Sexual abuse and corruption rife at United Nations, say whistleblowers

‘I spent four years as an investigator in the UN in New York. I believe it is riddled with corruption’

UNITED NATIONS staff members were sacked after raising allegations of sexual abuse by colleagues, a documentary claims, as the organisation is accused of being “riddled with corruption”.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, has been urged to set up an independent panel to investigate claims that some women at the UN had been “approached, accosted and raped”.

He has also been asked to address a culture where senior members are said to be protected against claims made through formal channels.

The BBC documentary, The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN, details allegations of corruption, management turning a blind eye and sexual abuse.

Peter Gallo, a whistleblower, told the documentary: “I spent four years as an investigator in the UN headquarters in

New York. And , as a result of that experience, I believe the organisation is riddled with corruption.” He spoke about an incident where a senior staff member raised concerns after a female colleague came to him alleging that she had been sexually assaulted. The complaints were shut down as the accused was “a favoured son”, Mr Gallo said.

Purna Sen, former UN spokesman on harassment, assault and discrimination, told the documentary that an “astonishing” third of UN staff said they had experienced sexual harassment.

According to the documentary, workers who tried to report the allegations were penalised, and some were sacked.

The office of the UN Secretary General says it is committed to “sanctioning any staff found to have engaged in sexual harassment”. It told the BBC it had made “major improvements to fighting the scourge of sexual harassment”.