The Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) has released the first system-wide independent review on how United Nations system organizations prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse.

Sexual exploitation and abuse is considered serious misconduct that undermines trust, harms victims and damages the integrity of the Organization. It refers to acts of sexual exploitation or abuse committed by UN staff or related personnel, taking advantage of power or vulnerability for sexual gain.

The Review of policies and practices to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse in the United Nations system organizations (JIU/REP/2025/2) covers:

  • Policies and regulatory frameworks

  • Inter-agency coordination

  • Prevention and response practices

  • Victim-centred approaches

  • Good practices and lessons learned

The review covers all 28 JIU participating organizations.

Key message

The review finds that some progress has been made, with stronger leadership commitment, clearer roles and responsibilities, greater transparency in reporting, and the introduction of tools such as ClearCheck to prevent the re-hiring of individuals with substantiated sexual misconduct.

However, the findings also underline persistent gaps. Victims and survivors still face inconsistent protection and limited access to assistance.  Policies and procedures remain uneven across organizations, leaving space for perpetrators to evade accountability. Misconduct is not always addressed in a timely and consistent manner.

A truly victim-centred approach is not yet consistently applied. Placing the dignity, rights and needs of victims at the heart of the UN response must become the standard, not the exception.

Addressing sexual exploitation or abuse requires a coordinated, system-wide effort, as a weakness in one organization undermines the credibility and integrity of the entire UN system.

The review contains 15 formal and 33 informal recommendations addressing:

  • Stronger policies and definitions

  • Better prevention, training, and outreach

  • Improved screening and vetting in recruitments

  • Consistent victim-centred practices

  • Enhanced data, transparency, and reporting

  • Stronger accountability and disciplinary processes

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