UN sexual misconduct allegations surpassed 100 in 2024

The United Nations reported over 100 allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation in its peacekeeping missions in 2024. This marks the third time in ten years that the number of allegations has reached this level. The report details that 65 of these allegations involved women who became pregnant due to rape and are now seeking child support. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shared that the allegations involved 125 victims in total, with 98 adults and 27 children. Although this number is less than the 145 victims identified in 2023, it still highlights ongoing concerns. The majority of allegations came from two missions: Congo, with 44 cases, and the Central African Republic, with 40. These sexual misconduct cases are not limited to these two countries. Reports also surfaced from missions in South Sudan, Lebanon, and political missions in Haiti, Colombia, and Afghanistan. Additionally, there were 190 reported cases of sexual exploitation and abuse against U.N. agency staff, down from 284 in 2023. Guterres has made addressing sexual abuse a priority since taking office in 2017. He has enforced a “zero-tolerance” policy and made progress toward faster investigations. However, a recent survey of U.N. staff revealed troubling attitudes, with 3.65% believing it is acceptable to pay for sex and almost 1% saying sexual activity with a child is acceptable. The report also noted a significant increase in distrust toward U.N. leadership. About 6% of staff members expressed a lack of confidence in leaders’ ability to handle sexual exploitation issues, doubling from 3% in 2023. This situation emphasizes the urgent need for accountability and trust-building within the organization. Since 2006, around 750 claims related to paternity and child support involving U.N. peacekeepers have been made, but over half of these claims remain unresolved. The Secretary-General called on member countries to take decisive action against their nationals involved in these claims. He also stressed the need to ensure that children born from these cases receive their rights, including citizenship. Guterres pledged to seek greater attention to this issue, holding senior officials accountable for addressing sexual exploitation and abuse.