Senior UN official in Haiti urges action to prevent sexual abuse

A senior official serving with the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has called for action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel.

Speaking to participants at a UN-run workshop on the issue yesterday, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative, Luiz Carlos da Costa, stressed that sexual exploitation and abuse constitutes a serious breach that can result in instant dismissal.

Addressing the problem is an essential issue for the UN, he said, emphasizing the need for all UN personnel to display exemplary conduct.

“All those who, under the banner of the United Nations, work in Haiti have a mission to help the country to advance on the road to peace and progress,” he said. “We therefore have an essential role based on trust, and are expected to live up to a high standard of behaviour.”

Mr. da Costa said it is “completely unacceptable that certain individuals betray this trust” by committing acts of sexual exploitation or abuse, or by overlooking them.

Mary Anne Martin, who specializes in discipline issues, led Tuesday’s workshop, which included the participation of senior UN officials, other staff, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and UN agencies.

The aim was to lay the groundwork for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, including the use of prostitutes, and came as part of the UN’s overall “zero-tolerance” policy on the issue.

Ms. Martin emphasized the need to look at the problem comprehensively and define strategies which are best suited to address it. She called for participants to focus their attention on understanding the circumstances which give rise to misconduct to formulate appropriate responses.

MINUSTAH, in line with the overall UN policy, has taken steps to combat the problem, including by having a conduct and discipline unit related to the Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative.