Reports: Hundreds of women around the world struggling to raise children fathered by UN peacekeepers

Many women and girls worldwide face the challenges of raising children fathered by UN peacekeepers, according to a recent CNN report. UN staff members deployed to disaster-stricken nations to aid local populations have been found to engage in sexual relationships with local women or teenage girls, only to abandon them when moving to another country.

The CNN report revealed that the UN has received 463 claims of paternity against its employees, with only 55 of these claims verified.

One featured story in the report is that of Pauline Philippe from Haiti, who gave birth to twins in 2012, fathered by a UN worker temporarily assigned to Port-au-Prince as part of post-earthquake relief efforts in 2010. When Philippe informed the father of her pregnancy, he responded callously, saying, “How can that be? From me? I’m going to leave the country, you’ll have bastards. You can’t raise kids without a father.”

The UN acknowledges that sexual relationships between its personnel and the local population in disaster-stricken countries are based on inherently unequal power dynamics and undermine the organization’s credibility and integrity. UN staff is prohibited from “fraternization” with the civilian population.

In 2017, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged to address the issue and established a trust fund to support victims while ending staff impunity. However, only a small fraction of the fund, $249,738 out of over $4.8 million, has been spent in the affected countries. The fund operates by providing support such as training and livelihood opportunities to victims, helping them rebuild their lives and gain independence.

Sexual exploitation scandals involving UN staff continue to emerge. In June of the same year, at least 60 Tanzanian peacekeepers were repatriated from the Central African Republic following allegations of sexual exploitation, including the abuse of minors.

Despite the UN’s commitment to addressing these issues and supporting victims, ongoing challenges persist, as sexual exploitation cases continue to surface, highlighting the need for more comprehensive and effective solutions to prevent such abuses within the organization.