REPORT ON UNDOF EFFORTS TO COMBAT SEXUAL

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000026 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/PSC, NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO KTIP SY IS SUBJECT: REPORT ON UNDOF EFFORTS TO COMBAT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN GOLAN PEACEKEEPING MISSION REF: STATE 130760 ¶1. In response to reftel, this report addresses the United Nations' Disengagement and Observer Force's effort to combat sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and trafficking-in-persons (TIP) in its Golan peacekeeping mission. -------------- Preventive Measures -------------- ¶2. According to UN publications, the UN provides pre-deployment training on SEA to all international civilian personnel. Pre-deployment SEA training is also mandatory for military personnel, but troop contributing countries are responsible for providing it. The UN's Conduct and Discipline Units (CDU) provide support to the UN and troop contributing countries on training. The CDU's Conduct and Discipline Team responsible for covering UNDOF is located in Lebanon. ¶3. UNDOF Commander Major General Wolfgang Jilke reported he makes supervisors in each of the battalions take direct responsibility for getting the message out that sexual harassment and abuse will not be tolerated. The general stated he preferred this approach to simply posting notices referring victims to hotlines at UN headquarters in New York. -------------- Assessment of Effectiveness -------------- ¶4. General Jilke credited this approach with preventing instances of sexual harassment and abuse. He reported that during his tenure "not a single case of sexual harassment or abuse has taken place." As a result, Camp Fouar, where UNDOF is headquartered in the Golan, has been commended by the United Nations for its efforts to combat sexual abuse and exploitation. While the number of women serving in UNDOF at any given time is only about 20, he said the force is proud women feel safe and secure in their working environment. ¶5. Post's NGO and women's advocacy contacts on TIP issues have never reported even a suspicion of TIP-related crimes associated with UNDOF. There are no known media reports on SEA or TIP crimes associated with UNDOF during the reporting period. ¶6. UNDOF's troop level is a little over 1,000 and Camp Fouar is in a sparsely populated area. Officers and troops live either in the camp or on small observation posts around the Golan. We assess that the relative isolation of the camp and these posts explained General Jilke's special emphasis on holding battalion supervisors accountable for their troops' and attached civilian personnel's behavior. The lack of any reports of SEA- or TIP-related activities during the reporting period attested to the relative success of General Jilke's measures. HUNTER