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50 Victoria U. Wellington L. Rev. 135 (2019)
Addressing the Gap: Accountability Mechanisms for Peacekeepers Accused of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

handle is hein.journals/vuwlr50 and id is 137 raw text is: 135 ADDRESSING THE GAP: ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS FOR PEACEKEEPERS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE Jayden van Leeuwen* The United Nations (UN) has been plagued by incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers for a number of years. These tragedies have had major implications for the credibility of the organisation and have hindered its ability to achieve its goals. As the organisation has struggled to address this problem, a new form of accountability has evolved: direct non-legal accountability. This article examines the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, previous responses to this problem and the emergence of this new type of accountability. Direct non-legal accountability provides a viable alternative to standard conceptions of accountability in response to the situation. Although it will not solve the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse, normative improvements could be made to these mechanisms in order to better provide some accountability to the victims of this exploitation and abuse. I INTRODUCTION United Nations peacekeepers are often inserted into some of the direst situations on the planet and have the difficult task of attempting to maintain peace and order in communities ravaged by war, famine, natural disasters and other complex circumstances. Unfortunately, despite peacekeepers occupying positions of power and trust in some of the world's most vulnerable communities, the UN has been faced with a major crisis for a number of years - peacekeepers sexually exploiting and abusing the very people that they have been sent to protect.' * Submitted for the LLB (Honours) Degree, Faculty of Law, Victoria University of Wellington, 2018. I would like to express thanks to my supervisor, Dr Guy Fiti Sinclair, for his truly invaluable guidance and wisdom. Special thanks also to my friends and family, and especially my number one proof-reader and supporter, Racheal van Hilten. 1 Paisley Dodds AP Investigation: UN troops lured kids into Haiti sex ring Associated Press (online ed, New York, 13 April 2017).

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