AFRUCA reacts to the report on the extensive sexual abuse
of West African Refugee Children
AFRUCA -
Africans Unite Against Child Abuse is deeply concerned about the
findings of the summary report - "Sexual Violence and Exploitation
of Refugee Children in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone recently
released by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and
Save the Children. The findings indicate that a large number of
children in refugee camps in the three countries have been sexually
exploited by aid workers employed by a number of national and international
non-governmental organisations.
As an organisation
that campaigns against the abuse of African children, we are appalled
at the scale of the problem as revealed by the findings. We are
surprised it has taken both Save the Children and the UNHCR this
long to expose the gross abuse and exploitation of children by their
employees and other aid workers.
Having suffered
the ignominies of war and its consequences, it is a shame on everyone
involved that children also have to suffer abuse at the hands of
those whose job it is to help and support them.
For this
reason, we are concerned that the UNHCR and Save the Children have
opted to shift the blame on local aid workers, most of whom had
themselves experienced violence and suffering as a result of the
wars in their countries. While we thoroughly abhor and condemn the
sexual abuse of the already vulnerable children involved, we feel
that the onus is on the various organisations to ensure their staff
- both local and international - are properly trained in child protection
and monitored to ensure compliance.
We call
on the major organisations delivering humanitarian aid and services
in the three countries to, as a matter of urgency, put in place
the necessary systems, guidelines and staff training to ensure such
a tragedy never happens again. In particular, we ask the UNHCR to
rescind on its decision not to extend the scope of this investigation
to other parts of the world, especially the refugee camps in other
parts of Africa. We feel that for the sake of the children, it is
better for the UNHCR and its partners to do this and satisfy itself
that nothing wrong is happening, than to leave the issue untouched
and later discover that children elsewhere are also at risk.
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Note to
Editors
AFRUCA - Africans Unite Against Child Abuse is a organisation concerned
about cruelty against the African child. Our aim is to promote the
welfare of African children worldwide.
Contact
for further details:
Modupe Debbie Ariyo - Director
Tel: +44(0)20 7704 2261
Fax: +44(0)20 7704 2266
Post: AFRUCA, Unit 4S Leroy House, 436 Essex Road, London N1 3QP
United Kingdom.
E-mail:
info@AFRUCA.org
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