- Title: UN official calls for accountability in battling sexual abuse by peacekeepers.
- Date: 16th May 2016
- Summary: BUNAGANA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UN PEACEKEEPERS PATROLLING WITH WEAPONS
- Embargoed: 31st May 2016 14:00
- Keywords: Sexual Violence Abuse UN United Nations Peacekeepers Central African Republic Democratic Republic of Congo
- Location: BUNAGANA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KENYA/ BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/ NEW YORK CITY, USA
- City: BUNAGANA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KENYA/ BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/ NEW YORK CITY, USA
- Country: Various
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0014I22YC7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo are showing commitment to stopping sexual abuse by their forces, but there is still reluctance in identifying it as a problem among the troops, a top U.N. official said.
The Special Coordinator on Improving the U.N. Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Jane Holl Lute, visited both missions in April.
"We found in the first instance very clear commitment by the leadership in both of these missions from the very top to eradicate any instance of exploitation and abuse and to vigorously respond when allegations arise. Because of the tone that they are setting at the top it is radiating out into the mission, but I can tell you that there are still pockets of resistance and pockets of reluctance," she said.
U.N. peacekeeping missions have been beset by accusations of sexual abuse. The United Nations reported 99 such allegations against staff members across the U.N. system last year.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, which was initially established during a civil war that lasted from 1998-2003, is the world's largest, with around 20,000 uniformed personnel.
In CAR, there are 10,000 U.N. peacekeepers. Violence erupted there in 2013 after mostly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power, sparking reprisal attacks from Christian militia.
In January this year, the UN mission in CAR said it was investigating new allegations of sexual abuse of minors by peacekeepers.
Lute said some of the resistance within the missions stemmed from the problem of discipline and that some felt the issue of abuse was not everyone's problem.
"People feel as though they were sent to the field to implement mandates, and they are focused on delivering services to the populations that we are sent to serve, and they don't believe that the issue is one that they need to concern themselves with," she said.
"We need to specify when we hire people, what are the standards and what is the performance that is expected of you, and how will we know if you are performing or not. And we need ways of accountability. Too often in this organization accountability equals punishment. That is not accountability. Accountability is being answerable for what you have done or what you have failed to do," Lute added.
An independent review panel in December last year accused the U.N. and its agencies of grossly mishandling allegations of child sexual abuse and rape by peacekeepers in CAR in 2013 and 2014.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Lute in February to coordinate efforts to curb sexual exploitation and abuse among UN peacekeepers. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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