UN in Nepal Advances Efforts to Survivor-Centered Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Across Government Ministries

As part of this effort, UN Nepal, through the UN PSEA Working Group, convened a high-level PSEAH workshop for Joint Secretary from across the Government of Nepal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens and with funding support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).  

The workshop brought together more than three dozen senior government officials and UN agencies to strengthen collective understanding of PSEAH and to translate policies into practical, operational actions.  

Opening the workshop, Ms. Hanaa Singer Hamdy, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nepal said, “The urgency of this work is clear. Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment disproportionately affect women and girls, undermine trust in institutions, weaken service delivery, and ultimately erode social and economic resilience. Addressing these risks is central to Nepal’s national priorities—accelerating the SDGs, strengthening accountability and transparency, and ensuring social protection systems genuinely safeguard the most vulnerable.” She added.

Hon’ble Justice Ms. Sapana Pradhan Malla encouraged ministries to identify clear entry points for integrating PSEAH into operational frameworks. She further urged participants to develop practical recommendations with clearly defined roles, timelines, and accountability mechanisms.  

Women’s rights activist and UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Committee Member, Ms. Bandana Rana underscored the importance of aligning UN mechanisms with state responsibilities and national priorities, while strengthening transparency and accountability across public institutions. 

Participants identified practical entry points to integrate PSEA and the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention) Act into sectoral planning, institutional procedures and local-level service delivery, with a focus on prevention, clear reporting pathways and survivor-centered responses. 

A panel discussion led by Dr. Krishna Hari Pushkar, Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, and Mr. Parashwor Dhungana, Secretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, highlighted existing strengths within government policies and institutional frameworks, including critical gaps in addressing SEAH risks faced by migrant workers across different stages of migration. 

Building on Nepal’s national legislation particularly the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention) Act 2071, the workshop focused on strengthening PSEAH systems in practice by embedding safeguards into staffing arrangements, institutionalizing training, and expanding community-based complaints, safe and accessible reporting, and victim-centered response mechanisms. 

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 Notes to the editor: PSEAH is a core global priority of the United Nations system, guided by the UN Secretary-General and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Six Core Principles. These frameworks underscore zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, survivor-centered responses, accountability, and robust prevention mechanisms in both workplace and service delivery contexts. These commitments are further reinforced through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), which calls for the mainstreaming of PSEA measures across all UN-supported programming. 

For more information, please contact:

Tej Maya Dangol, UN PSEA Coordinator; UNRCO Nepal, tej.dangol@un.org

Pratibha Rijal, Project Officer (PSEA) IOM Nepal, prijal@iom.int

Dipti Shah, Communications Focal Point; IOM Nepal, dshah@iom.int