UK Parliament Publishes Full 2002 UN Report On Sex For Aid In West Africa
Disobedient Media, July 28, 2018
A groundbreaking United Nations report compiled in 2002 never saw the full light of day, until now. The UK Parliament recently published the entire document, which details the sexual exploitation of refugee children by those distributing “humanitarian aid,” as well as peacekeepers and personnel in positions of power in crisis-affected areas.
The publication of a summary version of the report caused a global furor in 2002, eventually leading to some policy changes. However, these efforts have proven woefully insufficient in light of ongoing scandals, including but not limited to the recent Oxfam debacle, the Zoe’s Ark scandal, allegations of horrific sexual abuse in the Central African Republic by UN forces, and the Laura Silsby incident. All of these cases (and many others) occurred after the partial publication of the UNHCR report, pointing to one unsavory conclusion:
Aid work is not a vehicle of charity, but is, in a very real sense, a cover for atrocity. It is a weapon, a blunt instrument of power that is wielded to exploit the most vulnerable populations in crisis around the world. We can now state that sentiment as fact, not opinion.
The groundbreaking full version of the UNHCR/Save the Children 2002 report on sexual exploitation by aid workers in West Africa states in part:
“Agency workers from local and international NGOs as well as UN agencies are among the prime sexual exploiters of refugee children often using the very humanitarian assistance and services intended to benefit refugees as a tool of exploitation. Male national staff were reported to trade humanitarian commodities and services, including medication, oil, bulgur wheat, plastic sheeting, education courses, skills-training, school supplies etc., in exchange for sex with girls under 18. The practice appeared particularly pronounced in locations with significant and established aid programs.”
“There was compelling evidence of a chronic and entrenched pattern of this type of abuse in refugee camps in Guinea and Liberia in particular…The number of allegations documented, however, is a critical indicator of the scale of this problem as altogether 42 agencies and 67 individuals were implicated in this behavior…”
“Security and military forces including international and regional peacekeepers, national forces and police units are another significant category of exploiters. UN peacekeepers in Sierra Leone are alleged to be extensively involved in the sexual exploitation of children with the assessment team recording allegations against UNAMSIL peacekeepers from nine countries. Details of these allegations, which also require verification, have likewise been submitted to UNHCR.”
“The sex exploiters are men in the community with the money, power and influence: agency workers, peacekeepers, regional and national armed forces, teachers, police, businessmen, diamond miners, refugee leaders and logging company staff.”
“Junior national staff therefore acquire so much power that in the end, they become “the Organisation.” The refugee population fears challenging such a person, or even reporting them, as such an action may threaten their access to the services provided by that organisation. “If the NGO worker runs away, there will be no food for us” (Adolescent Liberia). Adults and children echoed such sentiments throughout the study, “NGO workers have so much power that people treat them as really important people and the community cannot challenge them.” (Refugee leaders Guinea) This power imbalance turns the refugee population from being a social force for the protection of children into a social pressure against the few members of its own community who try and challenge those perceived to be in power.”
“The refugee community realises that one of the ways to access such items is to exchange sex. “In this community no one can access CSB (Soya nutrient), without having sex first. They say “a kilo for sex”.” (Refugee women Guinea) Another adolescent girl in Liberia said, “These NGO workers they are clever they use the ration as bait to get you to have sex with them.” This has created an environment in which parents blame their daughters for failing to bring food or money into the home and in which people desperate for goods are unable to acquire them through the rightful channels. “If you do not have a wife or a sister or a daughter to offer the NGO workers, it is hard to have access to aid” (Returnee male Sierra Leone).”
“Female staff members confirmed seeing male drivers have sexual relationships with different girls for short periods of time. “They change girls so much and none of them marry the girls and if she becomes pregnant she is abandoned, with no support for herself and the child. Most of us used to just look at them and wonder. Our brothers they have a problem.” (Agency Worker Liberia) Indeed, the assessment team itself witnessed a UN driver leaving a hotel early one morning with two young girls on his arm. The age and refugee status of the girls was undeterminable but the use of vehicles for such purposes does little for the credibility of humanitarian organisations.”
Disobedient Media spoke with Asmita Naik, a co-author of the UNHCR/Save the Children 2002 report on sexual exploitation by aid workers in West Africa. She said of the UK’s publication of the full report:
