Humanitarians Stephen Lewis and Roméo Dallaire launch Code Blue
Today, @AIDS_Free_World and int’l experts will come together to launch #CodeBlue: http://t.co/ogX6ysRVKA pic.twitter.com/vWKNyUGQ2h
— AIDS-Free World (@AIDS_Free_World) May 13, 2015
The campaign is looking to develop standards and measures for reviewing offenses by non-military peacekeepers. Included in that group are international civil servants, police, experts and staff from UN agencies supporting those missions. A 1946 convention offers diplomatic immunity to United Nations workers, Code Blue is urging for an amendment to that convention which will exclude exploitation that is sexual in nature as well as general abuse of the diplomatic immunity privilege. Code Blue will focus on non-military peacekeepers because of the higher rate of sexual offenses among those personnel, compared to military peacekeepers.
The initiative will also call for an “independent, external Commission of Inquiry” to investigate the UN system’s handling of sex-related crimes. The story has caught international attention and appreciation by human rights activists and organizations. “The goal is to obtain more efficient protection — and quicker justice — for victims around the world, the vast majority of whom are women and children in unstable societies.”
Learn more about Roméo Dallaire and his humanitarian work on his speaker profile.
Learn more about Stephen Lewis and his foundations’ work on his speaker profile.
Follow #CodeBlue online for the latest news and developments: #codeblue Tweets
