From a secret until now report that is to be in the final version published next week, it shows that women in these two countries offered sexual services, among others from hunger and poverty. In return receive money, as well as clothing, shoes, cell phones, perfume, jewelry or other material goods.
“Hunger, lack of basic necessities and medicines”
In the statement, which on Thursday informed the world’s media, it’s about 480 allegations of sexual exploitation and other abuses during the years 2008-2013. After 2009 was a decrease in the number of such abuses, but in 2012-2013 there was an increase again. In one third of cases during that period comes to children.
Experience peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and Liberia (UNIMIL) “indicates that the replacement of a sexual nature are widespread and underestimated,” – emphasized in the internal control report United Nations.
The report referred to the testimony approx. 230 women in Haiti who claim that practiced “transactional sex” with soldiers blue helmets. “Some women kept identification markings soldiers and threatened to reveal their identity in social media in the absence of fees for services” – the report says. As the reason women often showed “hunger, lack of shelter, lack of basic necessities and medicines.”
Women are not aware of the confidential line
Another survey carried out in the capital of Liberia – Monrovia – on a sample of approx. 490 women aged 18-30 years, showed that “more than a quarter of them experienced sexual transaction with blue helmets, primarily for the money. “
The document also reminded that such behavior constitutes a flagrant violation of the principles of the United Nations, which declared” zero tolerance policy “against sexual abuse in the missions and strictly prohibits sexual relations with the local people. In Haiti, only seven of the women surveyed knew of these UN principles, and none of them knew about the confidential phone line where you can report such cases – reported AFP.
The report also cites the response of the UN department of peacekeeping operations, which that they do not dispute the fact that such cases are underestimated. Also noted that over the past 10 years has significantly increased the number of peacekeepers, while there was a decline in cases of sexual abuse and accusations of fraud.
The UN maintains the current approx. 125 thousand. peacekeepers belonging to the 16 missions. The problem of “transactional sex” refers to particular operations in Haiti, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Sudan and South Sudan.
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