Sexual exploitation and abuse continues to occur in humanitarian contexts worldwide. We believe that language can help prevent it.
Preventing abuse starts by making the rules on sexual conduct clear and available in languages people can understand, so everyone knows what is acceptable.
The international humanitarian world’s coordination body, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), developed the principles regarding sexual conduct. Aid workers agree to adhere to these principles. TWB worked with the committee to help everyone understand what they mean.
We first developed a plain-language version of the principles. The team removed legal jargon and complex sentence structures to make the rules explicit and clear. Then, we translated the plain English version into languages spoken on five continents – from Amharic to Vietnamese. This makes the meaning more accessible to the majority of aid workers and affected community members.
Please download, share, and post these guidelines in humanitarian facilities worldwide to help prevent sexual exploitation and abuse.
The translated principles are available online.
If you have feedback on the translations, or can provide additional language versions, contact info@translatorswithoutborders.org.
Translators without Borders would like to thank the following organizations for their support in validating the translations: Amity Foundation, Care, Caritas, Christian Aid, Community World Service Asia, Concern Worldwide, Croix-Rouge de Belgique, Croix-Rouge Malagasy, Danish Refugee Council, FAO, GOAL, World Vision, Humanitarian Advisory Group, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran World Relief, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam Intermon, Save the Children, SIL International, Solidarités International, Sphere, Trócaire, UNHCR, UNICEF, CHS Alliance, and Women in the New Nigeria and Youth Empowerment Initiative (WINN).