U.N. racism envoy tours United States

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (UPI) — A U.N. investigator of racism and discrimination has begun a three-week visit to examine human rights abuses in the United States, a statement says.

Special rapporteur Doudou Diene of Senegal plans to meet with lawmakers and analysts across the United States and Puerto Rico “to gather first-hand information on issues related to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” the U.N. statement said.

Diene arrived in Washington Monday.

The visit follows a report by the human rights group Freedom House that suggests a gap in education, healthcare and equal justice available for ethnic minorities, The Washington Times said Tuesday. (more…)

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UN to investigate report of peacekeepers sexually abusing children

UNITED NATIONS, New York: The United Nations will investigate allegations by a leading children’s charity that UN peacekeepers were involved in widespread sexual abuse of children, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said.

The report, released Tuesday by Save the Children UK, was based on field research in southern Sudan, Ivory Coast and Haiti. It describes a litany of sexual crimes committed by peacekeepers and international relief workers against children as young as 6 years old.

According to the report, some children were denied food aid unless they granted sexual favors; others were forced to have sex or to take part in child pornography; many more were subjected to improper touching or kissing.

“The report shows sexual abuse has been widely underreported because children are afraid to come forward,” Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of Save the Children UK, said.

“A tiny proportion of peacekeepers and aid workers are abusing the children they were sent to protect. It ranges from sex for food to coerced sex. It’s despicable.” (more…)