1st LD Writethru: UN chief sets up external review of UN's handling of alleged child sex abuse in CAR

In light of allegations of sexual abuse against children in the Central African Republic (CAR) by foreign troops not under the authority of the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday announced the establishment of an external independent review to examine UN system's handling of these allegations.

"The review will examine the treatment of the specific report of abuse in the Central African Republic as well as a broad range of systemic issues related to how the UN responds to serious information of this kind," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing.

Reports said French military personnel sexually abused starving young boys at a center for internally displaced people in Bangui, capital of the CAR, between December 2013 and June 2014.

Following the allegations, the UN, through its Office of Human Rights in Bangui, conducted a human rights investigation in late spring of 2014. However, this year in April, a UN spokesperson told the press that a UN aid worker has been found leaking the unedited investigation report to French authorities in July 2014.

Noting that Ban is deeply disturbed by the allegations of how this was handled by the various parts of the UN system involved, Dujarric said "his intention in setting up this review is to ensure that the United Nations does not fail the victims of sexual abuse, especially when committed by those who are meant to protect them."

The UN will announce who will lead this review and its terms of reference in the next few days, Dujarric said. Endite