One third of UN workers say sexually harassed in past two years

One third of UN staff and contractors experienced sexual harassment in the past two years, according to a report released by the United Nations on Tuesday.

The online survey, carried out by Deloitte in November, was completed by 30,364 people from the United Nations and its agencies – just 17% of those eligible. In a letter to staff, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the response rate as “moderately low.”

“This tells me two things: first – that we still have a long way to go before we are able to fully and openly discuss sexual harassment; and second – that there may also be an ongoing sense of mistrust, perceptions of inaction and lack of accountability,” he wrote.

The survey comes amid the wider “Me Too” movement around the world against sexual harassment and assault.