NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ON THE TRUST FUND IN SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE

UNITED NATIONS, New York - 27 September 2017 The Department of Field Support is pleased to announce that ten new contributors (Albania, Bangladesh, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Switzerland) have committed to provide contributions to the Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. These countries join Bhutan, Cyprus, India, Japan and Norway which have already contributed to the Trust Fund. These contributions reinforce the Secretary-General’s clear commitment to putting the rights and dignity of victims first. With the most recent contributions, the total amount available to the Trust Fund from voluntary contributions by Member States will rise to approximately $1.5 million dollars. This includes $102 thousand dollars which have been made available from withheld payments to troop and police contributors as a result of substantiated allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse. Projects to provide specialized services for victims and to strengthen community-based complaint reception networks will be implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo using the funds. Other projects are being identified in Central African Republic, Liberia and Haiti. Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Mr Atul Khare expressed his deep gratitude to those who have contributed, stating “the interest in the Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is a powerful indication of the vital support and partnership of the Member States in this critical area. We encourage all Member States to consider making a donation.”