Today saw the launch of a new campaign, Code Blue, by the non-governmental organization AIDS-Free World, in conjunction with a group of international experts: Ms. Graça Machel, L.Gen. Roméo Dallaire, Ms. Theo Sowa, Ambassador Amwarul Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Ms. Paula Donovan, and Mr. Stephen Lewis. The campaign wants to end immunity for sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers.
There are three main aspects to the campaign: the removal of any possibility of immunity for the UN’s non-military peacekeeping personnel (including staff of the various UN programs and funds, police and experts on mission) when accused of sexual abuse; the creation of an independent and external commission of inquiry to examine the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse within peacekeeping operations; and the engagement of individuals and organizations to pressure the UN’s leadership, troop-contributing countries; and countries experiencing conflict to respond in a more accountable manner to this issue.
Individuals and organizations are invited to join the campaign. Further details are available on the campaign’s website. Details from the campaign’s launch event today, which was livestreamed, can be found on Twitter using the hashtag #CodeBlue.
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