The European Parliament,

-   having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas sexual abuse charges have recently surfaced in UN peacekeeping missions and among civilian and other humanitarian staff,

B.  whereas the United Nations have investigated 319 peacekeeping personnel for sexual abuse since 2004 and disciplined 179 soldiers, civilians and police,

C.  whereas the recent claims concerning children in Haiti and Liberia being subjected to rape and prostitution by UN peacekeepers is the latest in a sad series of similar scandals, including acts by UN personnel of paedophilia in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of human trafficking in Kosovo,

1.  Condemns all acts of sexual abuse and exploitation of women and children as well as well as other forms of criminal acts carried out by UN personnel in violation of human rights as well as being in flagrant contradiction with the peacekeeping and humanitarian mission of the organisation itself;

2.  Condemns the acts of UN peacekeepers in Haiti and Liberia that have subjected children to rape and prostitution;

3.  Asks the UN Secretary General to organise a thorough investigation on the UN peacekeepers' and humanitarian actors' role in sexual exploitation and abuse of children and vulnerable people in order to put in place an effective monitoring system and enforce a UN zero tolerance policy;

4.  Calls on those countries contributing to UN peacekeeping missions to bring to court those individuals who have committed sexual abuses; calls on the UN to take all necessary steps to create a truly effective and transparent monitoring and reporting mechanism;

5.  Underlines the particularly heinous nature of these acts, preying on extremely vulnerable and weak local populations that should be protected, not abused, by UN personnel;

6.  Expresses serious concern over reports of a "culture of silence" in some UN missions, stemming from the fear of punishment and retaliation; calls on the UN to take all necessary steps to create a working environment enabling staff to report abuses without fearing retaliation;

7.  Welcomes the commitment of the UN Secretary-General to "zero tolerance" of sexual abuse and exploitation, pressing for the prosecution and punishment of those perpetrating sexual abuse and welcomes also the ambition to create a binding UN treaty on the prosecution of sexual abuse committed by peacekeepers; demande que le personnel de l'ONU reconnu coupable de tels crimes ne soit pas réadmis en fonction;

8.  Considers it necessary to implement urgent measures to protect and support women and children victims of sexual abuse, such as medical and psychological care and specific programmes of social inclusion and rehabilitation;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Secretary-General of the UN.