Change starts with us, talk to us! Beneficiary perceptions regarding the effectiveness of measures to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian aid workers: a HAP commissioned study

HAP International is a partnership of aid agencies that work towards improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian aid. This report was commissioned to gain further insight into how beneficiaries of humanitarian aid perceive the effectiveness of the efforts made to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse.

The main question this study seeks to address the extent to which beneficiaries feel safer as a result of measures introduced by aid agencies (3 years prior), including both policies and response mechanisms, to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian aid workers. The review analyses the findings and recommendations of existing research, and examines humanitarian organisational policies, guidelines and standards.

The study finds that beneficiaries in all locations, to a greater or lesser extent, still report that they feel at risk of exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers.