NON governmental organisation, Partners in Health (PIH), has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH).
The organisation is thus taking stringent measures to prevent and address such incidents, ensuring that those benefiting from its services; patients, families, and community members, are treated with dignity and respect.
PIH's Safeguarding/SEAH Manager, Toka Senkoto, spoke of the organisation's proactive stance in combating SEAH this week. He said PIH was not only focused on preventing these violations but also on taking decisive action against anyone who failed to report abuse or retaliated against individuals who do report or participate in investigations.
"PIH is committed to safeguarding all those who interact with our services, including vulnerable individuals such as children and adults at risk. We aim to protect them from any form of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment," said Mr Senkoto.
Mr Senkoto explained that within the PIH framework, a child is defined as anyone under the age of 18, regardless of local definitions of adulthood. He also clarified that adults experiencing vulnerability include individuals over 18 who were unable to protect themselves due to factors such as gender, mental or physical health, disability, ethnicity, or social status.
"Our Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment Policy clearly outlines our commitment to protecting beneficiaries and staff from these violations. We set high standards of behaviour for all who represent PIH and enforce these standards rigorously."
Sexual harassment, according to Mr Senkoto, includes any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or other conduct of a sexual nature that could be expected to cause offense or create a hostile work environment. He noted that while such behaviour often involves a pattern, it can also manifest in a single incident.
"Sexual abuse involves any physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under coercive conditions, while sexual exploitation is the abuse of a position of vulnerability or trust for sexual purposes. These terms cover a wide range of behaviours beyond sexual intercourse, including unwanted sexual comments or advances."
Mr Senkoto said the root causes of sexual exploitation and harassment were linked to power dynamics and existing vulnerabilities. He said the PIH's policy integrated the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse with a broader commitment to addressing sexual and gender-based violence.
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He also said that PIH Lesotho had established accessible reporting platforms to encourage the reporting of SEAH incidents. Mr Senkoto urged anyone with information or suggestions for additional reporting channels to come forward. The organisation's investigation team is composed of experts trained to gather evidence without intimidating survivors.
"Our approach is survivor-oriented, placing the rights and interests of the survivor at the forefront. It is crucial that information is reported rather than concealed, as conducting personal investigations can cause further harm," Mr Senkoto said.
All PIH personnel are mandated to report any suspected, alleged, or known instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment immediately. He said it was not the responsibility of staff to determine whether an incident occurred but to report any concerns without delay.
To report SEAH concerns, PIH has provided several contact methods: Toll-free: 80012399, SMS, WhatsApp, and Calls: 62065422 / 57832223, and emails; PseahLesotho@pih.org or speakup@pih.org.
