Recent revelations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers stained the reputation of UN peacekeepers and threatened to undermine their ability to implement Security Council mandates. The incidence undermined the trust of traumatized and poverty-stricken local populations and violated the fundamental duty of care incumbent upon all peacekeepers.

The UN Secretariat and Member States reacted with a series of measures designed to prevent and punish violations of the UN's standards of conduct. In 2004, the Secretary-General appointed a Special Adviser, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein of Jordan, to produce a framework for effective and long term action. Prince Zeid's report underscored a key point: sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping will only be addressed effectively by joint action—by the UN Secretariat, troop- and police-contributing countries and the General Assembly as a whole, and by the managers and leaders in peacekeeping operations on the ground.

Using Prince Zeid's recommendations, endorsed by the General Assembly in June 2005, the Secretary-General has initiated wide-ranging reforms covering standards of conduct; investigations; organizational, managerial and command responsibility; and individual disciplinary, financial and criminal accountability.

At New York Headquarters, DPKO established a task force for developing guidance and tools for peacekeeping operations to address sexual exploitation and abuse effectively. A special unit has been set up within DPKO to deal with this issue. In the field, peacekeeping operations adopted a wide array of measures to prevent misconduct and enforce UN standards of behavior which forbid sexual relations with prostitutes and with minors 18 or under, and “strongly discourages” such relations with “beneficiaries” who, in the case of peacekeeping, include all members of the host population.

In the field, conduct and discipline teams, headed by senior level experts, have been established in the eight largest peacekeeping missions. In addition, a network of focal points on sexual exploitation and abuse in all peacekeeping mission headquarters facilitate receipt of allegations and requests for assistance, also manning telephone hotlines in some missions. All peacekeeping personnel now undergo training on UN standards of conduct relating to sexual exploitation and abuse. To enforce those standards, missions in Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, the DRC, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Kosovo have established lists of premises and areas frequented by prostitutes which are out-of-bounds to all personnel.

During 2004-2005, the UN's Office of Investigation and Oversight Services completed more than 220 investigations, resulting in the dismissal of several civilian staff and the repatriation of scores of military personnel. Several troop-contributing countries have prosecuted criminal cases against the repatriated personnel.

Managers and commanders are on notice of their specific responsibilities, and those who fail to take preventive measures will be dismissed. The United Nations is committed to carrying out a zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, which means zero complacency in the face of credible allegations and zero impunity where an allegation is substantiated.

A multi-departmental UN task force has also produced new policies on assistance to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse which were to be presented in early 2006 to the General Assembly.