Reporting sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping personnel: a research proposal on community perspectives

Abstract

Persons displaced by conflict are considered especially vulnerable to sexual abuse by peacekeepers. While the UN reports publicly on allegations of "sexual exploitation and abuse" by peacekeepers, it is widely acknowledged that under-reporting is a significant problem. Proposed qualitative research involving local civil society organizations and community leaders supporting victims in the context of displacement will elicit their perceptions on the barriers to, and challenges associated with, formal reporting. The planned study, set out as a proposal, will assess perceptions of current reporting structures and recent UN reforms regarding "community-based complaint reception and mechanisms." This will inform further research and consultations into the design of more appropriate reporting structures. The research's dissemination, linked to the Code Blue campaign's advocacy to end impunity for sexual violence by peacekeepers, will seek to convince UN decision-makers that systemic reforms are needed to ensure that victims have better access to appropriate support and criminal justice.