United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for global solidarity to fight sexual exploitation and abuse.
Speaking at the High Level Meeting on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Guterres stressed that sexual exploitation and abuse is a global menace from which no country, institution, or family is immune.
"It is a moral and organizational imperative to put an end to sexual exploitation and abuse," he said.
"Through this extraordinary demonstration of political commitment, the member states and the United Nations commit themselves to measurably improving the organization's effectiveness in preventing sexual exploitation and abuse and pledge to put the rights and dignity of victims at the center of their efforts," he said.
Heads of states and government, ministers, ambassadors, heads of international organizations, and civil society partners attended the meeting ahead of the General Assembly.
The Secretary-General said civil society and humanitarian organizations should work more closely with the United Nations, as there is so much to gain from closer interaction and collective efforts on the ground to strengthen preventative and responsive measures.