SOUTH SUDAN: Sexual abuse allegations force UN to recall its police unit

Recent allegations of sexual abuse has forced the United Nations to recall a Ghanaian police unit working at one of its protection camps in South Sudan according to reports.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission said it has asked the 46-member unit to return to the capital Juba from its Protection of Civilians site in Wau, northwest of Juba as it begins to investigate the matter.

Reports say findings into the matter has been launched after strong allegations that some members of the unit were involved in sexual relations with women living at the camp.

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David Shearer, head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has confirmed that himself and other mission leaders were briefed about the initial investigation and the decision to recall the police unit.

“The information received indicates that some members of the FPU (Formed Police Unit) allegedly engaged in transactional sex. This is a clear breach of the U.N. and UNMISS Code of Conduct which prohibits sexual relationships with vulnerable individuals, including all beneficiaries of assistance,” it said.

“UNMISS has informed U.N. headquarters in New York of the allegations, which in turn notified the Member State that the matter was being investigated by the United Nations. There is no indication that this behaviour is more widespread within the Mission.”

The development is coming two days after Justin Forsyth, the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) deputy director stepped down from his post over sexual misconduct allegations levelled against him.

Moments after throwing in the towel, Forsyth said he made the decision because he doesn’t want the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him to “damage” the agency’s work.

According to Forsyth in a statement, the decision to step down from his UNICEF role was not because of “mistakes” made while head of UK-based charity Save the Children.

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