Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UN Mission in South Sudan addresses a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, 28th Sept 2022. Credit: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

United Nations will launch an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse at the Malakal Protection of Civilians site by its staff in Upper Nile State, the head of the mission has said.

A joint investigation unveiled by The New Humanitarian and Aljazeera last week found that UN staff, and aid-workers prolonged sexual abuse of civilians at Malakal Protection of Civilian Sites.

It allegedly extended to involve some of the staff of international agencies such as the IOM, MSF, WFP, and World Vision workers, who the findings named as alleged perpetrators.

A day after the report, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ordered an “urgent report” detailing the actions taken against aid workers who allegedly committed sexual abuses at the UN-run camp in Malakal, Upper Nile.

In his media address this morning, the head of UN Mission Nicholas Haysom assured South Sudanese that the matter will be investigated.

“We would like to assure South Sudanese that the allegation contained in the media report will be thoroughly investigated. Even though the article does not implicate UN staff directly, we take no comfort,” said Haysom in a press conference.

“As long as there is an imbalance in power between aid workers and aid beneficiaries, the UN must itself take note of the consequences of this phenomenon in all areas where we are present,

“We reassure that the UN system has long maintained a zero-tolerance policy for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.”

Mr. Nicholas Haysom went on to say they have established 14 centers to encourage communities to report complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers.

“The UN has established 14 community-based complaint centers to encourage the reporting of complaints, as well as 13 Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse taskforces to systematize and enforce the approach,”

“The UN has also recognized the importance of protecting and supporting victims, placing them at the center of our prevention and protection approach.”