Addressing the regular press briefing at the Organization’s Headquarters in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that the Secretary-General had gathered the senior leadership “to speak directly to them” about reports of ongoing sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers while underlining the UN’s policy of “zero tolerance.”

“He stressed that zero tolerance means zero complacency and zero impunity and that when allegations are substantiated, all personnel – whether military, police or civilians – must be held accountable,” reported Dujarric.

“The Secretary-General expressed his resolve to help the affected individuals [and] preserve the integrity of the UN flag,” he added.

In addition, explained the UN Spokesperson, Ban told the peacekeeping officials that, under the existing guidelines, Heads of Mission were directly accountable for maintaining conduct and discipline within their mission, with the support of the senior mission leadership.

The UN chief’s conversation with his senior mission leadership follows a series of recent allegations – revealed earlier this week by the human rights group Amnesty International and concerning actions by UN ‘blue helmets’ serving with the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) – of sexual abuse committed by MINUSCA peacekeepers.

According to Dujarric, in on Friday ’s meeting, the Secretary-General also discussed the importance of prevention, training, risk assessment and risk mitigation, continuous education for and awareness-raising in local communities to stop this problem while calling on the senior leadership of missions to use “every opportunity to reinforce the message that the United Nations will not abide any misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse.”

Furthermore, he reportedly noted that Ban stressed that Troop and Police Contributing Countries are responsible for ensuring that their personnel are properly trained and on mandatory standards of conduct and discipline, and that their peacekeepers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law if found to have committed abuse.

As part of the UN’s increased scrutiny into the global scourge of sexual abuse in field missions, the Secretary-General has also requested a special session of the Security Council, to take place later this afternoon.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe