*MEDIA ALERT: CODE BLUE PRESS BRIEFING *
Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 10:00am
333 E 47th St, New York, NY, (At 47th and 1st Ave),
Japan Society, Murase Room
 

Child victims of peacekeeper sex abuse who made global headlines say the UN never helped them 

  • Justice Marie Deschamps, Chair, External Independent Review Panel on UN Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Foreign Military Forces in Central African Republic (“CAR Panel”)

  • Ms. Karin Mattisson, Investigative journalist, SVT (Swedish public television)

  • Ms. Paula Donovan, Co-Director, AIDS-Free World and its Code Blue Campaign

  • Moderator: Mr. Stephen Lewis, Co-Director, AIDS-Free World; former Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN

Speaking publicly for the first time since issuing the explosive “CAR Panel” report in December 2015, Justice Marie Deschamps joins investigative journalist Karin Mattisson and the Code Blue Campaign’s Paula Donovan for a shocking update on what has since happened, and what has not, for children sexually abused by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic.

Background:  In April 2015, Code Blue’s exposure of the first appalling cases of peacekeeper sexual abuse of children in the Central African Republic attracted global headlines and Member State outrage. As chair of an external panel appointed by the then-Secretary-General to a six-month probe of the UN’s response to the abuse, Justice Deschamps documented a “gross institutional failure.” Now a Swedish film team has located some of those children, eye-witnesses, and another young victim, and interviewed top UN officials. In excerpts from its documentary, children speak of their ongoing trauma—from life on the streets and out of school, to pregnancy and HIV—and of waiting years for justice and the help UNICEF promised.

In a world that desperately needs a strong, well-funded United Nations, solving the Organization’s long-running peacekeeper sexual abuse scandal is more urgent than ever.

Contact: Gill Mathurin, +1-646-924-1710 or +1-647-406-5731; media@aidsfreeworld.org

AIDS-Free World is an international advocacy organization devoted to exposing and addressing injustice, abuse, and inequality. Its Code Blue Campaign aims to end impunity for sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping personnel. www.codebluecampaign.com

(Photo: SVT)