The United Nations has come under fire, as allegations of peacekeepers sexually abusing women and children in conflict zones have continued to surface since late 2015.
Angelina Jolie, a special envoy of the United Nations refugee agency, UNHRC, and Goodwill Ambassador, spoke about this important issue at a major U.N. peacekeeping summit on Thursday.
The actor said that those who have been abused by international troops deserve justice, and underscored how instances of sexual abuse committed by peacekeepers have damaged the organization’s reputation.
“We all know that the credibility of U.N. peacekeeping has been sadly undermined by the actions of a few intolerable cases of women and children being sexually exploited by the very people in charge of protecting them,” she said, according to The Guardian.
Jolie also called for a new approach to peacekeeping that took into account the rights and protection of women.
She added, “Peacekeeping forces can only gain and keep the trust of local populations if they are able to engage with women as well as men in that community.”
According to Human Rights Watch, the U.N.’s oversight agency found 480 incidents between 2008 and 2013 of alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. In at least 102 instances, the allegations were made against peacekeepers based in Haiti. The peacekeeping summit, attended by delegates of 80 countries, focused on finding better ways to plan operations, implementing the pledges of support by different nations, and improving how the troops perform on the ground.
Jolie also called for a new approach to peacekeeping that took into account the rights and protection of women.
She added, “Peacekeeping forces can only gain and keep the trust of local populations if they are able to engage with women as well as men in that community.”
According to Human Rights Watch, the U.N.’s oversight agency found 480 incidents between 2008 and 2013 of alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. In at least 102 instances, the allegations were made against peacekeepers based in Haiti. The peacekeeping summit, attended by delegates of 80 countries, focused on finding better ways to plan operations, implementing the pledges of support by different nations, and improving how the troops perform on the ground.