Imagine seeking safety in the midst of a crisis, only to be harmed by the very people tasked with helping and protecting you. For survivors of responder-perpetrated sexual exploitation and abuse (RP-SEA) by humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel, betrayal compounds trauma, turning places of supposed safety into sites of further violence.
Allegations of RP-SEA across humanitarian and peacekeeping contexts have persisted for decades, including cases involving children. While it remains widespread, the lack of reliable data has obscured the true scale of the problem, limiting accountability and reinforcing the misconception that these abuses are isolated incidents rather than structural failures.
In 2025, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) joined the informal Responder-Perpetrated Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises (RESPONDER) Partnership, a cross-disciplinary and international research collaboration aimed at countering RP-SEA by generating robust, survivor-informed evidence that can support advocacy, policy reform and more effective responses.
The now formalised Partnership is conducting research across six countries with a history of humanitarian and UN intervention: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lebanon, South Sudan, Haiti and Kosovo. Its objectives include estimating the size of populations affected by RP-SEA; examining how communities understand the risks and benefits of reporting; and exploring alternative approaches to accountability and reparative justice. A central focus is understanding how experiences differ for women and girls, men and boys, LGBTQI+ individuals, and persons with disabilities, whose perspectives are often excluded from conventional research and reporting systems.
To achieve this, the Partnership employs innovative research methodologies, including respondent-driven sampling and population size estimation, alongside in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. These approaches enable the collection of data that is more representative and generalisable, while also centring ethical, participatory engagement with communities. Partner organisations, including KWN, play a key role in ensuring meaningful local engagement and contributing contextual expertise essential to the research process.
By producing reliable evidence on the scale and dynamics of RP-SEA, the RESPONDER Partnership aims to support policy change, strengthen survivor-centred responses, and inform prevention strategies within humanitarian and peacekeeping sectors. The Partnership also prioritises building a global research and practice network and supporting civil society organisations to apply findings toward social reform, including in relation to responder-fathered children. In addition, the Partnership invests in the next generation of scholars by engaging students in collaborative and participatory research, strengthening interdisciplinary skills and professional networks.
KWN is proud to contribute its feminist, survivor-centred expertise toward humanitarian and peacekeeping missions free from abuse, that uphold the rights and dignity of all communities affected by crisis.
The RESPONDER Partnership is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada with substantial in-kind contributions by local partners including KWN.
