India adopts ‘zero-tolerance’ policy for serious misconduct of peacekeepers: Ambassador Tirumurti

India pays nice consideration to the conduct of peacekeepers and has adopted a “zero-tolerance” policy for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) associated serious misconduct, and the nation goals to strengthen mechanisms to make sure prevention and mitigation of these points, India’s envoy to the U.N. has mentioned.

Speaking on the high-level assembly with the U.N. Member States on ‘Strengthening the Conduct of Peacekeeping Personnel’ on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador T. S. Tirumurti mentioned a clear picture of the U.N. peacekeeper was the cornerstone for the success of United Nations peace operations.

India, which is among the many largest troop contributing nations to U.N. peacekeeping missions, can be the one nation among the many high 20 troop contributing nations that doesn’t determine within the listing of SEA-related instances on the U.N. web site.

“India pays great attention to the conduct of the peacekeepers. We have adopted a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy for sexual exploitation and abuse [SEA] related serious misconduct and aim to strengthen mechanisms to ensure prevention and mitigation of these issues,” he mentioned.

Mr. Tirumurti mentioned prevention lay on the core of India’s efforts to fight SEA and serious misconduct points, and screening, coaching, and consciousness have been the prime elements of this strategy.

India’s Center for U.N. Peacekeeping (CUNPK), which supplies coaching to peacekeepers from India in addition to companions with nations for the final 20 years, had launched “peacekeeping conduct and discipline” associated coaching modules some 10 years in the past, he mentioned.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a video message to the assembly on June 28, mentioned whereas the U.N. has steadily made progress on bettering coaching and creating secure methods to report misconduct by U.N. peacekeepers, the organisation is working to extend transparency, strengthen inner accountability, and emphasise the wants and rights of victims and survivors.

Mr. Guterres mentioned the U.N. Member States have been “our vital partners” in these efforts and thanked these nations which have concluded a voluntary compact, joined his Circle of Leadership and contributed to the Trust Fund for the Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

“I now ask all of you to go further. This is key to improving our ability to prevent misconduct, enforce standards, and remedy harm. We must support victims and survivors, as well as children born from acts of sexual exploitation or abuse by United Nations personnel. This includes ensuring that peacekeepers who father children take full responsibility for them, by helping women to make paternity and child support claims,” he mentioned.

U.N. requirements of conduct

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the Circle of Leadership (CoL) on the prevention of and response to SEA in United Nations operations in 2017.

India signed the Secretary General’s initiative of voluntary compact on stopping and addressing SEA points and has additionally been supporting U.N.’s “Pipeline to Peacekeeping Command Programme” (PCP) which goals to develop the capability of future commanders and managers to guide by instance and lift consciousness of U.N. requirements of conduct amongst their personnel.

India has made a voluntary contribution of over half one million {dollars} to the programme within the final 3 years, Mr. Tirumurti instructed the assembly.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix mentioned the U.N. and the Member States are making progress in combating the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse, together with by means of strengthening vetting, standardising the strategy to coaching and misconduct threat administration.

“But the risk of misconduct amounts to a risk to operational success. We must be proactive and understand where we have gaps and build on what is working and what demonstrates potential,” he mentioned.

“We must continue to address our challenges, such as timely investigations and communications with the Secretariat on actions taken and ensuring sanctions commensurate with the gravity of misconduct including criminal accountability where necessary,” he mentioned.

Noting that 89 out of 103 signatories up to now of the Secretary-General’s Compact on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse are troop or police-contributing nations, Lacroix referred to as on all Member States to affix the Compact and underlined the necessity to strategy the U.N. efforts at safety from sexual exploitation and abuse throughout the United Nations system.

“Misconduct is not unique to peacekeeping and requires an integrated ‘one U.N.’ response,” he mentioned.

‘Being disciplined and motivated’

Pointing out that India has invested closely in pre-deployment coaching, Mr. Tirumurti highlighted some of the perfect practices institutionalised by India, together with the identification of appropriate peacekeepers for U.N. deployment.

“It is important to ensure that the peacekeepers identified for U.N. missions have an excellent track record of being disciplined and motivated soldiers and police personnel in their respective organisations. U.N. peacekeeping is showcased among our personnel as a chance to learn and contribute to India’s commitment to international peace & security,” he mentioned.

Thematic modules have been included within the coaching programmes of the personnel, together with people who remind trainees of a zero-tolerance policy of the federal government in the direction of SEA misconducts and highlighting that perpetrators shall be held accountable, he mentioned.

Case research and scenario-based workout routines on varied misdemeanours by U.N. personnel in mission areas in several settings have been integrated into the coaching of peacekeepers; and vital programs to make sure accountability at each stage through the U.N. deployment of the peacekeepers, he added.