Posted: June 11, 2015 Updated: June 19, 2015
In early June, following the UN Secretary-General’s announcement of his intention to establish an External Independent Review of the UN’s handling of child sex abuse allegations against international peacekeepers and broader issues, the UN subsequently indicated that a UN peacekeeper was being investigated for sexual abuse of a minor in eastern Central African Republic. Several days later, media reported that UN peacekeepers in Haiti exchanged food, money and other material goods for sex with hundreds of women, despite rules prohibiting transactional sex, citing an Office for Internal Oversight Services report released publicly on June 15. The report’s findings, evaluating enforcement and remedial assistance efforts for sexual exploitation and abuse by the UN in peacekeeping operations, call into question the UN’s claim of a “downward trend” in allegations and provide insight into the significant reforms needed. A snapshot of media coverage of these events and the broader problems are captured below:
Al Jazeera
June 16, 2015
UN releases report on sex abuse by peacekeepers
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/peacekeepers-sex-abuse-150616012115509.html
Associated Press
By Cara Anna
June 10, 2015
UN: Sexual exploitation by peacekeepers strongly underreported
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UNITED_NATIONS_PEACEKEEPERS_SEXUAL_EXPLOITATION
BBC
June 11, 2015
UN peacekeepers 'barter goods for sex'
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-33089662
The Local
June 15, 2015
Swedish minister slams UN over abuse leak case
http://www.thelocal.se/20150615/swedish-minister-slams-un-over-abuse-leak-case
The Real News
June 11, 2015
UN Peacekeepers in Haiti Force Girls to Trade Sex for Food, Medicine (audio interview with transcript)
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=14007
Reuters
June 4, 2015
U.N. probes sexual abuse by peacekeeper in Central African Republic
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/04/us-centralafrica-abuse-idUSKBN0OK2CV20150604
Reuters
By Michelle Nichols
June 10, 2015
United Nations peacekeepers commonly pay for sex: U.N. study
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/10/us-un-peacekeepers-abuse-idUSKBN0OQ2CP20150610
RT
June 10, 2015
UN peacekeepers sexually abused hundreds of Haitian women & girls – report
http://rt.com/news/266179-un-peacekeepers-haiti-sexual/
RT
June 15, 2015
Swedish FM slams UN for suspending whistleblower who exposed child abuse by peacekeepers
http://rt.com/news/267280-sweden-un-peacekeepers-abuse/
RTÉ Radio 1
June 14, 2015
Sexual Exploitations Allegations (audio interview)
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/this-week/programmes/2015/0614/708079-this-week-sunday-14-june-2015/?clipid=1906526
Sputnik Radio
June 10, 2015
Sex abuses by UN peacekeepers: 'Tip of the iceberg' - Paula Donovan (Audio interview)
https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/sex-abuses-by-un-peacekeepers-paula-donovan
Tribune-Review
Opinion
June 7, 2015
U.N. Watch: No immunity
http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/8495191-74/immunity-abuse-sexual#axzz3cUkfkZnO
VICE
By Samuel Oakford
June 11, 2015
UN Peacekeepers Reportedly Exchanged 'Televisions, Perfume and Fancy Underwear' For Sex
https://news.vice.com/article/un-peacekeepers-reportedly-exchanged-televisions-perfume-and-fancy-underwear-for-sex?utm_source=vicenewstwitter
Washington Post
By Justin Wm. Moyer
June 11, 2015
Report: U.N. peacekeepers in Haiti had ‘transactional sex’ with hundreds of poor women
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/11/report-u-n-peacekeepers-in-haiti-had-transactional-sex-with-hundreds-of-poor-women/?postshare=2281434036068077
Washington Post
By Bernd Beber, Michael Gilligan, Jenny Guardado and Sabrina Karim (guest post)
June 16, 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/06/16/u-n-peacekeeping-and-transactional-sex/
Xinhua
June 16, 2015
UN official welcomes evaluation report on sexual exploitation in peacekeeping operations
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-06/16/c_134328861.htm