Beyond Training, Member States Should Support Victims, Survivors of Sexual Exploitation by Peacekeepers, Secretary-General Tells Meeting on Accountability for Misconduct

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the meeting of Member States on accountability for misconduct by peacekeepers, held today:

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Successful peacekeeping requires the highest standards of conduct by our United Nations peacekeepers, both civilian and uniformed.  Strengthening accountability for the conduct of peacekeeping personnel is therefore central to the Action for Peacekeeping initiative.

The vast majority of our personnel live up to the highest standards of conduct.  But, when they do not, it has a devastating impact on victims and survivors, and undermines our operational efficiency and our global reputation.

We have steadily made progress on improving training and creating safe ways to report misconduct.  We are working to increase transparency, strengthen internal accountability, and emphasize the needs and rights of victims and survivors.

Member States are our vital partners in all these efforts.  I thank those that have concluded a voluntary compact, joined my Circle of Leadership and contributed to the Trust Fund for the Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

I now ask all of you to go further.  This is key to improving our ability to prevent misconduct, enforce standards and remedy harm.  We must support victims and survivors, as well as children born from acts of sexual exploitation or abuse by United Nations personnel.  This includes ensuring that peacekeepers who father children take full responsibility for them, by helping women to make paternity and child support claims.

Together, we must continue to make progress on this collective priority by learning from the lessons of the past and building on them.  We need to honour our values with bold action to ensure accountability for United Nations peacekeeping personnel who are guilty of misconduct.

I look forward to engaging with you on measures you can take, and how we can support you.  Thank you.