Experienced sexual harassment in past two years, UN staff

According to a new report released by the organization one-third of United Nations staff and contractors admit that they experienced sexual harassment over the past two years.

The online survey, carried out by Deloitte in November and published on Tuesday, was completed by 30,364 people from the UN and its agencies - just 17 percent 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," Guterres wrote.

According to the report, 21.7% of respondents said they were subjected to sexual stories or offensive jokes, 14.2% received offensive remarks about their appearance, body or sexual activities and 13% were targeted by unwelcome attempts to draw them into a discussion on sexual matters.

10.9% said they were subjected to gestures or use of body language of a sexual nature, which embarrassed or offended them, and 10.1% were touched in ways that made them feel uncomfortable.

More than half of those who experienced sexual harassment said it happened in an office environment, while 17.1% said it happened at a work-related social event. Two out of three harassers were male, according to the survey.

Only one in three people said they took action after experiencing sexual harassment.

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

Guterres said the report contained "some sobering statistics and evidence of what needs to change to make a harassment-free workplace real for all of us."

"As an organization founded on equality, dignity and human rights, we must lead by example and set the standard," he said.