According to a UN report released earlier this week, the number of reported sexual abuse allegations has increased compared to previous years; 25 allegations were made in 2017, while 203 allegations were made in 2018, of which 94 were against UN staff and 109 against staff employed by local partner organizations in the field. Of the overall number of allegations, 11 cases involve child rape. A noticeable drop has been made in allegations concerning UN peacekeepers: from 104 in 2016, to 54 in 2018.
The increased number of allegations is in part the result of UN efforts to encourage victims to come forward and report their cases. As the Globe Post states, ‘Under UN rules, it is up to governments to take action against their troops sent as peacekeepers who face credible allegations of rape or other misconduct, but there were few details on prosecutions, with many cases still under review’.