It is referred as the measures and standards set to protect people of concern/beneficiaries from sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by humanitarian or associated staff. PSEA was brought to attention following several cases of sexual exploitation by aid workers in West Africa in 2002. In response The Secretary-General’s Bulletin (SGB) on Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13) was released to set a strong commitment towards the protection of the affected population on emergency contexts.

In the context of the Americas, on 2017 with the support of UNHCRs Regional Legal Unit a survey to map out the existing PSEA/SH mechanisms used in the region was launched, subsequently a the Regional PSEA Network was stablished and good practices were identified within the operations of Mexico and Colombia. Enhancing PSEA structures in the Americas followed and additional support was gathered.

In 2019 the Regional PSEA/SH Project in the Americas was launched with the collaboration of six pilot countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil. It aims to support managers and field operations to put in place standardized and contextualized procedures to prevent SEA and SH, and to improve safe and confidential inter-agency community-based complaint and response mechanisms. Taking into account the results and feedback of implemented PSEA tools a Regional PSEA/SH Protocol and implementation Toolkit is expected to be launched and provide guidance on consultation with communities, awareness raising and inter-agency SEA complaint mechanisms, consultation and dialogue with staff and partners and facilitation of safe disclosure and reporting of SEA and SH.

The PSEA Network coordinates closely with the RSSN to establish interagency complaint mechanisms, being also Point 5 of the Action Plan agreed in the last Annual RSSN retreat. It also falls within the standards of the RSSN self-audit to have an anonymous community-based complaint mechanism in place and to be known to members of the community and POC using the Safe Space. Participating service providers aim to fulfil the commitments, obligations and requirements set out within this Mechanism to ensure adequate safeguards and appropriate actions are established on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and sexual harassment (SH). Participating service providers are committed to openly and actively discuss and address issues that arise in the implementation of the Mechanism and in support of the work of the Regional PSEA Network and Regional Safe Space Network (RSSN) in the Americas Region.

Sexual exploitation means any actual or attempted abuse of position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of persons of concern.

Sexual abuse means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force, or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Sexual Harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another. Sexual harassment is particularly serious when it interferes, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.