UN: Peacekeepers involved in sexual abuse being punished

Geneva - Some 50 United Nations peacekeepers implicated in cases of sexual abuse have been disciplined and punished over the past three years, a spokeswoman for the world body said Friday. This year alone 33 military personnel implicated in cases of sexual abuse while serving in UN operations have been punished, UN spokeswoman Elena Ponomareva said in Geneva.

The punishments included forced retirement, withdrawal of officers commission, up to eight months imprisonment and outright dismissal.

Ponomareva said the UN's internal investigations department goes into action as soon as it receives information about bad behavior.

In 2009, the UN sent 112 requests for action taken concerning all forms of misconduct, including but not limited to sexual exploitation and abuse. By comparison, the UN sent 192 such requests in 2008.

Deployment of UN peacekeepers is at a record high, with more than 113,000 personnel serving in 18 operations on four continents.