Victims in mind in UN plan to combat peacekeepers’ sex abuse

GENEVA – The U.N. rights chief says “transparency and victim support” will be part of a new strategy laid out by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to fight sexual abuse and exploitation by U.N. peacekeepers.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called such abuse a “scourge on the U.N.” and put the onus also on countries to help: “It’s the member states that can exercise criminal jurisdiction and not the U.N.”

Zeid addressed questions at the Human Rights Council from U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Erin Barclay about his office’s efforts to improve accountability, assist national investigations and establish transparency measures in cases of sexual abuse.

Guterres’ office is expected to present his new strategy in the fight against sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers later Thursday in New York.