MONUSCO's Dark Legacy: UN Peacekeepers Accused of Abandoning Women After Sexual Exploitation in Congo

The Hidden Victims of UN Peacekeeping

In the sweltering heat of Birere, an informal settlement in eastern Congo's Goma, 12-year-old Dmitri hides inside his mother's makeshift tin shack. His mixed heritage - curly hair and light skin - makes him a target for bullying from other children. Dmitri's mother, Kamate Bibiche, carefully guards a dusty box hidden beneath her bed, containing the only memories of Yuri, a Russian UN peacekeeper who she says fathered her son before disappearing without a trace. This heartbreaking story exemplifies a disturbing pattern that has plagued the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) for over two decades. Since its deployment in 1999, MONUSCO has faced widespread allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving women and young girls. The mission, originally intended to protect civilians and stabilize the region, has instead become synonymous with abandonment and betrayal for hundreds of vulnerable women.

The Scale of Sexual Exploitation in MONUSCO

Recent reports paint a devastating picture of sexual misconduct within UN peacekeeping operations. According to a March 2024 UN report, allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation linked to peacekeeping missions reached 100 cases in 2023, up from 79 in 2022. MONUSCO, along with its predecessor MONUC, accounted for a staggering 66 of these 100 allegations, highlighting serious accountability concerns within the mission. The victims included 143 people - 115 adults and 28 children - with 65 cases involving women who became pregnant after alleged rape and are now seeking child support. These numbers represent only reported cases, suggesting the actual scope of abuse may be far greater. The Congo Family for Joy shelter alone houses at least five children who were fathered by MONUSCO troops and subsequently abandoned by their mothers due to social stigma. Nelly Kyeya, the center's director, reveals that her organization supports approximately 200 women and girls who have suffered sexual exploitation by MONUSCO personnel.

Stories of Abandonment and Betrayal

Maria Masika's story mirrors that of countless other women in eastern Congo. At 17, she entered into a relationship with a South African peacekeeper stationed near the Minuggi base. The soldier knew she was a minor but continued the relationship, providing her with housing near the base and visiting regularly after duty hours. When their daughter Queen was born, the peacekeeper vanished, leaving Masika to raise the child alone. Desperate to provide for her daughter, Masika now risks her life working as a sex worker in Sake. The South African National Defence Force acknowledged these allegations seriously, stating that on-site military courts are held when credible evidence of exploitation is found. However, the damage to victims like Masika and their children remains irreversible. Many women face severe stigma from their communities for resorting to survival sex work, often leading them to abandon their children.

Systemic Failures and Lack of Accountability

The UN's response to these allegations reveals fundamental flaws in the peacekeeping system. Despite having a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, many perpetrators escape punishment due to jurisdictional complexities. Sandrine Lusamaba, national coordinator of Sofepadi, a women's rights organization in the DRC, explains that the UN lacks direct authority to prosecute those guilty of sexual exploitation, allowing many offenders to remain unpunished. Many member states refuse to cooperate in prosecuting their soldiers, creating a culture of impunity. When allegations are substantiated, personnel are typically flagged in the UN system and barred from further deployment, but this administrative action falls short of criminal justice. The Trust Fund in Support of Victims of SEA provides some assistance, but many victims like Kamate and Masika remain unaware of available support systems. Others are too traumatized to seek justice, leaving them without recourse.

The Broader Context of Congo's Crisis

The sexual exploitation crisis occurs against the backdrop of Congo's ongoing conflict and humanitarian disaster. Eastern Congo has been plagued by decades of fighting between government forces and rebel groups over control of the mineral-rich region. In January 2025, the Goma area fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, with approximately 7,000 people killed during the city's capture. The UN estimates that over 8 million people are currently displaced, making it one of the world's largest internal displacement crises. Many residents suffer from extreme poverty, lacking basic necessities like food, water, and shelter, making women and girls particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The dire humanitarian situation creates conditions where desperate women may enter relationships with peacekeepers in exchange for basic necessities, highlighting the inherent power imbalance that makes such relationships inherently exploitative.

Community Reactions and Calls for Justice

Local communities have expressed growing anger and frustration with MONUSCO's failures. Anti-MONUSCO protests erupted in 2022, with demonstrators demanding the mission's departure due to its inability to protect civilians and allegations of misconduct. The protests turned violent, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries, including peacekeepers and civilians. Protesters looted UN facilities and forced evacuations, reflecting deep-seated resentment toward the mission. Civil society activists like Jean-Pierre Kasereka Maghetsi argue that MONUSCO's presence has made Congolese people complacent about solving their own security problems. The DRC government has called for an accelerated departure of UN peacekeeping forces, accusing them of failing to end violence during their 25-year presence. However, recent developments show some progress, with MONUSCO welcoming a peace agreement signed between the DRC and Rwanda in June 2025.

The Path Forward: Reform and Accountability

Despite the overwhelming evidence of systemic failures, there have been some efforts at reform. MONUSCO has implemented enhanced preventive measures, including risk assessment teams and improved training programs. The mission has also established victim support mechanisms and cooperation with local organizations to provide medical, psychosocial, and protection services. However, these measures have proven insufficient to address the root causes of sexual exploitation and abuse. The international community must demand stronger accountability mechanisms, including mandatory prosecution of offenders by their home countries and adequate compensation for victims. The UN Secretary-General's zero-tolerance policy needs enforcement mechanisms with real consequences, not just administrative actions. Until systemic reforms are implemented and perpetrators face genuine consequences, the cycle of exploitation and abandonment will continue, leaving more women and children like Kamate, Dmitri, Masika, and Queen to suffer the consequences of a broken system designed to protect them.