This resource page brings together key United Nations guidance for field missions on preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Developed jointly by the United Nations Department of Peace Operations (DPO) in partnership with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (OSRSG-SVC) between 2019 and 2021, these resources reflect extensive consultation with UN field missions, UN entities, and the United Nations Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action) network.
The Policy on United Nations Field Missions: Preventing and Responding to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence establishes a mission-wide framework and defines the responsibilities, guiding principles, and priority objectives for preventing and responding to CRSV. It affirms the importance of survivor-centred approaches, protection, accountability, coordination, and national capacity-building as core elements of mission action.
The Policy Cheat Sheet offers a concise overview of key principles, responsibilities, and priority actions, serving as a quick reference for mission personnel and partners.
Building on this framework, the Handbook for United Nations Field Missions on Preventing and Responding to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence provides practical guidance to support implementation in the field. It consolidates good practices, tools, methodologies, templates, checklists, and operational approaches to help mission personnel prevent, monitor, report on, mitigate, and respond to CRSV.