Recent revelations on sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment within the UN and related international aid organizations underscore the need for accountability. Following are several news reports from the past year.
General
Sexual harassment and assault rife at United Nations, staff claim (Guardian, Jan. 18, 2018)
Exclusive: Guardian investigation points to culture of impunity as UN employees allege offences including rape
The United Nations has allowed sexual harassment and assault to flourish in its offices around the world, with accusers ignored and perpetrators free to act with impunity, the Guardian has been told.
Dozens of current and former UN employees described a culture of silence across the organisation and a flawed grievance system that is stacked against victims.
Of the employees interviewed, 15 said they had experienced or reported sexual harassment or assault within the past five years. The alleged offences ranged from verbal harassment to rape.
Seven of the women had formally reported what happened, a route that campaigners say is rarely pursued by victims for fear of losing their job, or in the belief that no action will be taken.
“If you report it, your career is pretty much over, especially if you’re a consultant,” said one consultant, who alleged she was harassed by her supervisor while working for the World Food Programme. “It’s like an unsaid thing. More
UN report on sexual exploitation and abuse – 1st Quarter of 2018
- For the first three months of this year, from 1 January to 31 March 2018, we have received 54 allegations for all UN entities and implementing partners. Not all allegations have been fully verified, and many are in the preliminary assessment phase.
- Out of the 54 allegations, 14 are reported from peacekeeping operations and 18 from agencies, funds and programmes. 21 allegations relate to implementing partners and 1 to a member of a non-UN international force.
- Of the 54 allegations, 17 are categorized as sexual abuse, 34 as sexual exploitation, and 3 are of an unknown nature.
- The allegations involve 66 victims – including 13 girls (under the age of 18) and 16 victims whose age remains unknown.
- With regard to the status of the allegations, 2 have been substantiated by an investigation; 2 were not substantiated; 21 are at various stages of investigation; 27 are under preliminary assessment; and 1 investigation’s result is under review.
Specific Cases
- UNAIDS
- Alleged Abuser: Luiz Loures. Accusations: Sexual predator, forcibly groped female employees.
- UN ‘grossly mishandled’ inquiry into alleged sexual assault, say campaigners (Guardian, Feb. 7, 2018)
- ‘A boys’ club’: UN agency accused over sexual harassment claims (Guardian, Feb. 25, 2018)
- UN reopens sexual assault investigation into top official Luiz Loures (CNN, April 27, 2018)
- Zero Accountability for UNAIDS Sex Abuse Crisis (Aids Free World, May 4, 2018)
- Alleged Abuser: Luiz Loures. Accusations: Sexual predator, forcibly groped female employees.
- UNESCO
- Alleged Abuser: Frank La Rue. Accusation: Sexually harassed woman over several months in 2016 and 2017.
- Married United Nations chief is suspended after Mail reveals ‘MeToo’-style claims that he sexually harassed a woman (Daily Mail, January 18, 2018)
- Alleged Abuser: Frank La Rue. Accusation: Sexually harassed woman over several months in 2016 and 2017.
- UN Peacekeepers
- Alleged Abusers: UN Peacekeepkers
- UN Peacekeepers: Congo leads world in sex abuse allegations (AP News, September 22, 2017)
- Now UN peacekeepers stand accused after 612 cases of sex abuse (Express February 18, 2018)
- More than 150 allegations of sexual misconduct at UN agencies in 2017 (Euro News, February 24, 2018)
- UN peacekeepers accused of child rape in South Sudan (AFP, April 23, 2018)
- Alleged Abusers: UN Peacekeepkers
- UNICEF
- Alleged Abuser: Justin Forsyth. Accusation: Inappropriate behavior towards female staff while chief executive of Save the Children.
- “Save the Children did not tell Unicef of sexual misconduct claim against chief” (Guardian, May 22, 2018)
- Alleged Abuser: Peter Newell. Accusation: jailed for multiple counts of sexual assault on a child aged 12 when the abuse began.
- Pedophile Peter Newell had key role at child charity (The Times, February 17, 2018)
- Alleged Abuser: Justin Forsyth. Accusation: Inappropriate behavior towards female staff while chief executive of Save the Children.
- Save the Children
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- See above under UNICEF, Justin Forsyth.
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- OXFAM
- Alleged Abuser: Roland van Hauwemeiren. Accusations: Sexually exploited victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
- Oxfam chief steps down after charity’s sexual abuse scandal (Guardian, May 16, 2018)
- How Oxfam Sexual Misconduct Scandal Unfolded (Sky News, 2018)
- Oxfam Haiti allegations: How the scandal unfolded (BBC, February 21, 2018)
- Oxfam knew a senior staffer was accused of sexual misconduct. They didn’t warn the next NGO (Quartz, February 10, 2018)
- Alleged Abuser: Roland van Hauwemeiren. Accusations: Sexually exploited victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.