from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – THE United Kingdom’s commitment to prevent sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment by its peacemakers is in doubt.
This comes amid alleged failure to investigate child rape by a British United Nations (UN) official in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
UK has also allegedly failed to address the UN’s reported ongoing sex abuse crisis during its month as Security Council president.
“The UK’s decision not makes one thing clear,” the AIDS-Free World stated.
“The UK is failing to live up to its self-proclaimed leadership on ‘safeguarding’.”
There have been rampant reports of rape against peacekeepers of the UN mission in DRC (MONUSCO).
However, the UK has vowed to prioritise the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment by UN personnel at the centre.
AIDS-Free World stated that if a government as powerful, wealthy and supposedly intolerant of child rape as the UK could abdicate all responsibility, the UN’s system for handling sexual offenses by its civilian personnel was broken.
UN deployed the MONUSCO in 1999 at the height of the rebellions in DRC.
The vast country has been embroiled in crisis since independence in 1960.
A myriad of conflicts has stifled DRC’s economic potential.
– CAJ News