‘Peacekeeper Babies’: An Unintended Legacy of United Nations Peace Support Operations

Simić, Olivera; O’Brien, Melanie

doi:10.1080/13533312.2014.938581

Cited by 25 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…The first and most consistent cause of stigma, “poverty”, was identified to have a large influence on the acceptance of mothers and PKFC in their community. Confirming prior literature [ 11 , 14 , 54 ], the adverse pre-existing socio-economic conditions in DRC were often found to be a reason for mothers to engage in sexual relations with peacekeepers. The demographic profile of mothers in our study indicated that pregnancy often occurred in young women and those from poor backgrounds.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Irrespective of the UN strongly discouraging all sexual contact between peacekeepers and residents in host countries [ 10 ], sexual encounters regularly occur; some with far-reaching consequences. Reports indicate that women in different geopolitical settings have children fathered by members of UNPK forces [ 11 , 12 ], yet to date, little is known about their experiences. According to estimates from the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, approximately 25.000 children were left behind by peacekeepers in Cambodia and another 6.600 in Liberia [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“If I was with my father such discrimination wouldn’t exist, I could be happy like other people”: a qualitative analysis of stigma among peacekeeper fathered children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

et al. 2020

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Background The United Nations (UN) Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) comprises the largest and longest serving peacekeeping operation to date. Since the launch of the mission in 1999, sexual relations between UN peacekeepers and the local population regularly occur; some resulting in children being conceived. Reports have indicated that women and girls bearing children from such relations face difficult socio-economic realities. The present study is the first to explore the situation of peacekeeper fathered children (PKFC) through a qualitative analysis that includes interview material from mothers and child participants. Methods The article uses theories from stigma research to illustrate how children conceived through sexual relations with UN peacekeepers integrate into social networks. We conducted a case study of mothers and their PKFC at different sites of UN peacekeeping (UNPK) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Based on 95 in-depth interviews held in 2018, a thematic qualitative analysis examined experiences of stigma and discrimination. In order to understand the challenges of mothers and children from a transgenerational perspective, we evaluated perceptions of rejection rooted in the mother-child relationship. Results Of the mothers and children surveyed, a large majority struggled with stigmatizing behaviour by family and/or community members. PKFC perceived their discrimination to be based upon their mixed ethnicity, fatherlessness, illegitimacy at birth, as well as a lack of resources and opportunity. Mothers most often attributed their stigma to economic deprivation, extra-marital sexual relations, single parenting and being associated with UNPK. Parallels in the experiences of mothers and children suggest a bi-directional transmission of status loss and stigma between generations. Conclusions This is the first empirical study to compare the situation of PKFC and their mothers in any country of UNPK deployment. The findings highlight multiple burdens that affect their daily lives and illustrate an interplay between drivers of stigmatization for mothers and children. The overarching needs identified are financial, and these call for action regarding policies and programmes that provide resources to those concerned. The results further demonstrate the need for psychosocial support that considers transgenerational dynamics and both mothers and children as core addressees of assistance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“If I was with my father such discrimination wouldn’t exist, I could be happy like other people”: a qualitative analysis of stigma among peacekeeper fathered children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

et al. 2020

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“…Critical scholarship with respect to the zero-tolerance policy has highlighted that the broad labeling of abuse and exploitation, applied to all sexual relations, is problematic. For example, the blanket categorization of SEA obscures variability in lived experiences with respect to consensual sexual encounters, fails to address the gendered consequences inherent within the sociopolitical context of fragile settings, and renders invisible cases that cannot be substantiated as SEA, particularly with respect to the conception of peacekeeper-fathered children and obtaining material assistance [22][23][24][25][26].…”

Section: The Un's Zero-tolerance Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The financial and legal role of the UN is that of a liaison between TPCCs and the host country. In other words, the UN maintains its commitment to supporting victims of SEA but bears no legal liability for committed acts of SEA [26].…”

Section: Peacekeeper-fathered Children (Peace Babies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During PKOs, local women and girls are positioned within a myriad of social, cultural, and economic forces that shape complex relationships with male peacekeepers [67]. Scholars have challenged the framing that all civilian-peacekeeper sexual interactions are inherently abusive and exploitative by arguing that a variety of sexual interactions occur between local women and UN peacekeepers, including sexual violence and abuse, consensual transactional sex, and long-term relationships embedded in perceptions of love [20,26,68].…”

Section: Contribution To Gendered Peacekeeping Discoursesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender-Stratified Analysis of Haitian Perceptions Related to Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Perpetrated by UN Peacekeepers during MINUSTAH

Vahedi

Stuart

Etienne

et al. 2021

Sexes

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Feminist scholarship has analyzed the gendered dynamics of national- and international-level risk factors for peacekeeper-perpetrated sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA); however, the gendered dynamics within the host country have not been adequately considered. Using the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) as a case study, this research analyzes gender differences within community-level perceptions of SEA. Using SenseMaker® as a data collection tool, cross-sectional qualitative and quantitative data were collected by Haitian research assistants over an 8-week period in 2017. Participants first shared a narrative in relation to MINUSTAH and then self-interpreted their narratives by noting their perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs on a variety of questions. The self-coded perceptions were analyzed quantitatively to determine patterns, and this was complemented with a qualitative analysis of the narratives. Women/girls were more likely to perceive the sexual interactions as “relationships” compared to Haitian men/boys. Furthermore, women/girls were more likely to perceive the peacekeeper as “supportive”, whereas men/boys conceptualized the peacekeeper as “authoritative”. SEA-related policies/programs, such as the UN Trust Fund in Support for Victims of SEA, should engage with local Haitian actors and consider such nuanced and gendered perceptions to maximize community trust and program efficacy.

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UN Peacekeepers, the Military and Sexual Exploitation

O’Brien

2017

Criminalising Peacekeepers

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‘Peacekeeper Babies’: An Unintended Legacy of United Nations Peace Support Operations

Cited by 25 publications

References 0 publications

“If I was with my father such discrimination wouldn’t exist, I could be happy like other people”: a qualitative analysis of stigma among peacekeeper fathered children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

“If I was with my father such discrimination wouldn’t exist, I could be happy like other people”: a qualitative analysis of stigma among peacekeeper fathered children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Gender-Stratified Analysis of Haitian Perceptions Related to Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Perpetrated by UN Peacekeepers during MINUSTAH

UN Peacekeepers, the Military and Sexual Exploitation

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