The United Nations has put its peacekeeping forces and civilian groups on notice this week that sexual misconduct during missions will not be tolerated
Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the United Nations (UN) in a high-level meeting regarding allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in New York this week.
The UN has received numerous allegations of instances of sexual exploitation and abuse from both women and children against troops and workers in civilian organisations.
Mr Guterres stated the urgency of the claims, saying that “we are here to take bold, urgent and much-needed action to root out sexual exploitation and abuse once and for all in the United Nations".
“Sexual exploitation and abuse has no place in our world. It is a global menace and it must end.”
Between 2007 and 2016, the UN received 832 complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse. Of the 832 allegations, 257 involved child victims.
This year, there has already been 41 allegations filed against the UN for experiences of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Such cases of sexual misconduct have reportedly taken place in peacekeeping ground operations and refugee camps.
Mr Guterres said he had been “haunted by [his] many encounters with women and children scarred by sexual violence and further stigmatized sometimes by their own communities".
The UN peacekeeping troops have come under fire for carrying out acts of sexual assault during ground missions.
In 2014, the UN released a report based on the findings that six young boys had been subjected to sexual abuse by peacekeeping troops or had witnessed other children being abused in Cordillera Administrative Region. The peacekeeping troops gave small amounts of food or money to the children in return.
"The blue symbol represents a sign of international peace and security, yet peacekeeping operations have dealt with numerous allegations of misconduct when in the field," the report concluded.
However, Mr Guterres swiftly defended the peacekeeping forces indicating that the majority of cases involved UN civilian organisations.
“Without our peacekeeping operations…it would be impossible to do the protection of civilians in dramatic circumstances. Many lives have been saved by them, and on the other hand many peacekeepers have died when protecting other people,” he said.
Mr Guterres aims to impose new initiatives to combat the crisis, aiming to provide a voice to the victims, raising awareness and eliminating impunity for perpetrators.
An advisory board of ‘external experts’ will also be implemented to guide the UN in future actions dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct.
Mr Guterres praised the initiative: “[They] are a critical interface between affected communities and the United Nations system, including around the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse, and we cannot succeed without their partnership.”