Media Highlights: CAR Panel report on UN's handling of peacekeeper sex abuse

On Thursday, December 17, the External Independent Review Panel released its scathing report, Taking Action on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Peacekeepers: Report of an Independent Review on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by International Peacekeeping Forces in the Central African Republic. The Panel, which found critical flaws in the UN’s response to allegations of child sex abuse, was commissioned after AIDS-Free World’s Code Blue Campaign brought the allegations against peacekeepers in CAR - and the UN’s inaction in response - to the world’s attention, putting pressure on the Secretary-General to react.

The Secretary-General’s initial response to the Panel’s report, depicting “a United Nations that failed to respond meaningfully when faced with information about reprehensible crimes against vulnerable children,” is available here. Following the submission of the report, the Panel held a press conference at UN headquarters, available here (video).

Highlights of the media coverage are below (updated December 21, 2015).

An asterisk (*) denotes an article that references AIDS-Free World's Code Blue campaign and/or Paula Donovan. 

ABP India
December 20, 2015
Starving children 'as young as nine-year-old' compelled to give UN officials oral sex to get food
http://www.abplive.in/world-news/starving-children-as-young-as-nine-year-old-compelled-to-give-un-officials-oral-sex-to-get-food-262680

AFP
December 17, 2015
UN slammed for ‘gross failure’ over CAR abuse allegations
http://www.france24.com/en/20151217-panel-united-nations-central-africa-child-abuse-peacekeepers-car?dlvrit=65413

Al Jazeera*
December 17, 2015
Report: UN failed to respond to sex abuse claims in CAR
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/failed-respond-sex-abuse-claims-car-report-151217180908404.html

Associated Press
By Cara Anna
December 17, 2015
‘Gross Institutional Failure’ by UN on child sex abuse case
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/204b9bd11161401d962ce4da74185e66/gross-institutional-failure-un-child-sex-abuse-case

Buzzfeed*
By Jina Moore
Scathing Report Finds United Nations “Gross Failure” On Sex Abuse
December 18, 2015
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jinamoore/report-finds-united-nations-gross-failure-on-sex-abuse#.hiogMW3dK

CanTamil Media
By Krishna Ponnampalam
December 17, 2015
Report finds UN failed to act on child sex abuse claims against peacekeepers
http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20151218-rca-republique-centrafricaine-rapport-accablant-gestion-onu-affaire-viols-marie-des

Deutsche Welle
December 17, 2015
Panel slams UN for 'gross institutional failure' to act on CAR child sex allegations
http://dw.com/p/1HPSZ

Express UK
By Jonathan Bucks
December 18, 2015
Starving children 'as young as NINE forced to give UN officials oral sex to get food'
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/627783/Starving-children-as-young-as-NINE-forced-to-give-UN-officials-oral-sex-to-get-food

Foreign Policy
By Colum Lynch
December 17, 2015
The U.N. Official Who Blew the Lid off Central African Republic Sex Scandal Vindicated
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/12/17/the-u-n-official-who-blew-the-lid-on-central-african-republic-sex-scandal-vindicated/

Fox News*
By George Russell
December 18, 2015
Independent panel blasts U.N. for inaction and cover-up in sex abuse cases
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/18/independent-panel-blasts-u-n-for-inaction-and-cover-up-in-sex-abuse-cases.html

France Info
By Anthony Fouchard
December 18, 2015
Viols d'enfants en Centrafrique: "échec flagrant" de l'ONU, selon un rapport (in French)
http://www.franceinfo.fr/actu/monde/article/viols-d-enfants-en-centrafrique-echec-flagrant-de-l-onu-selon-un-rapport-752919

Guardian
By Owen Bowcott
December 17, 2015
UN accused of 'gross failure' over alleged sexual abuse by French troops
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/un-gross-failure-sexual-abuse-french-troops-central-african-republic

International Business Times
By Vasudevan Sridharan
December 18, 2015
Central African Republic: Panel blasts UN for failing to act on child sex abuse by French troops
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/central-african-republic-panel-blasts-un-failing-act-child-sex-abuse-by-french-troops-1533942

Le Monde
with AFP
December 17, 2015
Viols d’enfants : l’Onu aurait « échoué » en Centrafrique (in French)
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2015/12/17/viols-d-enfants-l-onu-aurait-echoue-en-centrafrique_4834314_3212.html

National Public Radio (NPR)
By Merrit Kennedy
December 18, 2015
Independent Panel Says U.N. Failed To Respond To Abuse Allegations
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/18/460262945/independent-panel-says-u-n-failed-to-respond-to-abuse-allegations

New York Times
By Somini Sengupta and Rick Gladstone
December 17, 2015
Report Criticizes U.N.’s Handling of Child Sex Abuse Allegations
http://nyti.ms/1IWPDGI

PassBlue*
By Barbara Crossette
December 17, 2015
Report Damns the UN for Its Response to Sex Abuse Cases in Central Africa
http://passblue.com/2015/12/17/un-showed-gross-failure-regarding-sex-abuse-cases-in-central-africa-report-finds/

Radio-France International (RFI)
December 18, 2015
Affaire des viols en RCA: rapport accablant sur la gestion de l’ONU (in French)
http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20151218-rca-republique-centrafricaine-rapport-accablant-gestion-onu-affaire-viols-marie-des

Radio Sputnik*
December 18, 2015
'UN is immune from prosecution' - interview with Paula Donovan (audio)
https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/un-is-immune-from-prosecution-paula-donovan

Reuters
By Louis Charbonneau
December 17, 2015
Panel blasts UN over handling of Central Africa peacekeeper abuse
http://af.reuters.com/article/chadNews/idAFL1N1461T920151217?sp=true

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
By Sherwin Bryce-Pease
December 18, 2015
UN slammed over sexual abuses in CAR
http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/470d15004afb4171ac6cbe2f1282c98c/UN-slammed-over-sexual-abuses-in-CAR-20151218

United Press International (UPI)
By Ed Adamczyk
December 18, 2015
Report blames UN for slow response in CAR child abuse cases
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/12/18/Report-blames-UN-for-slow-response-in-CAR-child-abuse-cases/8631450440903/

VICE News
By Samuel Oakford
December 17, 2015
The UN Completely Failed Sexually Abused Boys in the Central African Republic
https://news.vice.com/article/the-un-completely-failed-sexually-abused-boys-in-the-central-african-republic

Voice of America
By Margaret Besheer
December 17, 2015
Panel: UN’s Response to Peacekeeper Abuses in CAR ‘Seriously Flawed’
http://www.voanews.com/content/panel-un-response-to-peacekeeper-abuses-in-car-seriously-flawed/3107306.html  

Wall Street Journal
By Farnaz Fassihi
December 17, 2015
U.N. Failed to Act on Reports of Child Sexual Abuse by Peacekeepers, Independent Inquiry Finds
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-n-failed-to-act-on-reports-of-child-sexual-abuse-by-peacekeepers-independent-inquiry-finds-1450390473

Xinhua News Agency
December 18, 2015
Roundup: Independent report finds institutional failure by UN to act on alleged child sexual abuses in CAR
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2015-12/18/content_37344152.htm

(UN Photo/Mark Garten)