Sending a "strong signal" to ensure accountability for sexual crimes committed by peacekeepers, UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said he intends to include in his report to the General Assembly "country- specific" information on credible allegations of sexual abuse being investigated.
Expressing "distress" over the "cancer in our system" in the wake of cases in the Central African Republic, Ban said, "Too many incidents go unreported. Too few cases are prosecuted. Too often justice is denied."
The Secretary General said it is critical that troop contributing countries take swift action to appoint national investigation officers, conclude investigations and hold perpetrators accountable.
"All too often this is not done quickly enough and in the most frustrating cases, it is not done at all," Ban told the Security Council yesterday in closed consultations focussed on the increasing allegations of sexual abuse against UN peacekeepers.
Ban told the powerful 15-nation Council that he has proposed that his report next year to the General Assembly "include country-specific information on credible allegations that are bing investigated."
He said that he also proposes sexual exploitation and abuse cases be placed on the agenda of the meetings of the Security Council with the troop-contributing countries and called on the Council to review follow-on action on all reported cases.
"A failure to pursue criminal accountability for sexual crimes is tantamount to impunity. That injustice is a second blow to the victims and a tacit pass for the crimes we are trying so hard to end," Ban said.
The UN Chief said following the allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic, the time had come for a "strong signal" that leaders will be held responsible.
In an unprecedented move, Ban had asked head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country Babacar Gaye to resign from his post this week.
"In the case of peacekeeping missions, accountability begins at the top, with the Special Representative of the Secretary General and carries through each level of management and command," ban told the Council.
