, the National Commission on Violence against Women, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission and others to discuss advocacy opportunities and challenges in ensuring the rights of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in Indonesia, and participated in an scenario-based training exercise on sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment with the PSEA network.

Visit to Liberia (20 to 25 August 2023)

From 20 August to 25 August 2023, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Liberia to follow up on the resolution of outstanding paternity and child support claims regarding children born of sexual exploitation and abuse by uniformed personnel formerly deployed to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), a process which began in 2022, and met with victims of sexual exploitation and abuse upon their request. During her visit, with the support of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and accompanied by the Victims’ Rights Focal Point in Liberia, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with the United Nations Country Team, including with the “Sisters’ Tribe,” a network of women UN staff, to discuss measures to prevent and address sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment. She also met senior Government officials, the diplomatic community and civil society to identify networks of support and assistance for victims and their children.

Visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (24 July to 4 August 2023)

From 24 July to 4 August 2023, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Goma, she met with the members of the South African National Defence Force Paternity and Maintenance Team and built on her discussions with South African authorities earlier this year. She also met with victims of sexual exploitation and abuse and their children, upon their request, to accompany them during the collection of DNA samples. While in Kinshasa, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of MONUSCO, Government officials, United Nations counterparts, the diplomatic community and civil society organizations to assess the implementation of her mandate and explore ways to facilitate the resolutions of paternity and child support claims using a victims’ rights approach and measures to prevent the reoccurrence of such claims in the future.

Visit to Mali (28 January to 3 February 2023)

From 28 January to 3 February 2023, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Mali to assess the implementation of her mandate and facilitate system-wide discussions on the victims’ rights approach and how it can be implemented in practice. The Victims’ Rights Advocate met with senior United Nations staff, government representatives, civil society and academia, including addressing a group of students at the Law Faculty of the University of Bamako. In both Bamako and Timbuktu, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with victims of sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by UN personnel, and in Bamako she visited the first established ‘One-Stop-Centre’ established in Mali, which provides victims of gender-based violence with access to medical, legal and psychological support. Whilst on a visit to Timbuktu with the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met the Governors of Timbuktu and Taoudeni, as well as members of the community-based complaints network (CBCM).

Visit to South Sudan (18 to 25 September 2022)

From 18 to 25 September 2022, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited South Sudan to assess the best practices and main challenges in relation to the implementation of her mandate and the work of the Senior Victims’ Rights Officer in relation to provision of support and assistance to victims. The Victims’ Rights Advocate met with senior staff in the United Nations mission, representatives of the government, academia and civil society. She also visited Bentiu and launched together with other United Nations entities a project by the Trust Fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse to provide livelihood support for women at risk in the local community.

Visit to Kenya (28 November to 10 December 2021)

From 28 November to 10 December 2021, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Kenya, resuming her country visits which had been suspended since March 2020 due to Covid-19. She met with representatives of United Nations entities, Government and civil society organizations, beneficiaries, and service providers in Nairobi, at Kakuma refugee camp, Kalobeyei integrated settlement and Lodwar. She also met with representatives of the International Peace Support Training Centre in Nairobi.

The visit coincided with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and included the participation of the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse, the World Health Organization Director on Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and UNHCR’s Senior Coordinator on Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment.

Link to the United Nations’ article covering the visit.

Visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (22 to 29 November 2019)

From 22 to 29 November 2019, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo where she met with staff of the Mission, representatives of other United Nations entities on the ground, national authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The purpose of her visit was to assess the assistance and support offered to victims, including medical assistance, livelihood support and legal aid.

The Victims' Rights Advocate undertook field visits to Bukavu and Goma, where she met with service providers, as well as beneficiaries and victims. She visited Trust Fund projects and local hospitals, where she noted the importance of providing appropriate and dignified treatment for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Link to the United Nations’ article covering the visit.

Visit to Colombia (22 to 26 April 2019)

From 22 to 26 April 2019, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Colombia. She met with staff of United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC), the United Nations Country Team and members of the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Task Force, as well as national authorities. The Victims' Rights Advocate also visited Cucuta, where she met with the local Coordination Team and implementing partners. This visit aimed to observe at first-hand the implementation of the Secretary-General’s victim-centred strategy to address sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations staff and related personnel, and to assess the services available for victims.

The VRA encouraged the appointment of a dedicated Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Coordinator and a Focal Point for Victims’ Rights. She also noted the need to strengthen support provided to victims, particularly in remote areas, by increasing the number of safe-houses and shelters and enhancing capacity-building for civil society, national authorities and national institutions.

Visit to the Central African Republic (19 to 22 February 2019)

From 19 to 22 February 2019, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited the Central African Republic. There, OVRA convened the first global consultation of Field Victims’ Rights Advocates and Senior Victims’ Rights Officers. They discussed the pilot mapping exercise of services available to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse described above which was then conducted.

The VRA followed up on the implementation of recommendations from her first visit to the country in October 2017. She met with victims and their children born as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse, at their request. She recognized the commitment of the United Nations country team in the Central African Republic to victims’ rights as well as the efforts made to strengthen information-sharing mechanisms.

Link to the United Nations’ article covering the visit.

Visit to Jordan and Lebanon (28 August to 9 September 2018)

From 28 August to 9 September 2018, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited Jordan and Lebanon to assess implementation of the Secretary-General’s system-wide strategy to prevent and eradicate sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian response and peacekeeping contexts. Connors met with a range of stakeholders, including senior UN officials operating in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, members of the inter-agency protection from sexual exploitation and abuse networks operating across the Middle East, national authorities, and civil society organizations. In Jordan, the Victims’ Rights Advocate also visited Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps and met with women and children to hear their stories. Her visits were supported by Office of the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Jordan and UNIFIL in Lebanon.

The visits highlighted the need to focus on those who may not report allegations, which is likely the majority of victims, and may fear retaliation from their abuser, community or even their own family.

“When designing, conceptualizing and implementing programmes for victims that are rights-based and promote victims’ empowerment and inclusion, how do we empower those who wish to remain anonymous and realise their rights?” said Ms. Connors.

Visit to Haiti (22 to 26 April 2018)

From 22 to 26 April 2018, the Victims’ Rights Advocate visited the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) to gain a first-hand understanding of the work being done by MINUJUSTH and the Country Team to implement the Secretary-General’s strategy to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse.

During her visit, the Victims’ Rights Advocate met with key stakeholders, including the senior leadership of MINUJUSTH, members of the inter-agency Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Task Force, national authorities and civil society actors. She also met individually with the victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in order to hear their concerns and aspirations.

“My visit revealed the strength of commitment amongst the mission leadership and the UN family to ending this abhorrent conduct and a desire to be open and transparent about allegations. I was also impressed by the efforts of the Field Victims’ Rights Advocate who has already made a positive impact on the ground — acting as the main contact for all victims and bolstering a victims’-centered approach.”

Visit to South Sudan (3 to 8 December 2017)

From 3 to 8 December 2017, the Victim’s Rights Advocate visited the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) — one of the UN missions that has the highest rate of alleged cases of sexual abuse and exploitation.

Besides her meetings with UN staff members, Ms. Connors engaged with the local communities to discuss the accessibility of complaint mechanisms and how support for victims can be improved. She also met with victims of sexual abuse and exploitation to see how their needs can be best met.

“We cannot lose sight of the victims and the impact that sexual exploitation and abuse has on their lives. I believe we can do more together to support those who have been most affected, to ensure that their views are heard and respected, and to stand alongside them as they rebuild their lives and realize their dreams and aspirations.”

Visit to Central African Republic (17 to 24 October 2017)

From 17 to 24 October 2017, Ms. Jane Connors, Victims’ Rights Advocate (VRA) accompanied the Secretary-General to visit the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to gain a first-hand understanding of how sexual exploitation and abuse is addressed by UN entities in the Central African Republic, by local actors such as judges police and by civil society.

Ms. Connors met with MINUSCA staff to learn about good practices on the ground and how the UN’s zero tolerance towards sexual abuse and exploitation is put into action. She also met with victims who were subject to sexual abuse and exploitation at the hand of UN personnel.

“In order for victims to become "survivors", we must ensure that they can file a complaint immediately, that the investigation is conducted seriously and that any request for assistance (short or long term) is taken into account in the hope that those responsible be brought to justice.”