International Rescue Workers Sexually Abuse African Refugee Children

There is a great stir, as U.N. and various children charity organizations workers, who are sent to support refugee children in southern Africa, are known to have sexually abused children. Such information was verified through the interview survey held against 1500 children in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, carried out by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Britain’s child- rescue movement between last year’s November and December.

UNHCR and child- rescue movement published a report on the 26th saying, “Sexual abuses of children are committed by the workers employed from U.N. organizations and various NGOs.” The report also revealed that 70 rescue workers from 40 organizations are suspected of sexual abuses.

Child- rescue movement’s child-protection director Paul Nolan said, “Rescue workers, including security maintenance army, are sexually abusing children under food and relief services. Desperate children in despair are selling their bodies to get food in return.”

Jung-Ahn Kim credo@donga.com