United Nations Moves to Help Combat Sexual Abuse in Africa

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The United Nations on Tuesday took steps to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse within its ranks, naming an array of experts to a panel aimed at ending incidents of harassment that have plagued the global agency for years.

The panel will advise the U.N. secretary-general on ways to address gender-based harassment and abuse by U.N. staff and U.N.-related forces, according to a statement issued by the Office of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The United Nations has been trying to increase transparency and strengthen how it deals with such accusations over the past few years, particularly a string of sexual exploitation and abuse claims made against U.N. peacekeepers in Africa.

Last month, a report released by the U.N. said one-third of its staff and contractors had experienced sexual harassment in the past two years. The survey was completed by more than 30,000 people from the U.N. and its agencies and contractors.

The effort comes amid the wider #MeToo movement around the world against sexual harassment and assault.

In an editorial in Tuesday's New York Daily News on the "maddeningly slow" pace of #MeToo at the U.N., former staff member Katrin Park wrote that the global agency has had an "anti-Me-Too culture" and been largely silent about sexual abuse.

"The diplomatic corps is an old boys' club," Park wrote, adding, "Transparency is not the U.N.'s strong suit."