Actress and UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie shocked the audience with her powerful words at a UN peacekeeping summit, where she addressed 80 delegates from all over the world. “We all know that the credibility of UN peacekeeping has been sadly undermined by the actions of a few intolerable cases of women and children being sexually exploited by the very people in charge of protecting them.”
Actress and UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie shocked the audience with her powerful words at a UN peacekeeping summit, where she addressed 80 delegates from all over the world. “We all know that the credibility of UN peacekeeping has been sadly undermined by the actions of a few intolerable cases of women and children being sexually exploited by the very people in charge of protecting them.”
She demanded for prosecution of these peacekeepers who are committing abuse against women, as well as a new approach to tackle the situation. Jolie also suggested more involvement of women in peacekeeping operations. She explained that according to research done by her, “women peacekeepers and police officers are essential to local consent and operational effectiveness” on UN missions.
“There is a dividing line between nations that are prepared to commit to this moment, to understand all that is necessary and all that we are capable of achieving together, and those who are not,” she concluded. “So I urge all countries here that have not endorsed the communica, please do so.”
The Defence Minister, Michael Fallon, called for a “zero-tolerance approach” to the issue. There had been some “some shocking examples of poor performance that we can all deplore”, he said, which risked losing the “hearts and minds” of the people that missions aimed to protect.
