Responses To Sexual Violence By Blue Helmets In Peacekeeping Missions

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2015 im Fachbereich Politik - Thema: Frieden und Konflikte, Sicherheit, Note: 1,7, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Children, women and men in conflict areas are not only affected by the more obvious forms of violence, but too often also have to face all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, prostitution, trafficking etc. Although the United Nations (UN) send their peacekeeping troops with the goal to establish and maintain peace and the well-being of the local civilians, some bluehelmets use their position to sexually violate the vulnerable population. However, as worse as only these violations might be, often the negative effects do not stop with the mere act. A whole range of problems is closely related to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA): infections of HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancies and abandoned children, making the victims suffer double. Although there exists a comprehensive legal framework regarding sexual violence, the problem obviously continues to exist as statistics of the number of allegations per year reveal: 105 in 2004, 340 in 2005, 82 in 2006, 136 in 2007, 111 in 2008; 154 in 2009. In the light of this shocking high rates of assaults, one must not forget however, that only the officially registered allegations are enlisted, the dark figure is estimated to be even several times higher if one considers the chronic under-reporting in post-conflict areas. Bearing in mind, this thesis focuses on the responses given by the UN to the problem of sexual abuse and exploitation of women, men, girls and boys by bluehelmets during peacekeeping missions. The central question is therefore: What has been done so far and what else needs to be done? Since it is essential to first try to understand why violations of sexual nature continue to occur in the first place to be able to derive possible responses and solutions to combat this problem, chapter 2 “Factors promoting the continuance of SEA and under-reporting” will focus on the context conditions that foster the increased likelihood of assaults. In the next chapter, this thesis will give an overview of the major responses given by the UN. Due to a lack of concrete and detailed statistics as well as deeper and comparative case studies, it won't be able to determine the effectiveness of these measures implemented until now. However, some obvious flaws will be pointed out and further necessary actions and measures presented in chapter 4 “What more needs to be done?”

The Africa Renewal magazine examines the many issues that confront the people of Africa, its leaders and its international partners: sustainable development goals, economic reform, debt, education, health, women's empowerment, conflict and civil strife, democratization, investment, trade, regional integration and many other topics. It tracks policy debates. It provides expert analysis and on-the-spot reporting to show how those policies affect people on the ground. And, it highlights the views of policy-makers, non-governmental leaders and others actively involved in efforts to transform Africa and improve its prospects in the world today. The magazine also reports on and examines the many different aspects of the United Nations’ involvement in Africa, especially within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The Women in Blue Helmets tells the story of the first all-female police unit deployed by India to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in January 2007. Lesley J. Pruitt investigates how the unit was originated, developed, and implemented, offering an important historical record of this unique initiative. Examining precedents in policing in the troop-contributing country and recent developments in policing in the host country, the book offers contextually rich examination of all-female units, explores the potential benefits of and challenges to women’s participation in peacekeeping, and illuminates broader questions about the relationship between gender, peace, and security.

Sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeeping forces first came to international attention more than a quarter century ago. Despite numerous U.N. policy responses, the problem persists, harming individuals, jeopardizing missions, and undermining the credibility and legitimacy of U.N. peacekeeping operations. This report addresses the question of why more progress has not been made in preventing these violations and draws attention to ways in which prevention efforts can be strengthened and made more effective.

The deployment of a large number of soldiers, police officers and civilian personnel inevitably has various effects on the host society and economy, not all of which are in keeping with the peacekeeping mandate and intent or are easily discernible prior to the intervention. This book is one of the first attempts to improve our understanding of unintended consequences of peacekeeping operations, by bringing together field experiences and academic analysis. The aim of the book is not to discredit peace operations but rather to improve the way in which such operations are planned and managed.

Blue Helmets: The Strategy of UN Military Operations is the first book to comprehensively address the performance of the United Nations over the past fifty years as an employer of military force and to examine the organization's ability to handle military operations. Analyzing thirty-eight UN military operations conducted worldwide since 1948, international security expert John Hillen answers important questions about the UN's competency to handle complex future operations.

First published in 1998, Peacekeeping in Africa was written to help make up the shortfall in the number of books that concentrated specifically on peacekeeping in Africa. The book covers the main peacekeeping operations of Africa, and provides a wealth of background material. In doing so, it explores the policies and actions of the international organisations concerned and the participating African states. It also considers the impact of sub-regional powers and the role of the USA, Britain, and France. Comprising three parts, Peacekeeping in Africa examines world perspectives, case studies, and wider issues surrounding Africa’s peacekeeping operations.

"In it's first part, the Global Overview, the report profiles documented conflict-related sexual violence in 51 countries - in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East - that have experienced armed conflict over the past twenty years. The second part of the report, entitled Implications for the Security Sector, explores strategies for security and justice actors to prevent and respond to sexual violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations"--P. 4 of cover.