UN Peacekeeping expressed its gratitude to Ghana for entering a voluntary compact with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the commitment to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel.

According to a Tweet by UN Peacekeeping, “the Voluntary Compact is a demonstration of the political will to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, demand accountability and provide meaning support to victims.”

The Secretary-General introduced the Compact at a High-Level Meeting on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse held in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly on 18 September 2017. The meeting brought together world leaders and leaders of regional and civil society organizations and charted an ambitious strategy aimed at responding comprehensively to sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel.

At the High-Level Meeting, the Secretary-General re-affirmed to Member States that the United Nations would “not tolerate anyone committing or condoning sexual exploitation and abuse” and would “not let anyone cover up these crimes with the UN flag.”

Ghana is currently the 9th largest contributor of military and police personnel to UN Peacekeeping, with more than 2,300 Ghanaian peacekeepers serving worldwide.

To date, 105 UN Member States have signed on to the Voluntary Compact.

 

 

—United Nations