The UN responsibility for the cholera outbreak in Haiti 2016, para. 57
Paragraph
Paragraph text
A closely related argument is that if the United Nations "settles with private claimants or enters into dispute resolution processes that result in a finding that compensation is owed, it may have a chilling effect on the Organization". But this suffers from the same infirmities as the floodgates argument. If United Nations practices in terms of third-party liability are consistent and fair, and if claims are settled on a basis that is sustainable for the Organization, there is no reason why there would suddenly be a rash of claims that are not currently being pursued. The fear of creating a bad precedent is a classic argument to justify inaction in the face of injustice.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights