The??published on Tuesday state that although progress has been made since 2017 through the establishment of new frameworks, policies and procedures,?sexual exploitation and abuse continues to occur across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system.
Rising crises, rising risks?
Risks increased significantly last year, with the?unprecedented rise in humanitarian crises along with significant reductions in funding, especially in high-risk and complex contexts where the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ operates.?
Last year, 758 allegations were received,?compared to 534 the previous year?and 265 in 2018.?
Of the 2023 figure, more than half, 384, were related to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ staff and affiliated personnel.? The remainder concerned personnel from partners and non-Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ military forces not under Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ authority.
One hundred allegations were reported in peacekeeping and special political missions, compared to 79 in 2022.?
Some 143 identified victims were associated with these allegations -115 adults and 28 children.??
Most allegations, 90 per cent, related to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, and another in the Central African Republic, known as?.?
Prevention efforts continue?
The report contains updates on the implementation of the Secretary-General's strategy to improve efforts in preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse.
¡°Our approach, which is centred on the rights and needs of victims, continues,¡± Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said during the daily media briefing in New York.
¡°We are intensifying efforts to uphold the rights of victims, and to end impunity. This also includes engagement with Member States to facilitate the resolution of paternity claims.¡±?
Guterres upholds accountability?
The Secretary-General¡¯s Special Coordinator on improving Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ response to sexual exploitation and abuse, Christian Saunders, has commissioned a comprehensive assessment to determine how to best integrate the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in all Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ activities and programmes.
The assessment will?propose a strategy to ensure sustainable, effective prevention work across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system?and options for predictable and adequate resourcing at headquarters and in the field.??
¡°Sexual exploitation and abuse violate everything the United Nations stands for,¡±?Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres?said?in a video message accompanying the report.?
¡°It is up to all of us to eradicate sexual exploitation and abuse from our work, support victims, and hold perpetrators and their enablers to account.¡±?
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