Abuse Allegations Reported in Peacekeeping Missions

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
July 19, 2010
NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/world/20briefs-UNITEDNATIONS.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print

There have been 45 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against personnel in United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions worldwide this year, with 18 involving minors, according to United Nations statistics. Most cases remain under investigation. 
Of the 39 reported to countries that contribute peacekeeping troops, as well as other member states, the United Nations has received responses in just 13. The standard policy is to repatriate the personnel involved, with discipline left to individual governments. 
The bulk of the cases, as in previous years, involve peacekeeping troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But that might be partly attributed to a particularly aggressive radio campaign by the discipline team there, as well as greater interaction by the troops with the local population than in most missions, the spokesman for peacekeeping operations, Nick Birnback, said.