WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the Quarterly Briefing for Member States on prevention of and response to sexual misconduct – 8 October 2024

Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,

Welcome to this year's third quarterly briefing on our work to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.

Thank you for your continued attention to this topic, and your support for our work.

We have now passed the half-way mark in our journey to implement our three-year strategy for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct.

Our aim is to make zero tolerance not just a slogan but a way of life for our Organization, by reforming our policies, procedures and practices.

At the World Health Assembly in May this year, Member States recognized the progress made so far and urged the Secretariat to continue on this important journey.

Building on the foundations we have laid over the past 18 months, we have expanded our work to implement routine safeguards such as screening and training across the Organization.

That includes in the field.

In our 15 highest-priority countries, we have assessed and supported capacities for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct in more than 80% of our NGO implementing partners.

We're conducting similar exercises in other countries in most regions.

The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is now integrating our new standards into our response to graded emergencies as a matter of routine.

We have also developed a guide for partners on addressing sexual misconduct in the response to the Mpox outbreaks in Africa.

Both the African Regional Office and headquarters are scaling up human resources for safeguarding against sexual misconduct in the Mpox response.

Last year, all Country Representatives were required to conduct an annual sexual misconduct risk assessment exercise with their teams.

And whenever we run emergency or other community-facing operations, programme and incident managers are required to run additional risk assessment and mitigation exercises.

We are now looking at integrating PRSEAH measures in all our programmes so that it becomes a core and sustained approach that prioritizes prevention.

From next year, headquarters, regional offices and outposted offices will also be required to conduct at least one annual sexual misconduct risk assessment and mitigation exercise.

Today, I'm pleased to announce that Ms Caroline Ouaffo of Cameroon has taken up her duties as the WHO Victim and Survivor Support Officer.

Caroline has a strong background in law, human rights and protection, and more than two decades of experience in the United Nations.

Her main task is to work with all relevant colleagues across the Organization to strengthen the victim and survivor-centred approach to which we have committed.

As a priority she will examine how this approach can be integrated into our end-to-end sexual misconduct incident management system.

She is already working in close collaboration with the UN Victims Rights advocate, and her counterparts at UNHCR, IOM, the Global Fund and UNOPS. Caroline, we're very fortunate to have you. Welcome!

Dr Gaya Gamhewage will provide a more detailed briefing in a few moments.

But I would like to highlight two important issues that will require your leadership and engagement.

As you will recall, this year's World Health Assembly asked the Secretariat to develop options for ensuring joint accountability between Member States and the Secretariat for joint operations.

When we work together, we have a shared responsibility to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.

Today we will propose a simple framework for your consideration. Based on your feedback, we will propose a revised framework to the Executive Board in January.

Finally, I would like to assure you that I remain committed to ensuring accountability and transparency.

By the end of this year, I will require all Regional Directors, Country Representatives and executive management to write to me outlining how and to what extent they have implemented their accountabilities identified in the PRS Accountability Framework.

The purpose of this is to strengthen institutionalization through joint ownership. I want to know where we have progressed and where our leaders and managers need more support.

We can only continue on this important journey of Zero Tolerance if everyone, at every level, walks in step and in the same direction. I too, write an annual management letter to the UN Secretary General.

Thank you all once again for your continuing commitment and I look forward to hearing your comments, feedback, advice and guidance.

Gaya, over to you.

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