Strengthening Capabilities to Combat Sexual Abuse and Sexual Commercial Exploitation

United Nations ESCAP
HRD Section

DEVELOPING SKILLS OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND HEALTH PERSONNEL

Strengthening National HRD Capabilities to Combat Sexual Abuse and Exploitation in the Greater Mekong Subregion and South Asia

FROM ESCAP HRD NEWSLETTER NO 10

ESCAP is currently in the first year of a three year regional project on the elimination of sexual abuse and exploitation of children and youth in the Greater Mekong and South Asia Subregions. The project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Government of Japan, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), aims to strengthen the HRD capabilities of social service and health personnel to combat sexual exploitation and abuse of children and youth. The twelve countries involved are Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Child and youth sexual abuse and exploitation is thriving in Asia. In particular, children and youth are increasingly at risk of being lured or forced into the sex trade. Victims of sexual abuse and exploitation need urgent and skilled social, psychological and medical services. These services are crucial in order to attempt recovery and reintegration of the victims into society. With this in mind, the theme of the ESCAP project is the promotion of human rights of children and youth and skills development of social service and health personnel. The project aims first to determine the status of sexually abused and exploited children in Asia. A second objective is to explore the range of health and social services available to the target group, and the capacities and potential of different agencies in providing those services. In addition, the project aims to sensitize and promote awareness and networking among governments, NGOs and the private sector regarding the situation of sexually abused and exploited children and youth. The fourth objective of the project is to develop gender-sensitive HRD curriculum for social service and health personnel to enhance their capacities in facilitating the reintegration of young victims and potential victims of sexual abuse and exploitation in society.

Currently, documentary and field research is underway in all the countries on the situation of the target group, and the current services available to them. In addition, a film depicting the situation of sexually abused children and youth was produced and shown at the Second Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on Human Resources Development for Youth. The film raised the awareness of the delegates to the plight of sexually exploited children and youth. Other activities for this year include the production of a directory of organizations providing social and health services to sexually abused and exploited children.

The second and third years of the project will focus on the development of curriculum and other training materials to enhance the capacity of social service and health professionals in dealing with sexually abused and exploited children. To this end, national training needs assessment workshops will be held in each country, training materials will be developed and produced, and subregional training courses will be held. These curricula and training materials, translated into national languages, will provide for the training of other social service and health personnel, and allow for project sustainability and improved services to sexually abused and exploited children and youth.

See also: A Primer on Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children and Youth