In August 2015, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed allegations of sexual
abuse by UN peacekeepers.
He called the abuses a “cancer” in the system.
A number of reports concerning sexual exploitation occurred in the Central African Republic,
which is currently undergoing a civil war.
But what are UN Peacekeepers even doing in the middle of an active warzone?
What exactly do UN Peacekeepers do?
Well, originally, peacekeeping forces were established to do just that: keep the peace
after a ceasefire or resolution was established in international conflict.
This was especially important during the Cold War, where a neutral party was necessary to
avoid a small conflict sparking World War III.
The first Peacekeeping mission was in 1948, when UN forces were sent to observe and oversee
the Armistice Agreement following the Arab-Israeli War.
This mission, and the others that soon followed, involved primarily unarmed troops, so as to
avoid the potential for hostilities.
The first deployment of armed forces was during the Suez Crisis of 1956.
UN Peacekeepers helped U.S. and Soviet troops force Israeli, French and British invaders
out of Egypt.
However, it took until the 1960s for the peacekeepers to take on the role of armed peace enforcers.
While the UN was working in the Congo, a coup against the first democratically elected Congolese
leader led to his assassination.
In response, UN Peacekeepers had to keep mercenaries out of the country by use of armed force.
This was called the “Blue Helmets’ first war”, named for the blue helmets peacekeepers
wear.
However, peacekeepers are not simply an enforcement tool to implement the UN’s wishes, but rather
an impartial force designated to solve conflicts at the consent of all parties involved.
Additionally, the UN doesn’t recruit and train these forces on its own.
Rather, UN member states from across the world contribute troops, police, and military experts.
Bangladesh contributes more personnel than any other country, with roughly 8,500 total
members.
Ethiopia contributes roughly 1000 more troops, but fewer personnel overall.
India and Pakistan also provide nearly 8,000 members each.
In fact, the majority of Peacekeepers come from the developing world.
By comparison, the United States provides only about 80 peacekeepers total.
Many countries benefit from contributing peacekeepers, as troops are often better paid.
Additionally, UN Peacekeepers are in a considerably safer position than most regular military
personnel.
But despite all the good they bring, the UN has long been marred by sexual abuse scandals.
A 1996 UN study showed that children become victims of prostitution at a higher rate when
UN Peacekeepers arrive.
In countries like the Congo and Kosovo, UN Peacekeepers take advantage of post-conflict
regions to either use prostitutes, or even rape and torture unsuspecting victims.
Many say that despite the UN pushing for prosecution of those offenders, it is not nearly enough
to effectively stop the practice.
Today, there are 16 active Peacekeeping missions, and 120 contributing nations.
With roughly 100,000 personnel, and a budget of over $8 billion dollars, the UN Peacekeepers
have become an integral force in global diplomatic efforts.
The United Nations is a massive organization involving 193 member nations.
To learn more about the structure of the UN and how it operates, check out our video here
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