United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday rolled out a new, victims-centric approach to combatting the organization’s long-term battle with sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers against the civilians they are tasked with protecting.
The strategy is detailed in a report from Guterres’ office and includes the creation of a new human rights expert for victims’ rights — a first-of-its-kind position at the assistant secretary-general level within the U.N. It also plans to route more money into a year-old victims trust fund, which now holds just $436,120.
It also promises penalties for offending members. If troop-contributing countries fail to take legal action against their nationals who face credible claims of abuse, the U.N. could withhold funding and re-direct the money to the victims fund, according to the report.
About the author
Amy Liebermanamylieberman
Amy Lieberman is the U.N. Correspondent for Devex. She covers the United Nations and reports on global development and politics. Amy previously worked as a freelance reporter, covering the environment, human rights, immigration, and health across the U.S. and in more than 10 countries, including Colombia, Mexico, Nepal, and Cambodia. Her coverage has appeared in the Guardian, the Atlantic, Slate, and the Los Angeles Times. A native New Yorker, Amy received her master’s degree in politics and government from Columbia’s School of Journalism.
