To strengthen its integrity and accountability, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has initiated an innovative policy in relation to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH).
In 2019, the GCF published a Policy on the Prevention and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Harassment. The document is an attachment from the GCF/B.23/16 document, which contains the points of the results of the GCF Board Meeting on July 6-8, 2019 in Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea (South Korea).
The publication of this document shows the GCF’s commitment in rejecting SEAH as it violates human dignity and norms and standards of the international law that are universally recognized. The GCF perceives that SEAH resulting from a culture of discrimination and privileges for certain individuals or groups causes uneven relationships and gaps in a community, thus affecting the GCF in achieving its mission. With that in mind, the GFC does not tolerate any form of SEAH in all activities related to it.
The GCF is aware that SEAH creates hostility at work and in the work environment, which sequentially prevents the development of the potential and ability of a victim or group of victims.
Through the Policy Document, the GCF requires all parties, both internal and external, to take precautions and react to SEAH. The document sets out strict obligations for all parties involved in the GCF and all partners.
Obligations of Parties Involved in the GCF
Each party, both internal and external, is obliged to uphold and enforce all the principles contained in the Policy Document and to create and maintain an environment that is free from SEAH.
They may not tolerate, encourage, participate in, or even engage in any form of SEAH in all activities related to the GCF. For example, using their position to commit sexually harassment, exploitation, or abuse to those who carry out, engage in, or benefit from the GCF-funded activities.
In addition, they must not engage in sexual activity with a child as defined in Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The definition is in line with Indonesia Law Number 35/2014 on Child Protection. There is no reason for anyone to state ignorance about the definition of the child’s age as a defense. Any sexual activity involving a child constitutes sexual exploitation or sexual harassment.
All parties involved in the GCF, both internal and external, are also required to report any suspected SEAH case in a GCF-funded activity as soon as possible to the GCF Independent Integrity Unit (IIU). They are also required to be cooperative in the entire process of investigation, proactive integrity review, or investigation as stipulated in the B.BM-2018/21 Document concerning the Protection Policy for Rapporteurs and Witnesses. This depends on the existence of a mechanism of protection against retaliation against the rapporteur. GCF officers, officials, managers or staffs who receive reports related to the alleged SEAH from any party must immediately report to IIU.
Every party that is a GCF partner, both as an Accredited Entity (AE) and Delivery Partner (DP), must have effective policies and procedures to ensure prevention, detection, investigation, improvement, and if necessary, sanction and reports to authorized state institutions to be processed as criminal violations related to SEAH that occur in every GCF-funded activities. In Indonesia, cases of sexual abuse and harassment are regulated in the Criminal Code (
In implementing GCF-funded activities as stated in Article 16 of the Policy Document, all AEs and DPs must to ensure that third parties involved in these activity notify AE or DP of any suspicions or allegations of a SEAH-related event immediately through the available channels.
Moreover, they must also work closely with other relevant AEs or DPs to conduct investigations into reports of suspected or suspicion about the occurrence of SEAH or any behavior that is substantially equivalent to SEAH. They must also take appropriate measures to ensure the involvement of everyone involved within their control during the investigation process.
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