P R 282344Z MAY 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS STATE 057134 
 
SIPDIS 
EMBASSY KHARTOUM PASS TO CG JUBA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO PHUM KCRM HA IV SU
SUBJECT: "NO ONE TO TURN TO"-SAVE THE CHILDREN REPORT OF 
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE BY UN PEACEKEEPERS AND AID 
WORKERS 
 
 
¶1. This is an action request. Department requests USUN to 
approach appropriate UN Secretariat officials regarding the 
recent Save the Children UK report, &No One to Turn To,8 
which details sexual exploitation and abuse of minors by UN 
peacekeepers and aid workers in southern Sudan, Cote 
d,Ivoire, and Haiti.  USUN should draw from the discussion 
elements in paragraph 2 below.  Department also requests 
Embassies Port-au-Prince and Abidjan, and CG Juba, to 
approach appropriate host nation authorities about the 
alleged abuses in their territories, and to report on 
collaboration and next steps between the host countries and 
UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) personnel.  Posts 
should draw from the discussion elements in paragraph 3 
below.  For background on the report, see paragraph 5. 
 
¶2. USUN is instructed to draw from the following discussions 
elements. 
 
Begin discussion elements. 
 
-We are deeply concerned by the allegations of sexual abuse 
and exploitation of minors by peacekeepers and aid workers 
detailed in the Save the Children report, &No One to Turn 
To.8  We take these accusations very seriously. 
 
-We appreciate Secretary General Ban openly welcoming the 
report's frank assessment, and his emphasis on 
&zero-tolerance8 for sexual exploitation by UN personnel. 
We support his pledge to investigate these allegations and to 
take any appropriate &necessary measures,8 and would 
appreciate information about what such measures would be, 
including efforts to proactively reach out to children. 
 
-We are pleased the UN has taken steps to address sexual 
exploitation and abuse, including establishing conduct and 
discipline units in all UN missions and strengthening 
training for UN personnel.  We also note all of the good work 
that NGOs, many of whom are implementing partners of UN 
agencies, have undertaken since the last Save the Children UK 
report, including establishing Codes of Conduct consistent 
with the Interagency Agency Standing Committee (IASC) six 
principles, as well as conducting investigations training for 
their staff. 
 
-The U.S. recognizes that one of the largest obstacles to 
governance of peacekeepers in UN missions is that the UN must 
rely on troop contributing countries to screen their own 
soldiers, and to punish them if they have committed abuses. 
Therefore, we encourage the UN to follow up with troop 
contributing countries to determine what actions they have 
taken against peacekeepers who have been found guilty of 
abusive acts. 
 
-The U.S. also acknowledges that UN peacekeepers are not the 
only persons committing these acts ) the issue goes beyond 
peacekeeping activities and involves UN staff writ-large as 
well as other humanitarian personnel.  Therefore, we take 
note of UN spokeswoman Michele Montas, statement that the UN 
needs to strengthen its investigative capacity, and would 
welcome information as to what increased measures the UN will 
take in this regard.  Additionally, we ask the UN to share 
what steps it has taken or plans to take to enhance reporting 
mechanisms, and ways in which it is collaborating/will 
collaborate with other humanitarian personnel (i.e., NGO 
partners). 
 
-We also request that the Secretary General periodically 
report to the Security Council on the outcome of UN Office of 
Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigations, and of any 
proceedings against the perpetrators of abuse.   This 
exchange of information can assist the Secretariat and 
Security Council to better implement the zero tolerance 
policy on sexual abuse. 
 
End discussion elements. 
 
¶3. Embassies Port-au-Prince and Abidjan, and CG Juba, are 
instructed to draw from the following discussions elements. 
 
-We are very concerned about the allegations of sexual abuse 
and exploitation of minors by peacekeepers and aid workers 
detailed in the Save the Children UK report, &No One to Turn 
To,8 and take these accusations seriously.  We express our 
sincere condolences for the victims of these abuses. 
 
-The U.S. is approaching UN Secretariat officials to discuss 
the accusations in the report, and to show our support for 
Secretary General Ban's pledge to investigate the allegations 
and to take any &necessary measures.8 
 
-We would appreciate any information about how your 
government is collaborating with the UN peacekeeping mission 
in your country to prevent such abusive acts.  We would also 
appreciate information on any measures that can be taken by 
your government against perpetrators, or to support further 
investigations. 
 
¶4. Department requests that embassies Port-au-Prince, 
Abidjan, and Khartoum report on collaboration and next steps 
between the host countries and UN and NGO personnel. 
 
¶5. BACKGROUND 
 
In May 2008, Save the Children UK released a twenty-eight 
page report titled &No One to Turn To,8 which details 
allegations of physical and verbal abuse, prostitution, and 
trafficking of children by UN peacekeepers and humanitarian 
workers.  The report was based on interviews with aid 
workers, peace and security professionals, and two hundred 
and fifty children ages ten to seventeen in Cote d,Ivoire, 
Haiti, and southern Sudan.  Researchers maintain that victims 
included children as young as six, who were orphans, 
dependent on humanitarian assistance, or had been separated 
from their families.  They also noted that a majority of the 
assaults go unreported to local or UN authorities, either out 
of the victim's shame or feelings of hopelessness, therefore 
it is impossible to determine just how widespread the problem 
is. 
 
In the report, UN peacekeepers are &identified as a 
particular source of abuse.8  However, authors praised the 
UN for improving its reporting and investigative procedures, 
and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) for 
exhibiting &managerial courage and transparency8 in making 
allegations public.  Following the report's release, UN 
Secretary General Ban called the sexual abuse of minors a 
&very serious issue,8 and reiterated his zero-tolerance 
policy for these acts by UN personnel.  Ban also pledged to 
further investigate the allegations, and to take &necessary 
measures8 when appropriate. 
 
In 2006, the UN received three hundred and seventy one 
allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against children 
and adults by UN personnel.  Figures showed that less than 
half of these complaints were resolved within one year. 
 
RICE