Press Relase 2008

Irish Joint Consortium on Gender based Violence (GBV) must take up role in tackling sexual abuse by peacekeepers

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) responding to the Save the Children UK findings in its Report ‘No One to turn to: the under- reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers’, called on Irish aid organisations to take up their role in holding to account each other and the UN peacekeepers they often work alongside in countries in crisis around the world.

Fiona Neary, RCNI Director, said ‘Victims of sexual abuse and exploitation must have a safe place to turn to. If the very agencies charged with their care in a country in crisis are housing and seemingly shielding the very perpetrators of these abuses no such safe place is available. In the face of the significant sexual exploitation and abuse uncovered by Save the Children UK’s findings, the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence must make it their business to hold to account all abusers and to give victims of abuse a safe place to turn to.

‘It is clear that it is not enough for each organisation to have guidelines and policies of there own. With that understanding the Joint Consortium’s first objective was to ‘ensure that actions to prevent and respond to GBV are visible and systematically addressed in the policies and work of all member agencies’. But these policies must be followed up with accountability and that accountability must be a shared responsibility. The Consortium has urged a standardisation of polices across agencies and a setting of standards through the practice of its staff (Gender Based Violence a failure to protect: a challenge to action, 2005 – actions- ‘set standards of behaviour for all your staff/partners and enforce’). We look forward to an evaluation of that action. In addition the RCNI urge the Consortium to hold to account not just each other but the military they operate alongside.’

Notes:
• The RCNI is the national Rape Crisis Sector body, which provides a strong voice for survivors and is a catalyst for social change to end rape and all forms of sexual violence.
• The Joint consortium on Gender Based Violence membership is: Actionaid, Christian aid, Dtalk, irish red Cross, Trócaire, Amnesty International Ireland, Concern Worldiwde., Goal, Oxfam Ireland, World Vision Irealnd, ChidlFund Ireland, Departmetn of Defence, Irish Air (Dept. of Foreigh Affiars), Self Help Development International.
• The Consortium’s (www.gbv.ie) objectives are:
1. to ensure that actions to prevent and respond to GBV are visible and systematically addressed in the policies and work of all member agencies.
2. To document experience and share resources on the prevention of, and response to, GBV, drawing particularly on the experiences and achievements of members.
3. To develop and implement an advocacy strategy at national and international levels, to promote awareness of and improve actions on prevention of and response to GBV.

For information contact:
Cliona Saidlear: 087 2196447
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