SOUTH SUDAN / SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
TRT: 3:49
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 07 DECEMBER 2021, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

SHOTLIST:

07 DECEMBER 2021, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

1. Various shots, cultural dancers
2. Various shots, IDPs sitting in audience
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Juliana Amal Obonyo, Head of Programmes in South Sudan, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS):
“The Stand Down [Day] focuses on IDPs, internally displaced people’s camps. And the PSEA (protection from sexual exploitation and abuse) taskforce in South Sudan really brings together all UN agencies and representatives from the NGO fora to talk through a common approach, a one approach, to implementing the UN Secretary-General’s bulletin on special measures for PSEA. And, so, we are here to serve IDPs; we are here to serve them with respect and dignity; and the IDPs and other vulnerable people have trusted us with service, and they trust us to do that. And when one of us breaks that trust, when one of the UN staff members, humanitarian agency staff members, our partners, breaks that trust we take it very seriously. We take it so seriously because that undermines the service that we give to IDPs.”
4. Various shots, people in attendance of event
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Vedad Imsirovic, Gender Affairs Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“It’s important to talk to them, to remind them, that they are potential victims; and to tell them that UNMISS, and the UN as an organization stand along with them. And in case that any of these misconducts happen, we are there to help them. And it is important to speak about these issues, so tomorrow if it happens – God forbid – that they know what to do, how to report it, and that they are sure that their cases will be taken all the way.”
6. Various shots, people in attendance of event
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Juliana Amal Obonyo, Head of Programmes in South Sudan, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS):
“We encourage IDPs to report SEA at all times and to hold us accountable at all times; and to know that there are several reporting mechanisms through which they can bring information on SEA to us. Any suspicion or occurrence of SEA, we treat it with utmost confidentiality, and that is what we are committed to, to ensuring that we serve people with respect and dignity.”
8. Various shots, UNMISS police officer in attendance
9. Wide shot, people in attendance

STORYLINE:

As part of the ongoing 16 Days of Activism, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), together with humanitarian partners, came together for a day-long sensitization activity aimed at raising awareness among displaced persons in the country’s capital, Juba, on the UN’s zero tolerance policy against any form of sexually motivated abuse or exploitation.

SOUNDBITE (English) Juliana Amal Obonyo, Head of Programmes in South Sudan, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS):
“The Stand Down [Day] focuses on IDPs, internally displaced people’s camps. And the PSEA (protection from sexual exploitation and abuse) taskforce in South Sudan really brings together all UN agencies and representatives from the NGO fora to talk through a common approach, a one approach, to implementing the UN Secretary-General’s bulletin on special measures for PSEA. And, so, we are here to serve IDPs; we are here to serve them with respect and dignity; and the IDPs and other vulnerable people have trusted us with service, and they trust us to do that. And when one of us breaks that trust, when one of the UN staff members, humanitarian agency staff members, our partners, breaks that trust we take it very seriously. We take it so seriously because that undermines the service that we give to IDPs.”

Conflict-related violence and domestic abuse reinforce each other. These are upheld by restrictive gender norms and marital practices. Policies and laws to prevent violence against women and provide survivors with access to justice should be given high priority within the ongoing peacebuilding process in South Sudan. Expansion of comprehensive services, including health and psycho-social support for survivors is urgently needed.

SOUNDBITE (English) Vedad Imsirovic, Gender Affairs Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“It’s important to talk to them, to remind them, that they are potential victims; and to tell them that UNMISS, and the UN as an organization stand along with them. And in case that any of these misconducts happen, we are there to help them. And it is important to speak about these issues, so tomorrow if it happens – God forbid – that they know what to do, how to report it, and that they are sure that their cases will be taken all the way.”

To improve reporting on and preventing gender-based violence, men, women, boys, a whole-of-society approach needs to be taken to enhance understanding of women’s rights and responsibilities.

SOUNDBITE (English) Juliana Amal Obonyo, Head of Programmes in South Sudan, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS):
“We encourage IDPs to report SEA at all times and to hold us accountable at all times; and to know that there are several reporting mechanisms through which they can bring information on SEA to us. Any suspicion or occurrence of SEA, we treat it with utmost confidentiality, and that is what we are committed to, to ensuring that we serve people with respect and dignity.”