Apr 13, 2017

AP: Nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers

Shannon Vavra

In a 12-year-long investigation out this week, the AP has found there are nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers around the world, more than 300 of which exploited children.

Sexual abuse in Haiti: The evidence used in the AP investigation comes from the UN itself, which, among other cases, shows that from 2004 to 2007, nine Haitian children were abused in a child sex ring by at least 134 Sri Lankan peacekeepers. There were approximately 150 reported sexual abuse cases from 2004 to 2016 in Haiti.

Haiti's stabilization mission is over: Today the UN Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution to drawdown Haiti's stabilization mission, MINUSTAH by October.

Consider this context:

The UN has no authority to punish its peacekeepers — that's up to the troops' countries.
The drawdown in Haiti means troops will be sent back to their countries.
The head of the UN's department of peacekeeper discipline and conduct, Atul Khare, said Thursday the organization is aware of its weaknesses and will work with member countries to hold peacekeepers accountable.
In March UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said there will be new measures dealing with peacekeeper misconduct.

For more on the drawdown, read our earlier story here.

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AP: Nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers

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