Refugees International: Publications: publication

Home About Us Donate Where We Work Issues Blog

Must Boys Be Boys? Acknowledgements

Peacekeeping & Sexual Exploitation Report

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am thankful for the women’s advocates in the countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Haiti for alerting me and educating me on the topic of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. It is due to their ceaseless work that this issue has finally become acknowledged at the United Nations. I would also like to acknowledge the hard work that the advocates for gender equity and women’s rights around the world do every day.

I would also like to thank my Refugees International colleagues who accompanied me on my RI assessments of West Africa and Haiti including: Michelle Brown, Cliff Bernath, Fidele Lumeya, and Peter Gantz. In addition, I would like to thank Nicole Mailman and Jehan Khaleeli for their assistance in research. I would like to thank Joel Charny for his patience and insistence that I could finish this report and make it a reality. Without his confidence, it would surely have lingered unfinished on my desk. Sarah Mendelson of CSIS and Sarah Margon of Oxfam America gave me invaluable comments that helped me finalize this report. Finally, I would like to thank Alyson Martin, Donald Martin, Diana Prieto, Carol Boender, and Bernice Romero for their interest and support.

NOTE ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The photographs in this report are meant solely to illustrate peacekeepers and their work. None of the people depicted are either perpetrators or victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. All photos were taken during RI’s peacekeeping assessment missions.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

The Scope of the Problem

Culture of Gender-Based Violence in West Africa and Haiti

Sexual Exploitation in UN Peacekeeping Missions

The Culture of UN Peacekeeping Missions

Solutions

Mainstreaming Gender in UN Peacekeeping Operations

Changing Attitudes of Senior Management in UN Peacekeeping Missions

Focusing on Civilian Personnel

Training Peacekeeping Troops

Improving Access to the UN Complaint System

Empowering Women in the Local Communities

Conclusion

Refugees International's Recommendations

-----------
Notes

Annex: UN Code of Conduct for Peacekeepers

Acknowledgements

List of Acronyms

Print this page | Email this page

Search

Stay Informed

Resources

What I can do to help

Your support helps us save lives throughout the world.

Ways You Can Help

Photo Gallery

View

Phong-6

This is the new O’Kous bridge in Chrey Sen village (see old bridge in inset). The 15-meter bridge was build under the Food for Work program by 18 families. It accommodates about 50 people a day. ...

Go to Photo Gallery

Act Now!

Help protect refugees & Save Lives