Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harrassment - SEAH

SEAH policy

To effectively address sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH), organisations and companies must establish their own integrity policies and set up a system for reporting complaints. Setting up or improving SEAH policies can lead to an increase in the number of reports, which is a positive outcome. A rise in the number of reports may indicate a growing awareness of SEAH. A strong SEAH policy ensures that victims and reporters feel safe to report incidents. Also, it prepares organisations to respond appropriately when incidents occur. 

RVO focusses on awareness and prevention of, and response to, sexual exploitation and abuse when it comes to: 

• external implementers of international projects, and;
• subsidy recipients aimed at international cooperation and trade.

SEAH conditions at RVO

Subsidies are subject to conditions, including SEAH conditions. These entail that, as a subsidy recipient, you must declare in advance that your company has developed an integrity policy. Also, your organisation must have procedures in place to effectively implement that policy. 

In addition, organisations and companies must report any cases of sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment that happen during RVO-funded projects and activities. All reports should be submitted through RVO's SEAH reporting point. Please note that we do not penalise the subsidy recipient for making notifications. Transparency is crucial to RVO and it is mandatory to follow up on all reports. Our fundamental principle is zero tolerance for inaction. 

If SEAH is not reported to RVO or is not followed up with appropriate actions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can stop the funding as a final measure. 

Reporting SEAH incidents

Has there been sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment within a project funded by RVO? As a partner organisation or subsidy recipient, you must inform us through the SEAH reporting point. RVO will notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of any reports confidentially following the Privacy Act (AVG).

Are you concerned about your safety when making a report within the organisation? Is your report about an RVO employee involved in an international project? If so, please contact us through our SEAH reporting point. 

Download the reporting form below. Once completed, you can send it to seah@rvo.nl.

Would you like to learn more? 

Do you have any questions on this topic? If so, send an email to seah@rvo.nl. 

For more information about SEAH, see also:

• Letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Parliament on measures to combat sexual exploitation at aid and development organisations;
• Handbook on integrity system from Partos, the trade association for development cooperation. Their Roadmap Screening assists organisations in tightening the screening process for the integrity of future (and current) employees/volunteers;
• Guide to culture change in the workplace from the government commissioner on sexual exploitation and sexual violence, designed to help companies deal with reports of sexual transgressive behaviour;
• Violence and harassment@work, a guide for small and medium-sized businesses for preventing violence and harassment in the work environment.