VARIOUS: World Food Programme says it will investigate allegations of young girls trading sex for food in Liberia

Record ID: 858643

  • Title: VARIOUS: World Food Programme says it will investigate allegations of young girls trading sex for food in Liberia
  • Date: 9th May 2006
  • Summary: VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF WFP HEADQUARTERS IN ROME (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2006 13:00
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  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVADNMMTT33LXICFCG3VTBLNAHIY
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  • Story Text: U.N. peacekeepers, aid workers and teachers are having sex with Liberian girls as young as 8 in return for money, food or favours, threatening efforts to rebuild a nation wrecked by war, a report said on Monday (May 8)
    Save the Children UK said an alarming number of girls were being sexually exploited by men in authority in refugee camps and in the wider community, sometimes for as little as a bottle of beer, a ride in an aid vehicle or watching a film.
    "Save the Children's research found that children as young as eight are involving in exchanging sex for money to buy food for the family, or to go to school, even for small things like a bar of soap. And although eight was the youngest age we found, Save the Children also found that girls from twelve up were having regular sex in exchange for money," explained child protection advisor Corinna Csaky.
    The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) spokeswoman Caroline Hurford said on Monday reports made about the trading of sex for food in Liberia would be investigated thoroughly.
    "The World Food Programme together with the other U.N. agencies will obviously be looking into these allegations very seriously because obviously we have zero tolerance for any sexual exploitation. We will work together with our implementing partners, the NGO's (non- governmental organisations) because it is they who distribute the food in most circumstances. We will make sure that any possible sexual exploitation is brought to justice, we will investigate it thoroughly," Hurford said.
    The 20-page document said local people reported sexual exploitation by peacekeepers in every location where a contingent of the UNMIL peacekeeping force was stationed, highlighting the continuing problem of sex abuse by U.N. forces.
    " We also know that the agencies involved are across the board. It is a systematic problem. It's a prolific problem with humanitarian workers, NGO's, business people, teachers, anyone with power and money," added Csaky.
    Allegations of sexual misconduct have dogged U.N. operations in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Haiti and especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the world body has accused members of its biggest peacekeeping force of rape, paedophilia and giving children food or money in return for sex.
    The U.N. force in Liberia said in a statement eight cases of sexual exploitation and abuse involving U.N. personnel had been reported since the start of 2006. One of those had been substantiated and the member of staff suspended.
    Save the Children called on Liberia's new government, U.N. agencies and donors to set up a government-led ombudsman office to ensure cases of sexual exploitation against children are investigated and promote a policy of zero tolerance.
    Liberian society has been shattered by a 1989-2003 civil war which caused an estimated 250,000 deaths in a country of barely 3 million people, forcing around 1.3 million people from their homes into camps around the capital Monrovia or abroad.
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