Peacekeepers 'abusing children'

[cnredd]

Peacekeepers 'abusing children'

Children as young as six are being sexually abused by peacekeepers and aid workers, says a leading UK charity.

Children in post-conflict areas are being abused by the very people drafted into such zones to help look after them, says Save the Children.

After research in Ivory Coast, southern Sudan and Haiti, the charity proposed an international watchdog be set up.

Save the Children said it had sacked three workers for breaching its codes, and called on others to do the same.

The three men were all dismissed in the past year for having had sex with girls aged 17 - which the charity said was a sackable offence even though not illegal.

The UN has said it welcomes the charity's report, which it will study closely.

Save the Children says the most shocking aspect of child sex abuse is that most of it goes unreported and unpunished, with children too scared to speak out.

A 13-year-old girl, "Elizabeth" described to the BBC how 10 UN peacekeepers gang-raped her in a field near her Ivory Coast home.

"They grabbed me and threw me to the ground and they forced themselves on me... I tried to escape but there were 10 of them and I could do nothing," she said.

"I was terrified. Then they just left me there bleeding."

No action has been taken against the soldiers.

The report also found that aid workers have been sexually abusing boys and girls.

"In recent years, some important commitments have been made by the UN, the wider international community and by humanitarian and aid agencies to act on this problem," said Save the Children UK chief executive Jasmine Whitbread.

"However, all humanitarian and peacekeeping agencies working in emergency situations, including Save the Children UK, must own up to the fact that they are vulnerable to this problem and tackle it head on."

Children raped...no action taken against the soldiers...

The UN...the same organization some right here in America want to lead our national security and convict our administration for "being bad"...

[saltwn]

Not every priest abuses alter boys-though child molesters may be drawn to a job where they come in contact with kids.
I think it is good the organizations are reporting this -something that in the past went unchecked in all aspects of business and military contact with foreigners.

[Mikeyy]

Originally Posted by cnredd

Peacekeepers 'abusing children'

Children raped...no action taken against the soldiers...

The UN...the same organization some right here in America want to lead our national security and convict our administration for "being bad"...

As soon as I saw the title I new this would be an attack on the U.N.. This is a sad story. And its good that it was brought to light. The U.N. does good and it screws up. Geeez sounds familiar huh? And who wants them to lead our national security? The U.N. can do some things that an individual country can't. Just because a hammer doesn't tighten a bolt doesn't mean its a bad tool.