Where we operate
The United Nations Conduct and Discipline Service (CDS), headquartered in New York, plays a central role in upholding standards of conduct across the United Nations Secretariat, including in peacekeeping and special political missions, also known as field missions, and providing guidance. CDS provides support and guidance to United Nations leadership and working with Conduct and Discipline Teams (CDTs), which perform a similar function in field missions around the world. In non-peacekeeping United Nations Secretariat entities, CDS works with Conduct and Discipline Focal Points (CDFPs).
UNIFIL / Pasqual Gorriz
Who we work with
Conduct and Discipline Service works closely with
- Member States: Member States are responsible for ensuring that all uniformed personnel receive pre-deployment training on the United Nations standards of conduct and certify that personnel they plan to deploy have not been involved in serious misconduct. Troop-contributing countries are responsible for investigating credible allegations involving military or doing so in collaboration with the United Nations. Both troop and police-contributing countries are responsible for addressing substantiated cases of misconduct by their personnel and keeping the UN informed.
- Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS): This independent oversight body investigates violations of United Nations regulations and rules, including United Nations standards of conduct for certain categories of personnel. In the case of military contingent members, OIOS may jointly investigate with troop-contributing countries. CDS and CDTs notify OIOS of serious misconduct, follow up with OIOS on progress of investigations, and share results of OIOS investigations with Member States.
- Office of Legal Affairs (OLA): CDS engages with OLA when misconduct allegations raise issues of criminal accountability or privileges and immunities.
- Department of Peace Operations (DPO): CDS coordinates with DPO on managing risks of misconduct and addressing specific instances of concern. CDS also collaborates with DPO on the implementation of its integrated performance accountability framework based on an understanding of conduct and discipline as an aspect of the performance of peacekeepers.
- Office of the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse (OSCSEA) and Office of the Victims’ Rights Advocate (OVRA): CDS collaborates with OSCSEA and OVRA in matters related to preventing and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) as well as support to victims of SEA.
UN DPO