United Nations Peacekeepers Perpetration of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Examining the United Nations Commitment to Victims’ Rights

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the United Nations (UN) has worked to address the prevalence of sexual exploitation and abuse committed by its peacekeepers. In 2016, the United Nations emphasized victims’ rights with the establishment of the Trust Fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse (Trust Fund). While prior efforts focused on standardizing the UN’s response to sexual exploitation and abuse and holding peacekeepers accountable, this was the first time the UN attempted to explicitly address victims’ rights. This thesis examined the policies established by the UN through a victims’ rights lens, specifically analyzing the annual Trust Fund Reports and its programming. Contrary to the UN’s framing, this paper’s analysis finds that their Trust Fund programming does not live up to the UN’s own definition of a victims’ rights approach. The Trust Fund’s programming does not accurately address victims’ rights or target their needs with effective and appropriate remedies. The UN’s efforts to negate sexual exploitation and abuse will continue to suffer until they explicitly address victims’ needs.