Najla Nassif Palma, the United Nations’ Victims’ Rights Advocate, has stressed the need for enhanced support for survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by UN personnel. She urged greater efforts to ensure victims have access to justice, protection, and long-term assistance. In an interview with UN News this week, Palma emphasized that member states must play a more proactive role in addressing these issues.
Following the release of her 2024-2025 annual report, Palma stated that her mandate is to ensure victims are not overlooked and to guarantee them a “voice, help, and justice.” The Office of the Victims’ Rights Advocate, established in 2017 as part of Secretary-General António Guterres’s strategy to strengthen the UN’s protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, works across the UN system to advance a victim-centered approach and ensure survivor perspectives shape prevention, response, and accountability efforts.
Palma, the second high-ranking official to hold this position, highlighted that direct engagement with victims is a crucial aspect of her work. Over the past two years, she has visited more than 10 countries, holding direct consultations with survivors to understand their experiences, concerns, and priorities. “The first step is to listen to the victims,” she stated, adding that their courage and resilience are the driving force behind her advocacy.
Her office collaborates closely with Senior Victims’ Rights Officers and Victims’ Rights Coordinators in the field, assisting victims in connecting with medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid, education, and livelihood opportunities within their own communities.
Expanding Aid and Support
The report indicates progress in expanding assistance for victims and children born from abuse. These advancements include support for school fees, skills development training, and access to income-generating activities designed to help victims regain their independence and dignity. According to Najla Nassif Palma, an increasing number of UN entities, including peacekeeping missions like MINUSCA in the Central African Republic, MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and UNMISS in South Sudan, are now allocating specific resources to victim assistance.
“We are improving how the UN listens to victims and includes their voices in decisions that affect them,” Palma said. She underscored the importance of partnerships with civil society organizations, particularly women-led groups working directly with survivors at the community level, ensuring that victims’ experiences can shape UN policies and programs.
The report also outlines the UN’s efforts to strengthen victims’ rights within its investigation, disciplinary, and judicial processes. Nassif Palma affirmed that victims must be fully informed about the status of their cases, protected from retaliation, and free to decide whether or not to participate in investigations.
Paternity and Child Support Claims
Another priority has been working with governments to advance paternity and child support claims. According to the report, some member states have taken steps to provide lump-sum payments or interim financial assistance to victims and their children while legal processes are ongoing.
Despite these advancements, Nassif Palma cautioned that significant challenges persist. She called for more specialized personnel dedicated to supporting victims on the ground, more sustainable and predictable funding for assistance programs, and stronger political commitment from both the UN system and member states. “At every step of the accountability process, we need more support for victims, including protection, clear updates on their cases, and real progress on long-standing paternity and child support claims,” she stated.
‘My Voice Is Here for You’
Her message to victims was clear: “Come forward. We are here to support you. My voice is here to advocate for your rights.” She also urged governments and UN entities to translate their commitments into concrete actions. “To move forward, we need a sustainable commitment across the UN system and member states that truly prioritizes victims’ rights and turns promises into real change in their lives,” she concluded.
