Doing nothing: U.N. hasn’t acted on child sex abuse claims

Former United Nations staffers are calling for an independent investigation into claims the international body covered up 2014 allegations made by several boys in Africa that French soldiers had paid or otherwise coerced them — some as young as 8 — into performing oral sex. The whistleblowers released more documents showing that instead of punishing the soldiers, the U.N. was more interested in investigating the human rights staffer who told French authorities about the allegations. U.N. officials say they went through the proper channels, and warn that the documents may not be authentic.

The grim reality is that those with experience within the U.N. system are unlikely to be surprised. They know that this is not an unusual case; it is simply one that has come, partially, to light.

Statement from AIDS-Free World, the NGO that released the documents Friday

The case has exposed a glaring weakness in a world body that considers human rights one of its three main pillars: It has no specific guidelines on how to handle allegations of child sexual abuse, and no requirement for immediate, mandatory reporting. No arrests have been announced, and it’s not clear where the accused soldiers, who were supporting a U.N. peacekeeping force, are now.

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