WHO management response to preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment: report 2021- 2022

Overview

WHO developed its Management Response Plan (MRP) in October 2021 building on the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Response to the Tenth Ebola Outbreak. The MRP crowdsourced ideas from WHO colleagues and leaders across the world, suggestions from WHO member states and incorporated best practice from across the UN system to address sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH). It launched the first accelerated phase of WHO’s work on preventing and response to all forms of sexual misconduct perpetrated by our personnel.

In December 2022 the MRP was concluded with 92% of its 150 actions implemented and the remaining 8% transitioned into the three-year strategy for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct that came into effect in January 2023.

This publication documents the implementation of the Management Response Plan by the World Health Organization over the period October 2021–December 2022.