Committee: Security Council
Topic: Abuse by Peacekeepers
Country: The United Kingdom
Delegate: Will Lacey, Mattawan High School
Conceptually, the United Nations peacekeepers are a tremendous boon to the world. They hold up the most pure ideals, and serve as a protective and guiding beacon to all. In practice, this is almost true. The UN peacekeepers have proved critical in assisting many nations worldwide, yet there are some issues regarding the abuse of power. Sexual exploitation is a major issue, as well as other forms of abuse and coercion. Of course, only a minority of the peacekeepers stoop to such levels, but we must strive to eliminate that minority completely.
The United Kingdom is whole-heartedly in support of the United Nations peacekeepers. While the issue of abuse by peacekeepers is quite complex, creating a solution is paramount to maintaining the credibility of and trust towards the peacekeepers. Of course, we have already taken some steps towards this goal, and have several measures in mind to continue to help eliminate the issue.
Primarily, the effectiveness and efficiency of the peacekeepers needs to be improved. Protecting the citizens and peacekeepers from outside threats is a necessity. We must ensure that the peacekeepers can properly defend those they are sent to protect. In order to achieve this, we must invest in and improve out force generation process. Regarding abuse by peacekeepers, we support mandatory e-learning pre-deployment training for the peacekeepers. This will prepare them to recognize, respond to, and prevent abuse, coercion, and sexual exploitation. In addition, the “smart pledging” coordinated response system should be expanded to include protection and support for victims, among other issues. The United Kingdom regrets the misconduct of the peacekeepers, and looks forward to the time when it is eliminated and peacekeepers stand as a true physical representation of their ideals.
- William Lacey
