The U.N. received 31 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against its staff in the three months from July to September this year, DW reported quoting Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman.

The accusations were leveled against U.N. staff from across the system. Twelve of the allegations were against peacekeeping operations and 19 were against workers from agencies, funds and programs - including U.N. children's fund UNICEF and refugee agency UNHCR.

Guterres pledged to stamp out sexual exploitation under the U.N. flag after an investigation revealed widespread allegations of rape and abuse of minors by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) last year.

Twelve of the incidents reported in the three-month period were alleged to have taken place in 2017, two in 2016, six in 2015 and 11 before 2015 or the date is unknown.

Ten are categorized as sexual abuse, 19 as sexual exploitation and two are unclassified as the age of the accusers are unknown.