Sexual violence by UN peacekeepers: How to fight impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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2020-08-31

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en

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Worldwide there is impunity of sexual violence committed by United Nations (UN) peacekeepers. This research examines the problem of impunity of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) crimes by UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and what proposals with a high potential for success might make a chance to remove this impunity. Through literature research and semi-structured interviews with various experts, the obstacles that contribute to this impunity and proposals were evaluated. Obstacles were related to the UN, as an organization, its peacekeeping mission, the TCCs included, the DRC and the international community. The assessment of proposals with a high potential for success brings out that a hybrid tribunal, a mixed court, an independent special court mechanism, litigation against states, and the complementary measures of NGOs and technology, could work as mechanisms to prosecute UN peacekeepers who committed SEA in the DRC, but obstacles still have to be overcome. Eventually, no matter the mechanism, prosecuting UN peacekeepers and dealing with SEA should be a multi-stakeholder responsibility, whereby a clear mechanism is developed independent of the UN.

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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen