EFFECTIVENESS OF UN EFFORTS TO COMBAT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000027 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO PHUM UN CT CD SU SUBJECT: EFFECTIVENESS OF UN EFFORTS TO COMBAT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN MINURCAT -- CHAD REF: STATE 130760 ¶1. (U) The following responds to Reftel request for analysis of measures to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and trafficking in persons (TIP) involving UN peacekeeping personnel in Chad. THE MINURCAT MISSION -------------- ¶2. (U) MINURCAT, the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, was established at the end of 2007, and is thus two years old. However, most of the Substantive Sections of the mission became operational in mid-2008, and moved to the east in late 2008. The Mission is currently comprised in Chad of several elements: (a) a mandated military force of 5225 personnel for Chad and CAR, of which 2332 had been deployed to Chad, and 281 to CAR at end-2009; (b) a contingent of 185 UN Police (UNPOL) officers, engaged in the training and mentoring of the 850-member Chadian Detachement Integre de Securite (DIS) police force tasked with policing refugee and IDP camps in eastern Chad; and, (c) 419 international civilian personnel, 323 local civilian staff and 134 United Nations Volunteers supporting the SRSG and conducting activities in the Political and Civil Affairs, Human Rights, Gender, HIV/AIDS, Justice, Penal Systems, Mine Action, and Humanitarian Liaison sectors; and security. ¶3. (U) Total MINURCAT personnel deployed to Chad as of December 2009 -- military, civilian, international and national -- amounts to ¶3674. MINURCAT is not an integrated UN mission under the SRSG; thus the large humanitarian response from numerous UN agencies remains autonomous from the PKO. MINURCAT REPORTING -------------- ¶4. (SBU) MINURCAT reports that the essential SEA enforcement actions and countermeasures required by UNSCRs 1612, 1674 and 1820 are in place to ensure that SEA and TIP violations are not committed by MINURCAT's civilian, police and military staff. In particular, a Conduct and Discipline Unit was established in late 2008 to work on these issues. This unit receives complaints, investigates them, and makes recommendations as a result of these investigations. Other specific measures taken in MINURCAT include: -- SEA language in the mission mandate; -- A POC for SEA allegations to be reported; and -- Designated off-limit areas for personnel. ¶5. (SBU) MINURCAT reports that during the year ending on 12/31/2009, the Conduct and Discipline Unit received three complaints involving SEA. One complaint fell in the sub-category of Transactional Sex (including for food, work, and money) and two fell under the sub-category of Exploitative relationship. Administrative action was taken in all three cases, in which (a) one case was substantiated; (b) one case was not substantiated; and (c) one case is still pending. POST ASSESSMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Post assesses that UN efforts to prevent SEA and TIP violations by MINURCAT personnel have been effective thus far. No unaddressed SEA or TIP issues regarding MINURCAT personnel have been raised by Chadian authorities, civil society groups, NGOs, UN humanitarian agencies, or the Chadian press. ¶7. (SBU) Members of the DIS Chadian Police unit, outside of MINURCAT's direct command but under training and mentorship of MINURCAT's UNPOL units, committed a number of acts of SEA early in the year that strained the organization's relationship with both humanitarians and refugees. Although the DIS is not under MINURCAT authority, UNPOL confronted these abuses quickly, and perpetrators were removed from the service. On positive side, reports of such incidents have declined in the latter part of 2009 and the DIS has provided a new capacity to pursue perpetrators of Gender Based Violence among the refugee and internally displaced populations and to protect their victims. ¶8. (SBU) Embassy Bangui concurs with Embassy Ndjamena's assessment and has no additional information to report. ¶9. (U) Minimize Considered. NDJAMENA 00000027 002 OF 002 NIGRO