Speakers Urge More Cohesive Approach, Enforcement of Zero-Tolerance Policy as Budget Committee Discusses United Nations Response to Sexual Abuse
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today shared their views on the United Nations efforts to combat sexual exploitation and abuse in its ranks, stressing the need for a more cohesive approach to eradicating the problem that included adherence to its zero-tolerance policy and training for peacekeepers, both before deployment and in the field.
The representative of Thailand, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, stressed the need for collaboration across the United Nations, and encouraged the Secretariat to continue to engage with Member States on combating sexual exploitation and abuse. At present, reporting on preventive, enforcement and remedial actions to address such incidents was not coordinated.
Broadly agreeing, the European Union’s representative emphasized the need to harmonize the Organization’s response to allegations. The system should better assess such allegations before their transmission to involved Member States, and improve the Secretariat’s sharing of information with relevant Member States. It was also essential that peacekeepers receive pre-deployment and in-mission training on human rights, sexual and gender-based violence and protection of civilians, especially children.
Costa Rica’s representative said “the eyes of the world” were on the United Nations as it had not given sexual exploitation and abuse the resounding response it deserved. Stressing the need for a system-wide approach, she said greater coordination among all United Nations departments was needed. The Organization was obliged to respect human rights and investigate those who committed sexual exploitation and abuse, as it represented the last bastion of hope for victims.
Along similar lines, Switzerland’s representative, also speaking for Liechtenstein, expressed support for a victim-centred response and human rights approach to the matter, stressing that victim assistance and protection must be a primary responsibility. Greater efforts were needed to eradicate the problem, she said, backing the mandate extension for the Office of the Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
The United States representative added that, “even if we address all other aspects of sexual exploitation and abuse, yet do not protect the victims, we will have failed.” She expressed support for the Organization’s zero-tolerance policy, and welcomed measures to assist victims, increase transparency and hold perpetrators accountable.
Victor Kisob, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of Human Resources Management, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the matter, outlining initiatives taken since February 2016. The report described the comprehensive strategy to strengthen the Organization’s response, which emphasized the policy of zero-tolerance of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Babou Sene, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), noted the continued fragmentation in the response of United Nations entities and the need for a more coherent framework. He also expressed support for implementation of the United Nations-wide policy of zero tolerance.
Also today, delegates examined the Secretary-General’s proposed $220.1 million 2017 budget for eight special political missions, a $28.6 million increase over 2016, said Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas, Assistant Secretary-General and Controller of the Department of Management’s Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts. Considering the $1.4 million overspent for those missions in 2016, the General Assembly was requested to approve $221.5 million.
Libya’s representative stressed that the United Nations Support Mission in his country (UNSMIL) was currently operating from Tunis due to insecurity, and as such, would be unable to carry out all its mandated activities. He expressed hope that the Mission could re-establish a permanent presence in Tripoli.
Chad’s representative, on behalf of the African Group, said he looked forward to discussing the issues during informal consultations.
Mr. Sene said the Advisory Committee recommended approval of the proposed resources, subject to its recommendations contained in its report and trusts. Projected spending for UNSMIL in 2016 had been adjusted downward by $5.7 million, as the budget had been based on plans to return the Mission to Tripoli.
Finally, delegates considered the 2016-2017 programme budget implications resulting from two draft resolutions approved by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) on 27 October 2016: “Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations” and “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”. Ms. Bartsiotas introduced the Secretary-General’s related statements; Mr. Sene presented the Advisory Committee’s corresponding reports.
The Fifth Committee will reconvene at a time and date to be announced.
Combating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
VICTOR KISOB, Officer-in-Charge, Office of Human Resources Management, introduced Secretary-General’s report titled “combating sexual exploitation abuse” (document A/71/97), which gave an update on initiatives across the United Nations system since February 2016, and his note (document A/71/99), transmitting the report of an independent review on sexual exploitation and abuse by international peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic: “Taking action on sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers”. The Secretary-General had appointed a Panel in June 2015 to carry out the review.
In response to the Panel’s report, the Secretary-General had set up a High-Level Steering Group comprised of the heads of Secretariat departments and offices, as well as representatives from United Nations funds and programmes, to ensure the direct involvement of senior officials in strengthening the system-wide response to combating sexual exploitation and abuse, he said. The report described the comprehensive strategy being implemented by the Secretary-General to strengthen the Organization’s response to sexual exploitation and abuse, which emphasized the policy of zero-tolerance and set out in detail steps to prevent such acts, to ensure accountability and provide support to victims. He stressed that the Organization should approach those cases through a human rights lens that prioritized the needs of the victim.
Accountability mechanisms should also be properly activated and several initiatives were underway, some of which were outlined in the report, he said. In his report, the Secretary-General had provided a comprehensive update on efforts to combat sexual exploitation and abuse, in order to keep Member States updated and to maintain focus on that issue.
BABOU SENE, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), introduced that body’s report on combating sexual exploitation and abuse (document A/71/643). While he welcomed the appointment of the Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to address system-wide coherence, he noted the continued fragmentation in the response of various United Nations entities and the need for more coherent framework for preventive and responsive actions.
He reiterated his strong support for the implementation of the United Nations policy of zero-tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, convinced that progress could be achieved only with strong and sustained leadership at the Organization’s highest level. Given the persistent and egregious nature of related allegations, the General Assembly could invite the Secretary-General, as Chair of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination, to conduct a system-wise assessment of current capacities and future requirements concerning such abuse and the Organizations’ response to them as well as develop further proposals for the General Assembly’s consideration.
SIRITHON WAIRATPANIJ (Thailand), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, reaffirmed the Group’s strong commitment to the United Nations zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse, which must apply equally to all. Given the findings of the independent review that accountability must apply at all levels of the Organization, progress could only be achieved with strong, sustained leadership.
Despite the Assembly’s commitment to combatting sexual exploitation and abuse, the United Nations lacked a framework to respond to that serious problem, she said. More must be done to improve pre-deployment training and address the root causes and risk factors for such abuse, respond quickly to allegations, provide protection for victims and ensure that the Organization pursued justice “from start to finish”. Reporting on preventive, enforcement and remedial actions to address such incidents was not coordinated and information on the overall scope of and links among the various reports and databases was not available. She emphasized the need for improved collaboration across the system, encouraging the Secretariat to continue to engage Member States. She commended the efforts of troop- and police-contributing countries that had improved their coordination and taken steps to combat sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping missions.
JAN DE PRETER, European Union, welcomed the Secretary-General’s continued efforts to implement his policy of zero-tolerance on sexual exploitation and abuse, in particular the wide-ranging proposals on prevention, enforcement and remedial action, including support to victims. He welcomed the Special Coordinator’s report and expressed support to her office. There was still a need for greater harmonization of the United Nations response to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse. The system should be strengthened, especially regarding the assessment of the allegations before their transmission to the involved Member States, how the Secretariat communicated with regard to those allegations, and the process of sharing information with relevant Member States.
Security Council resolution 2272 (2016) was a welcome step towards a United Nations-wide approach to end sexual exploitation and abuse and ensure those who committed such crimes were held accountable, he said. General Assembly resolution 70/286 on peacekeeping and cross-cutting issues addressed that issue and also provided for the necessary tools to enforce a zero-tolerance policy. Training was a critical part of ensuring peacekeepers had the ability to implement peacekeeping mandates, and it was essential that it included pre-deployment and in-mission training on human rights, sexual and gender-based violence, and the protection of civilians, especially children.
HANNA BODENMANN (Switzerland), also speaking for Liechtenstein, urged the United Nations to embrace a unified system-wide approach to combating sexual exploitation and abuse, as efforts thus far had been almost exclusively limited to the conduct of military personnel in peacekeeping operations. An eradication strategy should include the entire system and all types of United Nations personnel, including police and experts on mission. Endorsing efforts to strengthen prevention and investigation and accountability for such acts, she said accountability and the realization of the zero-tolerance policy concerned the system and Member States alike. She also expressed support for a victim-centred response and human rights approach, stressing that victim assistance and protection must be a primary responsibility. Sexual exploitation and abuse was a form of conflict-related sexual violence to be addressed under the Organization’s human rights policies. With that, she called for increased efforts to eradicate such behaviour from the system, backing the extension of the mandate of the Office of the Special Coordinator.
CHERITH NORMAN CHALET (United States) expressed firm support for the United Nations zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, welcoming the more than 40 measures the Secretary-General had introduced to prevent such behaviour, enhance enforcement of the zero-tolerance policy, assist victims, increase transparency and hold perpetrators accountable. She looked forward to finalizing the protocol on victims’ assistance to ensure that the related strategy, adopted by the Assembly in 2007, was being implemented. “Our approach to this issue must remain victim-centred,” she stressed. “Even if we address all other aspects of sexual exploitation and abuse, yet do not protect the victims, we will have failed”. While there were no proposals requiring Member States’ approval on sexual exploitation and abuse during the current session, there were initiatives outlined in the Secretary-General’s report that only States could undertake in their national capacities. She welcomed the examples of Member State good practice cited in the report and looked forward to seeing them shared in an online platform.
PAULA COTO-RAMIREZ (Costa Rica), associating herself with the Group of 77, said that the eyes of the world continued to be on the United Nations as it had not been able to give the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse the resoundingly response it deserved, or to send a message against impunity for such acts. She noted with satisfaction several actions by the Secretary-General to improve the mechanisms for preventing those acts, but said that they had fallen short. All involved countries and parties should make greater efforts to not allow perpetrators to go unpunished. The root causes and risk factors should be eliminated, rather than resolving matters on a case-by-case basis after the violation had occurred. Greater coordination among all United Nations departments, as well as strong leadership and cooperation with all involved parties, was needed. The United Nations had an obligation to respect human rights and investigate those who committed sexual exploitation and abuse. In most cases, the Organization represented the last bastion of hope for victims and communities. It could not keep harming its credibility, she said.
2016-2017 Budget Implications: First Committee Draft Resolutions
BETTINA TUCCI BARTSIOTAS, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, introduced two statements of the Secretary-General on the programme budget implications for the biennium 2016-2017 resulting from draft resolutions adopted by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) on 27 October 2016. The first statement (document A/C.5/71/12) noted that should the General Assembly adopt draft resolution A/C.1/71/L.41 titled “Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations”, an additional $692,600 would be needed to convene a United Nations conference in 2017 to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons. Those resources would be reflected under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management.
The second statement (document A/C.5/71/13) noted that should the Assembly adopt draft resolution A/C.1/71/L.65/Rev.1 titled, “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”, the Secretary-General would be requested to establish a high-level expert preparatory group, resulting in additional resource requirements of $295,900 proposed under sections 2, and 29D, Office of Central Support Services. A similar amount for activities to be carried out in 2018 would be included in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019.
Mr. SENE, Vice-Chair of the ACABQ, introduced its related reports on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution on taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations (document A/71/661) and of the draft on the treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices (document A/71/662). He noted that in the request for resources relating to the draft on the Treaty, the request for $6,900 for 2017 and 2018 for sound engineers was not included in the cost components for meetings support services, and the Advisory Committee therefore recommended against the requested resources. The ACABQ also recommended that the Fifth Committee inform the General Assembly that, should it adopt both draft resolutions, additional appropriations of $692,600 and $289,000 for each draft, respectively, would be required under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, of the 2016-2017 programme budget, representing charges against the contingency fund.
2016-2017 Programme Budget: Special Political Missions
Ms. BARTSIOTAS, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, introduced addendum 3 of the Secretary-General’s report on the proposed budgets for 2017 in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council under thematic clusters III: United Nations offices, peacebuilding support offices, integrated offices and commissions (document A/71/365/Add.3).
She said the report contained proposed budgets for eight of the nine missions grouped under that cluster, with the proposed resources for the United Nations Mission in Colombia presented in a separate addendum. The proposed 2017 resources for the missions totalled $220.1 million, a $28.6 million increase from 2016. Noting that the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) had been temporarily relocated to Tunis in 2014, she said that in line with Security Council resolutions 2259 (2015), 2273 (2016) and 2291 (2016), the Mission had been encouraged to re-establish a permanent presence in Libya through a phased return with effect from 2016. That situation had contributed to the increase in resource requirements.
Considering the combined $1.4 million over-expenditure for 2016 for those missions, which was being funded through a commitment authority, the Assembly was requested to approve $221.5 million in requirements for those missions.
Mr. SENE, Vice-Chair of the ACABQ, introduced its related report (document A/71/595/Add.3), highlighted that the proposed resource requirements for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2017 for the eight special political missions under that cluster were estimated at $220.1 million, up $28.6 million, or 15 per cent, compared with the resources approved for 2016. The Advisory Committee recommended approval of the resources proposed by the Secretary-General, subject to its recommendations contained in the related paragraphs of its report and trusts.
The Advisory Committee also recommended the approval of the staffing proposals for the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, the Office of the Coordinator for United Nations Humanitarian and Economic Assistance Programmes Relating to Afghanistan (UNOCA) and the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS).
With regard to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) the Advisory Committee recommended the approval of 2 P‑4 positions of Political Affairs Officers and 1 P‑3 position of a Human Rights Officer, but recommended against a second. On the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) the projected expenditures for 2016 had been adjusted downward by a total of $5.7 million, due to the low rate of utilization of resources reflecting that the budget had been based on plans to return the mission to Tripoli. On staffing requirements, the ACABQ recommended the application of a 70 per cent vacancy rate for new international staff and a 20 per cent delayed deployment factor for United Nations Guard Unit personnel. It did not recommend the establishment of a P‑3 backstopping position at the Department of Field Support (DFS). On operational costs, the ACABQ recommended a total reduction of $3 million to the proposed increase of $15.8 million.
BACHAR BONG ABDALLAH (Chad), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that he looked forward to discussing during informal consultations issues related to the proposed resources for the special political missions under cluster III.
ABDEL HAMASI (Libya), endorsing the African Group’s statement, expressed concern with the delay in publishing the reports, as his delegation had been unable to send information back to the capital and receive instructions in a timely manner. The mandate of UNSMIL had been extended to 15 December 2016 and would be extended again on 13 December. Security Council resolution 2213 (2015) had defined its priority actions as providing support to the Libyan political process and security arrangements, through mediation and good offices, and further, within operational and security constraints.
Further, he said, the Mission would oversee human rights monitoring and reporting, as well as support key Libyan institutions, the provision of essential services and delivery of humanitarian assistance, and the coordination of international assistance. Operating from outside Libya, however, it would be unable to undertake all those tasks. It would be limited to implementing the Libyan Political Agreement. He expressed hope that the situation would stabilize so the Mission could return to Tripoli to carry out the tasks conferred upon it by its mandate.