Disturbing the peace operations

Sexual exploitation has been a global hot button. Amid the worldwide #Metoo campaign, protests over the US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his alleged misconduct in high school, along with against rape of women in ISIS-held territories, the United Nations has received numerous complaints of sexual abuse by its peace workers. The prevalence of cases is flabbergasting, with nearly 150 cases arising in just February and March of this year. We are left shaking our heads in dismay; the UN certainly has a reputation to protect in order to maintain global trust. Sexual abuse is no stranger to Pakistan but we are proud that Prime Minister Imran Khan has visibly taken a stance against it by participating in the United Nations’ Circle of Leadership initiative to investigate crimes of sexual abuse committed during UN peace operations. Joining 69 other world leaders, we hope the focus will eventually be placed on similar crimes within the country.

Allegations made against UN peace workers — or simply ‘workers’ as they deserve to be called — must be handled with tact. The people against whom the crimes were committed live a marginalised existence in some way as indicated by the ongoing UN missions to their countries, which is a pity. The UN Circle of Leadership will have to follow through meticulously to ensure justice is served to each person wronged in the allegations. The UN cannot depend on the survivors’ own countries or leaderships to facilitate this process.

PM Khan has sent a positive message to the world about Pakistan by joining the investigative committee. It was significant to join the global movement against sexual abuse perpetuated by keepers of peace to emphasise that accountability is for everyone, be it the United Nations workers, a US Supreme Court judge nominee, civilians or extremists with misogynistic beliefs. We also implore PM Khan to look inwards and expose the child sex rings that operate within his country. We urge him to provide our provinces with a better system of law and order to prevent sexual violence against children, women and men.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2018.

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