U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres attends the Excessive-Stage Phase of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council on the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.
Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone
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Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone
UNITED NATIONS — Allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation in U.N. peacekeeping and political missions topped 100 for the third time within the final 10 years in 2024, in line with a U.N. report launched Tuesday, which mentioned 65 of the allegations concerned ladies who gave delivery after saying they have been raped and have been looking for baby help.
U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres mentioned within the report back to the Basic Meeting that the allegations recognized 125 victims — 98 adults and 27 youngsters. This was fewer than the 145 victims recognized in 2023, he mentioned.
In response to the report, two U.N. peacekeeping missions accounted for 82% of the 102 allegations — Congo with 44 and the Central African Republic with 40. The United Nations has lengthy been within the highlight over allegations of kid rape and different sexual abuses by its peacekeepers, particularly by these primarily based within the two African nations.
However sexual misconduct additionally was reported at U.N. peacekeeping missions from South Sudan to Lebanon, and at political missions in Haiti, Colombia and Afghanistan.
The secretary-general additionally reported 190 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in opposition to employees of U.N. businesses, funds and applications — a decline from 284 allegations in 2023 — and 382 allegations associated to non-U.N. employees who work with organizations implementing U.N. applications.
Guterres has made combating sexual abuse and exploitation a excessive precedence since he grew to become U.N. chief in 2017 and he has promoted enforcement of the U.N.’s “zero-tolerance” coverage for sexual misconduct. He has initiated a collection of adjustments to U.N. peacekeeping to hurry up investigations, and appointed a victims’ advocate to assist victims of sexual abuse.
However the newest report discovered that whereas U.N. coaching on sexual misconduct is necessary, a 2024 survey of 64,585 U.N. employees discovered that 3.65% — 2,360 staffers— mentioned it was acceptable to pay for intercourse. And near 1% — 555 staffers — mentioned “it was acceptable to engage in sexual activity with a child.”
It mentioned that “alarmingly” the 2024 U.N. survey additionally discovered a major rise in mistrust towards U.N. management, with 6% of respondents — 3,700 employees members — expressing a insecurity within the capacity of leaders to deal with sexual exploitation and abuse, double the three% in 2023.
“This underscores an urgent need for leaders to demonstrate stronger, more visible and accountable leadership to foster trust among the staff of the United Nations system and the communities they serve,” the report mentioned.
Since 2006, the report mentioned, roughly 750 paternity and baby help claims involving U.N. peacekeeping personnel have been reported, however greater than 500 are nonetheless pending.
All claims are referred to the peacekeeper’s dwelling nation to resolve, however the report mentioned most haven’t taken significant motion.
The secretary-general urged nations “to take decisive action” to carry their nationals accountable and to make sure that youngsters born on account of sexual exploitation and abuse obtain the rights they’re entitled to, together with citizenship.
“I will examine ways to bring even greater attention to this critical issue, ensuring senior United Nations officials are held personally accountable when addressing sexual exploitation and abuse,” Guterres mentioned.
