Action Alliance for Preventing Sexual Misconduct (AAPSM)

USAID is committing to advancing respectful, inclusive, and safe environments in our workplace and programs. As part of this commitment, USAID strictly prohibits sexual misconduct, including harassment, exploitation or abuse of any kind among staff or implementing partners. USAID takes seriously, and expects its staff and partners to take seriously, the commitment to do no harm and to advance human dignity in our work.

In 2018, USAID established the Action Alliance for Preventing Sexual Misconduct (AAPSM) to focus its efforts to address these critical issues. Today, the AAPSM retains the lead for issues related to internal sexual misconduct and workplace violence within or in connection to USAID’s workplace. In 2022, the AAPSM transitioned responsibility for safeguarding issues related to USAID programs to the newly-established Responsibility, Safeguarding, and Compliance (RSC) Division within the Bureau for Management. For more information on RSC and USAID’s safeguarding commitments, please visit the RSC Division's page.

GOALS

As part of its mission, the AAPSM works across USAID to:

• Cultivate greater awareness and skills within USAID’s workforce to advance psychologically safe environments that support respect, inclusion, safety, and a culture of allyship in support of USAID’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan.
• Reinforce the Agency’s policies, procedures, and practices for preventing, reporting, and responding to incidents of sexual misconduct and workplace violence in a people-centered manner.
• Introduce enhanced support and services for persons impacted by sexual misconduct and workplace violence as they navigate the aftermath of an incident.
• Strengthen accountability to USAID workforce by transparently using data to demonstrate action and measure success.
• Collaborate with other U.S. Government stakeholders to identify and implement best practices for proactively preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and workplace violence within Federal workplaces.

REPORTING

• USAID FACILITIES: USAID requires all supervisors and management officials, and strongly encourages all other staff to report sexual misconduct they witness, experience, or otherwise become aware of in connection to USAID's workplace or facilities. Staff can report sexual misconduct at any time, regardless of when the incident occurred. Reports of internal workplace sexual misconduct at USAID can be made by:
  • Using USAID’s Misconduct Reporting Portal at launchpad.usaid.gov (click “Report Misconduct” under Quick Links — USAID internal only)
  • Dialing USAID’s Misconduct Hotline at 202-712-1234 (dial ext. 2 for “HR” and ext. 2 for “ELR Misconduct Hotline)
  • Contacting any USAID supervisor, as well as the Office of Civil Rights (ocrharassment@usaid.gov), the Office of Employee and Labor Relations (hctm.elr@usaid.gov), or the Office of General Counsel (ethics@usaid.gov)
• USAID PROGRAMS: USAID employees are required, and implementing partners are encouraged, to report all allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in USAID programs — whether the allegations involve USAID personnel, grantees or contractors — to disclosures@usaid.gov, the Office of the Inspector General's Online Hotline, and/or the cognizant USAID Contracting or Agreement Officer.

RESOURCES

• AAPSM Employee Toolkit
• AAPSM Manager Toolkit
• ADS 113, Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct
• 3 FAM 1710, Sexual Assaults Involving Chief of Mission Personnel and Facilities Outside the United States 
• Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women - Sexual Assault
• Department of State Victims’ Resource Advocacy Program
• USAID Staff Care Center (Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to USAID staff)
  • Free-phone: 877-988-7243 (877-98USAID), Direct Dial: 919-645-4960, Reverse Charge: 44-208-987-6200
  • Email: support@usaidstaffcarecenter.net
• Responsibility, Safeguarding, and Compliance Resources
• Impacted Persons Support External Resources (Non-USG)

LATEST UPDATES

• Press Release: USAID Co-Hosts Interagency Executive Roundtable on Sexual Misconduct (March 2024)
• Video - USAID Commemorates 2023 Denim Day 
• USG releases new Principles on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment for United States Government Engagement with International Organizations
• 2021 Report to Congress on Allegations of, and Steps Taken to Prevent and Respond to, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
• USAID Strengthens Protections from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in its Partnerships with International Organizations
• U.S. Agency for International Development Announces New Protection From Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy

• USAID Endorses the Recommendation of the DAC of the OECD on Ending Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment in Development and Humanitarian Assistance

If you're looking for information that used to be on the AAPSM website, you can visit AAPSM's archive. 

For more information or for suggestions for additional content, please contact: aapsm@usaid.gov.