Funding Provision Protects Vulnerable Refugees from Sexual Exploitation

3/16/2005 3:43:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Steve Schwadron of the Office of Rep. Bill Delahunt, 202-225-3111, or Dan Allen or Shannon Flaherty, 202-225-4000, both of the Office of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay

WASHINGTON, March 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Rep. Bill Delahunt (D- Mass.) and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today praised passage of the Emergency Supplemental Wartime Appropriations Act that includes $656 million for tsunami disaster relief and establishes a clear U.S. policy to promote protection of vulnerable refugees who can easily fall victim to exploitation by those who are tasked to help.

The supplemental includes the text of the Delahunt-DeLay Humanitarian Assistance Code of Conduct Act of 2005, which passed the House earlier this month by a vote of 416-1. This provision prohibits U.S. assistance for organizations that have not adopted strict international standards and penalties to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of international disaster victims.

"Given the extraordinary interests at stake, it is notable that the House appropriators took such swift action to ensure that this critical foreign policy objective will have the full force of law as our country continues to respond to humanitarian emergencies such as the tragedy in South Asia," remarked Delahunt.

The United Nations' undersecretary general for humanitarian relief last December admitted that the incidence of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping and humanitarian personnel has reached an "unacceptable" level. Other instances of abuse have been reported in areas of Africa by other humanitarian organizations. The Delahunt-DeLay provision will start the process of ending this kind of abuse by requiring organizations seeking American relief funds to adopt a strict code of conduct for their workers.

"The emergency supplemental will provide immediate assistance to tsunami-ravaged eastern Africa and southern Asia, while using Rep. Delahunt's bill to ensure that relief is administered only by organizations who take seriously the moral responsibilities of humanitarian assistance," DeLay said. "This is an important step in preventing the exploitation of innocent victims who are seeking our help."

In late January, Delahunt and DeLay hosted a meeting in the Capitol with representatives from various aid groups involved in tsunami relief efforts, including Save the Children, UNICEF, World Vision, the Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, and Shared Hope International. As highlighted by the experts working directly in humanitarian emergencies, the type of environment created by the tsunami dramatically increases the risk for trafficking in and the exploitation of women and children. The Delahunt-DeLay provision is a direct result of that meeting.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-0-

/© 2005 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/