African peacekeepers implicated in UN sex abuse claims

Allegations of sexual exploitation or sexual abuse by United Nations peacekeepers have increased, according to a new UN report.

There were 69 claims last year, compared with 52 in 2014.

They’re alleged to involve military personnel, international police, other staff and volunteers at 10 missions.

And they’re mostly from African countries, namely Cameroon, Congo, Tanzania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Rwanda, Ghana, Madagascar and Senegal.

Almost a third of the claims in 2015 were made in the Central African Republic.

The report calls for on-site courts martial and a DNA database of all peacekeepers.