MHA Issues Warning to Indian Forces in UN Against Sexual Offences

According to officials, no incident of sexual abuse involving Indian personnel has been reported.

Image used for representative purposes (Photo: Reuters)

“No excuse for sexual abuse,” is the stern warning of the Union Home Ministry to paramilitary personnel serving in UN peacekeeping missions.

The ministry's direction, which even warned of dismissal and imprisonment for any sexual misconduct, came after an advisory of the United Nations in the wake of reports that some UN peacekeepers allegedly operated a child sex racket in Haiti over a 10-year period and none were ever jailed.

According to officials, no incident has been reported anywhere about the involvement of Indian paramilitary personnel in any sexual abuse case during UN peacekeeping duties.

However, as a ‘precautionary measure’, the ministry decided to direct the chiefs of CRPF, BSF, CISF, and ITBP to ensure that every officer working under the UN flag abroad carry a 'no excuse' pocket card, issued by the global body against sexual exploitation and abuse for the personnel deployed in UN missions.

At all times we must treat the local population with respect and dignity. Sexual exploitation and abuse is unacceptable behaviour and prohibited conduct for all UN and affiliated personnel.

The ‘no excuse’ card

Sexual exploitation and abuse threatens the lives of people that UN is to serve and protect, and sexual exploitation and abuse undermines discipline and damages the reputation of the UN, reads the card.

There are around 6,000 paramilitary personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deployed in different UN peacekeeping duties in Liberia, Haiti, and Congo.

They are deployed on rotational basis for a period of one year.

A UN report released in March this year has said action on one such allegation against an army soldier related to 2013 is pending with India.

A 2015 report of the global body had reportedly said that the Indian contingent – among the largest in UN Missions – has the least number of sexual misconduct cases. The Indian Army had punished two of its soldiers for sexual misconduct during UN missions in two African countries in 2010-2013.

Indian paramilitary personnel have been told that involvement in any act of sexual exploitation and abuse will be investigated and prosecuted if warranted.

“Any proven act of sexual exploitation and abuse by others will result in measures that can include, but are not limited to, suspension, immediate repatriation, dismissal, imprisonment and a ban from future UN employment,” according to the government order.

The paramilitary personnel have also been told that all victims of sexual exploitation and abuse are entitled to safe and confidential assistance.

If the victim is a child, special considerations for the protection and support to the child are needed.

The victim has to be treated with respect and dignity, and directed or assisted for support to the nearest UN office, the conduct and discipline team, or Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) focal point.