This story was written by Sophie Boudre and Stephanie Wild. Ms. Boudre is UN Peacekeeping Strategic Communications' Deputy Chief and project manager for gender and reputational issues. Ms. Wild is a Strategic Communications consultant who brings expertise in sexual and gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and transitional justice issues.
“[H]e used to give me money, food… In exchange, I had sex several times with him. He got me pregnant, and a few months later, he left, leaving me with the child.”
UN personnel are strictly prohibited from exchanging money, food or other favours for sex. UN peace operations go to great lengths to prevent this type of misconduct, but unforgivably, cases continue to occur. In some instances, children are conceived and left behind in the conflict environments where their father was serving, as in the account above from a mother in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Since 2006, the UN has received over 700 paternity and child support claims implicating peace operations personnel. 95% of these involve military or police personnel provided by UN Member States to serve under the UN’s banner. Member States are responsible for addressing these claims, but more than 70% remain unresolved, leaving 500 children without much-needed legal recognition and financial support.
“The children born as a result too often face poverty, stigma, and insecurity,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a recent video message. “They deserve recognition, support, and dignity. The United Nations is committed to making this a reality. But we cannot do it alone.”
Some Member States are working to resolve claims despite the challenges of navigating multiple countries, legal systems, and socio-economic contexts. Some are locating fathers and guiding mothers on how to file claims in their country. Some have established national paternity focal points to facilitate DNA testing and help mothers access pro-bono representation and assistance with court fees.
These Member States remain in the minority, however. In most cases, Member State responses to claims are slow. Sometimes they do not respond at all.
“Some of these claims have been pending for more than a decade and a number of children fathered by uniformed personnel have reached adulthood,” says Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, the Department that receives and processes the claims.
One of them is 20-year-old Mado*, who longs to meet her father. “When I'm with my friends, they often talk about their father,” she says. “But I'm ashamed, because I can't say who is really mine. He's not dead, but I can't say he's part of my life either.”
The UN is working to support victims of sexual misconduct in their pursuit of justice and accountability for perpetrators. We facilitate contact with officials in the country where they wish to bring their claim and can help with legal fees. When the father is a UN civilian staff, the UN will enforce court orders and deduct salaries to ensure perpetrators meet their parental obligations. Also, the UN’s Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse has helped mothers engage in income-generating activities and pay for their child’s school fees and uniforms.
The UN is also taking steps to help Member States more quickly address cases, for example facilitating DNA collection and cross-border child-support payments. A UN Task Force was also established to identify additional ways Member States can make progress with support from the UN.
The Task Force is currently developing criteria for assessing Member State responses to claims, which will become a factor when considering their personnel for deployment with peace operations. And, to promote greater transparency on the issue, it established a public dashboard showing the status of all outstanding claims.
Although these are important steps forward, UN efforts will not succeed alone. “Only [Member States] have the authority and power to resolve such claims [as] the United Nations does not have a court and cannot compel fathers or Member States to take action,” explains Ms. Pollard.
The UN continues to call on Member States to resolve paternity and child support claims. As a practical step forward, the UN Secretary-General has asked all Member States to appoint a national paternity focal point that can help move cases towards resolution.
Mado and children like her deserve closure, justice, and a chance at a better future.
Learn more about how the UN is working to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse here.
*Name has been changed to preserve anonymity.
This story is part of the “Action for Peacekeeping” (A4P) story series, which reports on efforts by the UN, its Member States, and other partners to strengthen peacekeeping operations and the impact they have for people living in conflict areas.
Strengthening the conduct of peacekeepers and peacekeeping operations is a key area of and its implementation strategy, A4P+. Supporting victims of and children born as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel is a critical responsibility of the perpetrators, their Member State, and the United Nations.