Allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation in U.N. peacekeeping and political missions topped 100 for the third time in the last 10 years in 2024, according to a U.N. report released Tuesday, which said 65 of the allegations involved women who gave birth after saying they were raped and were seeking child support.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the report to the General Assembly that the allegations identified 125 victims 바카라 98 adults and 27 children. This was fewer than the 145 victims identified in 2023, he said.
According to the report, two U.N. peacekeeping missions accounted for 82% of the allegations 바카라 Congo with 44 and the Central African Republic with 40. The United Nations has long been in the spotlight over allegations of child rape and other sexual abuses by its peacekeepers, especially by those based in the two African countries.
But sexual misconduct also was reported at U.N. peacekeeping missions from South Sudan and Lebanon, and at political missions in Haiti, Colombia and Afghanistan.
The secretary-general also reported 190 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against staff of U.N. agencies, funds and programs 바카라 a decline from 284 allegations in 2023 바카라 and 382 allegations related to non-U.N. staff who work with organizations implementing U.N. programs.
Guterres has made combating sexual abuse and exploitation a high priority since he became U.N. chief in 2017 and he has promoted enforcement of the U.N.'s 바카라zero-tolerance바카라 policy for sexual misconduct. He has initiated a series of changes to U.N. peacekeeping to speed up investigations, and appointed a victims' advocate to help victims of sexual abuse.
But the latest report found that while U.N. training on sexual misconduct is mandatory, a 2024 survey of 64,585 U.N. staff found that 3.65% 바카라 2,360 staffers바카라 said it was acceptable to pay for sex. And close to 1% 바카라 555 staffers 바카라 said 바카라it was acceptable to engage in sexual activity with a child.바카라
It said that 바카라alarmingly바카라 the 2024 U.N. survey also found a significant rise in distrust toward U.N. leadership, with 6% of respondents 바카라 3,700 staff members 바카라 expressing a lack of confidence in the ability of leaders to address sexual exploitation and abuse, double the 3% in 2023.
바카라This 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,바카라 the report said.
Since 2006, the report said, approximately 750 paternity and child support claims involving U.N. peacekeeping personnel have been reported, but more than 500 are still pending.
All claims are referred to the peacekeeper's home country to resolve, but the report said most have not taken meaningful action.
The secretary-general urged countries 바카라to take decisive action바카라 to hold their nationals accountable and to ensure that children born as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse receive the rights they are entitled to, including citizenship.
바카라I 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,바카라 Guterres said.
