March 13, 2020: The UN Secretary-General's annual Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse report was formally released today. A press briefing was held to discuss the report, but the briefing was devoid of substance and legitimacy. Under normal circumstances, the Code Blue Campaign would respond rapidly with a full critique of the report.
But we recognize that this is not a normal moment in the life of the United Nations. In times of crisis, we need the UN to be as strong as it can be. We are joining the world now in supporting the UN’s essential role in leading a fact-based, coordinated global response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we will save our in-depth analysis of the Secretary-General’s Special Measures report for a later date.
However, we must make an immediate preliminary comment because this report has some inescapable revelations that must be noted.
There is an increase in the number of allegations, from 56 in 2018 to 80 in 2019, an increase of 43%.
The report also shows a near doubling in allegations against civilian personnel in peacekeeping operations, from 13 in 2018 to 25 in 2019. Further, buried in the annexes, the figures show that seven of these allegations have been deemed “substantiated,” yet not one of them has been referred to national authorities for criminal accountability.
Allegations against military personnel jumped from 39 in 2018 to 49 in 2019, an increase of 25%
Today’s press briefing demonstrated the UN’s disregard for the severity of sexual exploitation and abuse and the need to change the course of a response that is failing—at the expense of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
We will continue to constructively critique the UN and advocate for reform where it is needed because we believe strongly in the United Nations—its importance in the world, its capacity, and its potential. AIDS-Free World began the Code Blue Campaign to address the culture of impunity that sustains the UN’s internal sexual abuse crisis. The world body’s failure to curb and punish sexual abuse by its own personnel threatens to undermine its global leadership. As the current crisis demonstrates, the world needs a strong, principled United Nations.
We will respond in full to the Special Measures report when the immediate COVID-19 crisis has been controlled.
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(UN Photo / Eskinder Debebe)