The United Nations and the Cholera Pandemic in Haiti

The United Nations (UN) established the Department of Peace Operations in 1992 to observe and monitor areas in conflict. Since the first peacekeeping missions in 1948, they have assisted in establishing peace agreements and strengthening the law. In 2010, however, infected UN peacekeepers from Nepal were sent to Haiti to give relief after a cataclysmic earthquake. The cholera outbreak occurred shortly after the peacekeepers’ arrival and was traced back to the UN. Criticism grew over the legitimacy and abilities of the UN, and distrust also emerged when UN peacekeepers were connected to sexual misconduct during the cholera outbreak. As the UN did not want to lose more control, they originally denied responsibility for the breakout, but later acknowledged that they did contribute to it. In the future, what could the United Nations do to prevent their organization from being contaminated with a disease such as Cholera? This research analyzes which measures can be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future, and how this outbreak affected UN influence in the international community. A descriptive section will also examine the sexual misconduct allegations. This research was mainly conducted through secondary analysis and analysis based on government databases. This analysis presents possible preventive measures to limit infectious diseases and further contamination by UN staff, as well as also to increase accountability within the international organization, to prevent similar or worse outcomes in the future.