United Nations Issues: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by U.N. Peacekeepers

United Nations Issues: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by U.N. Peacekeepers

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June 13, 2016
United Nations Issues: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by
U.N. Peacekeepers
Congress has expressed ongoing concern regarding
In March 2016, MINUSCA reported over 100 new
continued reports of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)
allegations involving women and minors by both U.N. and
by United Nations (U.N.) peacekeepers. Many
non-U.N. personnel in southern CAR. Investigations by the
policymakers and observers contend that such allegations
United Nations, relevant TCCs, and France are under way.
undermine the credibility of both U.N. peacekeeping efforts
In the past year, there have also been allegations involving
and the United Nations as a whole. Some also question the
peacekeeping missions in Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic
effectiveness of U.N. efforts to combat the issue. The
Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, and Mali.
United States, a permanent member of the U.N. Security
Council (UNSC) and the largest financial contributor to
Key Issues
U.N. peacekeeping, has denounced the problem and called
As additional reports of sexual exploitation and abuse have
for improved accountability for perpetrators. It played a key
emerged in recent years, the SG and U.N. members,
role in the March 2016 adoption of UNSC resolution 2272
including the United States, have adopted reforms to
on SEA and U.N. peacekeeping operations.
combat the problem. Key issues and challenges include
prevalence and reporting, TCC responsibilities, and the
Background
status and effectiveness of current U.N. reform efforts.
The United Nations operates 16 U.N. peacekeeping
missions worldwide, with over 120,000 military, police,
Prevalence and Reporting
and civilian personnel (“U.N. peacekeepers”) from more
Trends. Since 2007, the United Nations has tracked the
than 120 troop and police contributing countries (TCCs).
number of allegations by peacekeeping mission. As shown
As of June 2016, the combined annual peacekeeping budget
in Figure 1, the total number of allegations steadily
is about $8.3 billion, which includes reimbursements to
declined from 127 in 2007 to 52 in 2014. In 2015, however,
TCCs for peacekeepers, training, and equipment;
there were 69 allegations, an increase of 17 from the
operational requirements, such as transportation and
previous year. As of April 30, 2016, there were 50
facilities; and staff costs.
allegations. If this trend continues, the number of
allegations in 2016 might reach the highest level since
Past allegations. In the 1990s, reports of sexual misconduct
2007.
surfaced in peacekeeping missions in the Balkans,
Cambodia, Liberia, and Timor-Leste, among others. During
Figure 1. Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Allegations
the early 2000s, the United Nations implemented reforms to
for U.N. Personnel by Year
combat the problem, including establishing a zero-tolerance
policy, enhancing peacekeeper vetting and training, and
creating U.N. conduct and discipline mechanisms.
Recent allegations. In 2015, renewed controversy erupted
over reports that U.N. officials in MINUSCA (the U.N.
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the
Central African Republic (CAR)) failed to follow up on
allegations in 2014 that international troops serving in a
CAR peacekeeping mission had sexually abused young
children in exchange for food and money. (The alleged
perpetrators were from a French military force operating as
peacekeepers under authorization of the UNSC but not
under U.N. command.) Additional reports of sexual

misconduct by U.N. and other peacekeepers in subsequent
Source: U.N. Conduct and Discipline Unit, adapted by CRS.
months prompted U.N. Secretary-General (SG) Ban Ki-

moon to request and receive the resignation of the Special
Publicly identifying TCCs. In 2015, to improve U.N.
Representative and Head of MINUSCA in mid-2015. In
transparency and TCC accountability, the SG publicly
late 2015, an independent review panel appointed by the SG
released allegations against uniformed personnel by
found that the U.N. response to the allegations was
nationality for the first time. According to U.N. data, the
“seriously flawed,” focused on “protocols rather than
TCCs with the highest number of allegations in 2015 and
action,” and was “fragmented and bureaucratic.” It asserted
2016 were DRC (24), Republic of Congo (9), South Africa
that U.N. agencies had “failed to satisfy the U.N.’s core
(8), and Morocco (7).
mandate to address human rights violations.”
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United Nations Issues: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by U.N. Peacekeepers
Underreporting. Many experts agree that U.N. tracking
to address the problem, including lengthy administrative
efforts do not capture the full scope of violations. Victims
processes, delays in investigations, confusion in policy
may be afraid or reluctant to report abuse because they
implementation, and insufficient victim assistance. Since
might be ostracized from their families or communities;
2014, U.N. member states and the SG have initiated
they may fear retaliation; or they may see themselves as
reforms to address these concerns.
dependent on perpetrators for food, money, or other aid.
Some victims are also reluctant to report abuse due to
 In early 2016, the SG, for the first time, repatriated a
delays in U.N. enforcement.
contingent of peacekeepers (from DRC in MINUSCA)
due to evidence of SEA. He also appointed a Special
Role of Troop Contributing Countries
Coordinator on Improving the U.N. Response to SEA.
The national government of each TCC exercises criminal
jurisdiction over its military personnel, retaining the
 With strong U.S. support, the UNSC adopted Resolution
primary role in punishing criminal conduct, including SEA.
2272, which condemned SEA by U.N. peacekeepers,
endorsed the SG’s decision to repatriate units accused of
TCC-U.N. agreements. Each TCC executes a
SEA, and requested that the SG replace all units from
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United
TCCs that do not hold perpetrators accountable.
Nations, setting out its responsibilities with regard to
criminal accountability of its personnel. MOUs are based
Other U.N. efforts include creating Immediate Response
on a Model MOU with provisions requiring TCCs to
Teams to gather and preserve evidence for investigations,
prevent, investigate, and punish criminal violations. The
adopting a six-month timeline for completing
Model MOU sets out standards of conduct, and requires
investigations, improving complaint mechanisms, and
TCCs to conduct training to ensure contingent adherence. It
creating a trust fund to assist victims.
also places responsibility on TCC contingent commanders
to inform the United Nations of violations, to investigate
U.S. Policy
allegations, and to discipline personnel or repatriate them
Administration actions. The Obama Administration
for criminal proceedings. The Model MOU requires the
supports institutional reforms to address the problem. In
United Nations to investigate allegations if the TCC is
particular, it has emphasized the need for better reporting in
unable or unwilling to do so, and to cooperate with TCC
U.N. peacekeeping operations, increased transparency of
investigations. TCCs agree to subject violators to judicial
U.N. and TCC investigations, and improved peacekeeper
proceedings in accordance with the TCC’s national laws.
vetting and training. The Administration also strongly
supports the SG’s decision to identify publicly the
Key concerns. Despite these requirements, TCCs have
nationalities of peacekeepers accused of SEA. U.S. officials
reportedly failed at times to keep the United Nations
report that they are using this new level of information to
informed of allegations, investigations, and the results of
apply diplomatic pressure to TCCs with patterns of
criminal prosecutions. Some TCCs may underreport
peacekeeper misconduct. The Administration has stated it
violations to avoid scrutiny. Some experts have found that
may consider withholding some foreign assistance to TCCs
TCCs are not always responsive to violations reported by
that fail to take appropriate action. It discourages the United
U.N. officials, may not conduct their own investigations, or
Nations from deploying personnel from TCCs that routinely
may actively undermine the effectiveness of existing
block investigations or fail to hold perpetrators accountable.
investigations. More broadly, some observers have
questioned whether the ongoing shortage of U.N.
Congressional activities. Since FY2006, Congress has
peacekeepers might play a role in the reluctance of the
required the Secretary of State to report and certify that the
United Nations to hold U.N. peacekeepers and TCCs fully
United Nations is implementing policies to prevent its
accountable due to concerns that countries might no longer
personnel from engaging in trafficking in persons, SEA, or
contribute troops.
other violations of human rights. Some Members of the
114th Congress have sought to withhold bilateral assistance
U.N. Efforts
from countries that fail to hold their peacekeepers
Current activities. The United Nations takes a three-
accountable or have units facing allegations of SEA; create
pronged approach to addressing SEA focused on prevention
a U.S. strategy to address the issue in U.N. fora; amend the
(training, awareness-raising, and other measures such as
U.N.-TCC Model MOU so that it includes additional
curfews and movement restrictions); enforcement
provisions to address SEA; and institute SEA-related
(standards of conduct, investigations, and disciplinary
country designations and reporting requirements, among
actions); and remedial action (medical, legal, social, and
other measures (see, for instance, proposed State
other victim services).Many of these efforts are overseen by
Department authorization legislation, S. 1635 and S. 2937).
the U.N. Conduct and Discipline Unit at U.N. Headquarters
and by teams in the field. Other involved U.N. entities
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
include the peacekeeping missions themselves and the U.N.
Matthew C. Weed, Specialist in Foreign Policy Legislation
Office of Internal Oversight Services, which conducts
administrative investigations.
IF10419
Recent U.N. actions. Various U.N. reports have
highlighted serious deficiencies in the organization’s efforts

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United Nations Issues: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by U.N. Peacekeepers

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