JUBA, South Sudan, October 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Thursday 9 October marks the official opening of this year’s national campaign on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) in the Republic of South Sudan.
The campaign, undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare (MoGC&SW), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the United Nations agencies, funds and programs, and the civil society will develop a series of awareness-raising activities in each state across the country running from 09 October through 25 November, 2014.
This annual campaign builds on the momentum of the successful 2013 campaign and seeks to underscore the United Nations family in the Republic of South Sudan, and the Government of South Sudan’ zero-tolerance policy towards any act of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA).
One of the main goals of the national campaign is to raise awareness on SEA among all community groups, especially women, children and other vulnerable ones. A further objective is to provide adequate tools and sufficient knowledge to identify actions and behaviors that may lead to SEA, to prevent SEA and to report SEA to designated mechanisms/entities when it occurs.
Members of the media are invited to attend the series of nationwide events starting on Thursday in Yei, Central Equatoria state. A schedule of future events together with focal points in each state is attached.
This year’s campaign theme is: Speak Up!!Mata Askut!!
With an emphasis on the following messages:
The use of your body in exchange for money, food or employment is against the law!
Sexual exploitation and abuse is wrong! It harms our values, our culture, our society…and our future!
My body is NOT FOR SALE!! Respect yourself.
My body, my pride, my dignity: do not exploit or abuse me!!
I am under 18, I am a child. Do not abuse me!
Treat others with Respect and Dignity. Do not exploit or abuse.
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