“We are here to take bold, urgent and much-needed action to root out sexual exploitation and abuse once and for all in the UN,” Guterres said. The Associated Press launched an investigative series in March on the UN’s peacekeeping crisis, uncovering roughly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation during a 12-year period. On Monday, he announced that 75 countries have signed or pledged to sign a separate compact committing to preventing sexual abuse. Hanging over the meeting were new allegations that the UN mishandled 14 abuse cases involving peacekeepers in Central African Republic. Earlier this year, the UN announced four new child sex abuse cases in Central African Republican involving UN troops from Bangladesh, Congo, Niger and Senegal.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 19, 2017 12:33 UTC