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UN / CAR SEXUAL ABUSE REPORT
STORY: UN / CAR SEXUAL ABUSE REPORT
TRT: 02:34
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 17 DECEMBER 2015, UNITED NATIONS / RECENT, NEW YORK CITY, USA
RECENT, NEW YORK CITY, USA
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
17 DECEMBER 2015, UNITED NATIONS
2. Various shots, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon receiving the report of the External Independent Review of the UN Response to Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Central African Republic
3. Wide show, United Nations Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric walking to lectern
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General Spokesperson:
“The report depicts a United Nations that failed to respond meaningfully when faced with information about reprehensible crimes against vulnerable children. I express my profound regret that these children were betrayed by the very people sent to protect them. Though the soldiers who committed the abuses were not under United Nations command, the report shows that the United Nations, which uncovered the abuse, did not subsequently handle the case with the speed, care or sensitivity required.”
5. Med shot, press briefing in progress
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General Spokesperson:
“The report has found that three United Nations officials abused their authority. Given the gravity of these findings, I will act quickly to determine what action might be necessary. To uphold the fundamental principle of accountability, and in the light of the history of allegations of sexual abuse by troops in the Central African Republic, including the current allegations, I had previously asked one of them, my Special Representative for the Central African Republic, to resign.”
7. Wide shot, press briefing in progress
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General Spokesperson:
“The report also found that, while there were some shortcomings in the performance of several other United Nations officials and offices, they had not abused their authority. I believe that missteps by these individuals were largely a product of flawed systems. I intend to study these cases further to ensure that all individuals and offices heed the lessons of this review.”
9. Wide shot, press briefing in progress
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General Spokesperson:
“I intend to urgently review the Panel’s recommendations and act without delay to ensure that systemic issues, fragmentation and other problems are fully addressed. I stress, however, that some of these recommendations will require the involvement and approval of Member States.”
11. Wide shot, end of press briefing
In a statement read out by his spokesperson today (17 Dec), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said a report investigating sexual abuse allegations in the Central African Republic found the UN failed to respond to the accusations with the “speed, care or sensitivity required.”
The report was compiled by a review panel, chaired by Marie Deschamps, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, which was set up by the Secretary-General in June to examine the UN response to the allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by foreign military forces not under UN command and assess the adequacy of the procedures in place.
Reading his remarks during a press briefing at the United Nations Secretariat, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said “the report depicts a United Nations that failed to respond meaningfully when faced with information about reprehensible crimes against vulnerable children. I express my profound regret that these children were betrayed by the very people sent to protect them. Though the soldiers who committed the abuses were not under United Nations command, the report shows that the United Nations, which uncovered the abuse, did not subsequently handle the case with the speed, care or sensitivity required.”
The Report found that three UN officials abused their authority. Given the gravity of these findings, Ban said he will act quickly to determine what action might be necessary.
“To uphold the fundamental principle of accountability, and in the light of the history of allegations of sexual abuse by troops in the Central African Republic, including the current allegations, I had previously asked one of them, my Special Representative for the Central African Republic, to resign,” Dujarric said in reference to Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye.
The Report also found that, while there were some shortcomings in the performance of several other UN officials and offices, they had not abused their authority.
“I believe that missteps by these individuals were largely a product of flawed systems. I intend to study these cases further to ensure that all individuals and offices heed the lessons of this review,” Dujarric said.
Ban said he intended to urgently review the panel’s recommendations and act without delay to ensure that systemic issues, fragmentation and other problems are fully addressed. He stressed, however, that some of these recommendations will require the involvement and approval of Member States.
The other members of the review panel are Yasmin Sooka, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa, and Hassan Jallow, the Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
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