Everyone has been involved in a fight at one point in his or her life, and on some occasions it is necessary for someone else to get involved to reestablish a peaceful environment. However when this happens between two or more countries the solution is not so simple as it most often involves the help from the United Nations’ military force. The United Nations (UN) formed with only 51 countries in 1945, but now contains 192 countries, which have formed a military force made up of volunteers from the member-states. This military force, known as peacekeepers, does not have the authority to intervene with force into other countries, therefore according to the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (2008), they also work to reform
…show more content…
The United Nations Department of Public Information is a reliable source, since it is a non-profit organization that has provided global awareness to the issues and the works of the United Nations since 1946. When fighting begins between two countries the United Nations immediate actions are to find a peaceful solution, however if that fails, peacekeepers are then deployed to areas of conflict in order to create long-term peace. However some peacekeepers take advantage of their diplomatic immunity and use it to exploit others and break the law without facing any consequences. This requires us to ask ourselves to what extent should United Nations peacekeepers be allowed to engage in offensive …show more content…
However peacekeepers have not been acting with proper character, and have been sexually exploiting and abusing prostitutes, beneficiaries, or minors under 18 within their host country. Although the United Nations has a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse this has not stopped peacekeepers from continuing these acts as they are often protected by impunity as only credible allegations are investigated (United Nations Peacekeeping, N.D.). United Nations Peacekeeping presents a strong bias in this topic, since they did not present information directly stating facts about the number of rapes, which occurred but instead stated how peacekeepers should act. The list of countries with sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers has continued to increase as peacekeepers have traded acts such as sex for food and medication. Between the five-year spans of 2008 through 2013, nearly 500 allegations of sexual exploitation have occurred against UN peacekeeping personnel. Over one-third of these 500 allegations have involved minors (Mariner, 2015). Mariner is a senior crisis response adviser at Amnesty International and provides information about the actual occurrences occurring involving
The United Nations Department of Public Information is a reliable source, since it is a non-profit organization that has provided global awareness to the issues and the works of the United Nations since 1946. When fighting begins between two countries the United Nations immediate actions are to find a peaceful solution, however if that fails, peacekeepers are then deployed to areas of conflict in order to create long-term peace. However some peacekeepers take advantage of their diplomatic immunity and use it to exploit others and break the law without facing any consequences. This requires us to ask ourselves to what extent should United Nations peacekeepers be allowed to engage in offensive …show more content…
However peacekeepers have not been acting with proper character, and have been sexually exploiting and abusing prostitutes, beneficiaries, or minors under 18 within their host country. Although the United Nations has a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse this has not stopped peacekeepers from continuing these acts as they are often protected by impunity as only credible allegations are investigated (United Nations Peacekeeping, N.D.). United Nations Peacekeeping presents a strong bias in this topic, since they did not present information directly stating facts about the number of rapes, which occurred but instead stated how peacekeepers should act. The list of countries with sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers has continued to increase as peacekeepers have traded acts such as sex for food and medication. Between the five-year spans of 2008 through 2013, nearly 500 allegations of sexual exploitation have occurred against UN peacekeeping personnel. Over one-third of these 500 allegations have involved minors (Mariner, 2015). Mariner is a senior crisis response adviser at Amnesty International and provides information about the actual occurrences occurring involving