USAID today joins other governments, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions, and others in the aid sector in endorsing the Common Approach to Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Harassment (CAPSEAH). CAPSEAH was developed by an international steering committee through a global consultation process over the past two years. It brings together common principles, existing standards and minimum actions on Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) intended to help organizations globally that are working in humanitarian, development, and peace settings. Acts of SEAH are fundamentally incompatible with USAID's mission, and it is more important than ever that USAID work with the global community to promote consistent, high standards for protection.
USAID has the responsibility to ensure the safe delivery of our programs; the protection of program participants, communities, and other marginalized individuals; and the pursuit of accountability. In late 2023 USAID took a major step in advancing these objectives by releasing enhanced requirements for safeguarding against exploitation, sexual abuse, child abuse, and child neglect as part of its grants and cooperative agreements that require non-governmental organizations to develop survivor-centered prevention and response policies; report to USAID credible allegations of exploitation, sexual abuse, and child abuse, and child neglect; and apply transparent hiring practices; among others.
Endorsement of CAPSEAH signals USAID's continuing political support and commitment to preventing, detecting, and responding to SEAH in its programs, and follows a number of political commitments made by USAID or the U.S. government in recent years such as the G7 Whistler Declaration on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in International Assistance, Tidewater Joint Statement on Combating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Development and Humanitarian Sectors, 2018 Safeguarding Summit, and OECD-DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance.
