UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – The United Nations unveiled a website yesterday aimed at improving transparency about sexual misconduct allegations and other charges leveled against members of its missions.
The website (http://cdu.unlb.org/) tracks the number of alleged offenses by U.N. personnel over the last three years, collected from political and peacekeeping missions across the globe.
It also provides a record of how many charges were substantiated and whether disciplinary action was taken.
“This is a first stage and a work in progress,” U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky told journalists.
The site, operated by the world body’s conduct and discipline unit, is the latest effort to address the issue of sexual misconduct by U.N. personnel.
U.N. leaders demanded reforms after the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo came under scrutiny in 2004. U.N. peacekeepers there were accused of paying for sex with underage girls in the country’s violence-torn east.
Relatively few of the allegations were substantiated, but details of the misconduct that emerged prompted calls for greater transparency and enforcement.
In one case, a 14-year-old Congolese girl said she was paid two eggs in return for having sex with a soldier.
This year MONUC received over 40 allegations of sexual misconduct, more than any other mission, the website shows.
The U.N. mission in Liberia, known as UNMIL, also drew many complaints, with more than 15 sex abuse allegations on file.