UN MISSION IN CYPRUS SUCCESSFUL ANTI-TIP/SEA

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000028 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE MCLEGG-TRIPP AND EMELLINGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO CY SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS SUCCESSFUL ANTI-TIP/SEA MANAGEMENT REF: A. 06 STATE 204157 ¶B. 06 NICOSIA 1159 ¶1. (U) Per Ref A instructions, the below updates Ref B July 2006 report. ¶2. (U) Ms. Sally Anne Corcoran, UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Civil Affairs Political Officer, continues to be the UN mission's "gender focal point," charged with educating UN civilian and military personnel about sexual harassment, exploitation and trafficking. A second staff member also still works with Corcoran on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) issues. Corcoran re-emphasized to PolOff January 8 that her office leads mandatory training sessions for all new personnel and that UNFICYP enforces the SYG's "no tolerance" policy, per circular #56, with regard to local establishments that most likely sponsor prostitution. As of January 2007, there had been no reported cases of UN peacekeepers violating the policy. Visiting Gender Advisor to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Comfort Lamptey had met November 13 with all UN personnel to reiterate the seriousness of such violations, Corcoran reported. (Note: Lamptey's visit to Cyprus also was aimed at reviewing possible areas of UN collaboration on anti-trafficking efforts with the host government, local NGOs and other diplomatic missions, such as Embassy Nicosia. End note.) ¶3. (U) Neither local media nor NGOs reported incidents of TIP/SEA misconduct by UNFICYP personnel during the reporting period. Cyprus-based NGO Stigma clarified that rumors mentioned in Ref B -- that UN personnel were frequent customers of Cypriot "cabarets" -- originated in 2005 or even 2004; it had heard no similar rumors in 2006. In regards to the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, the Embassy in 2006 funded a TIP-related study by local NGO Prologue Consulting. The report, released December 10 and titled "Women Trafficking in the Turkish Cypriot Community," did not specify UNFICYP personnel as customers of the north's numerous cabarets. SCHLICHER