| Best Interest of the Child |
Children have the right to have their best interests assessed and taken into consideration in all actions that concern them, both in the public and private spheres. The best interest of the child is determined by a variety of individual circumstances, such as the age, gender, level of maturity and experiences of the child. Other factors also determine well-being, such as the presence or absence of parents, the quality of the relationships between the child and their family or caregivers, the physical and psychosocial situation of the child and their protection situation (security, protection risks, etc.). Children should be active participants in defining their best interests. All of these circumstances and elements should be considered and balanced against each other by any decision-maker having to determine a child’s best interest. |
| Child |
Article 1 of the UN “Convention on the Rights of the Child” defines children as those under the age of 18. The UN Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, October 9, 2003 ST/SGB/2003/13 also defines children as anyone under the age of 18 and explicitly prohibits sexual activity with a child regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. |
| Gender-based violence (GBV) |
Gender-based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on socially-ascribed (i.e., gender) differences between males and females. It includes acts that inflict physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion, and other deprivations of liberty. These acts can occur in public or in private (2015 Inter-Agency Standing Committee Gender-based Violence Guidelines, pg. 5). |
| Gender-based violence (GBV) Service Provider |
An organization offering specific services for GBV survivors, such as health services, psychosocial support, shelter, legal aid, safety/security services, etc. |
| Sexual exploitation |
Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another (UN Glossary on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2017, pg. 6). |
| SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan |
Document which outlines how the project will put in place the necessary protocols and mechanisms to address SEA/SH risks; and how to address any SEA/SH allegations that may arise. This is the new name for the GBV Action Plan, as used in the original (2018) version of this note. The SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan should include an Accountability and Response Framework, which details how allegations of SEA/SH will be handled (investigation procedures) and disciplinary action for violation of the Code of Conduct (CoC) by workers. |
| Sexual abuse |
Refers to actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions (UN Glossary on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2017, pg. 5). |
| Sexual harassment (SH) |
Any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. This may include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and may take place through online activity or mobile communications as well as in person. |
| Survivor-centered approach |
The survivor-centred approach is based on a set of principles and skills designed to guide professionals—regardless of their role—in their engagement with survivors (predominantly women and girls but also men and boys, and transgender and nonbinary people) who have experienced sexual or other forms of violence. The survivor-centred approach aims to create a supportive environment in which the survivor’s interests are respected and prioritized, and in which the survivor is treated with dignity and respect. The approach helps to promote the survivor’s recovery and ability to identify and express needs and wishes, as well as to reinforce the survivor’s capacity to make decisions about possible interventions. |
| Violence against women (VAW) |
Article 1 of the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women as any act of GBV that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. Article 2 of the Convention further states that violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following: (a) physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; (b) physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced sex work; (c) physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs. The term violence against women and girls is also used. |
