Peacekeeping

The Peacekeeping theme focuses on a gendered approach to multi-dimensional peacekeeping missions, predominantly through gender mainstreaming of peace support operations and the increase of female recruitment in peacekeeping, military, and police.

The Security Council calls for an increase in the number of women in peacekeeping operations (1325,OP6).

It is also important to note that the issues of gender and peacekeeping should never be reduced to the number of women recruited as peacekeepers. Promoting security is about providing real human security for the population, not about the militarisation of women. The point is not to achieve gender parity for its own sake, but rather to draw on the unique and powerful contribution women can make to peacekeeping.

The Security Council commits to include a gender component in UN field operations (1325,OP5), and requests that the Secretary-General’s reports to include information on the progress of gender mainstreaming within each operation (1325,OP17). Without a gender perspective, it is almost impossible to adequately create an inclusive security, which forms the basis of promoting sustainable and durable peace. Gender training, pre-deployment, on the ground, and post-deployment is effective for ensuring peacekeeping personnel have sufficient knowledge and skills.

Peacekeeping missions are increasingly being mandated to address sexual violence (1960,OP10), and training can increase the prevention, recognition, and response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and sexual exploitation and abuse (1820,OP6). The implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda varies greatly among Peacekeeping Operations. This variation is a result of the peacekeeping mission’s mandates and also structure, leadership, funding, whether there is a designation of a separate unit to address gender, and the number of gender advisors. These key gaps were highlighted in DPKO’s Ten-Year Impact Study on Implementation of Resolution 1325 in Peacekeeping.


These measures can trigger positive changes for women within conflict and post-conflict situations, such as increased physical security, employment-related benefits, capacity building for local women’s organisations, and increased awareness of women’s rights. Additionally, positive role models and examples of women’s leadership have a positive effect on the environment and contribute to the success of peacekeeping missions.

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The Government of Sierra Leone continues to enact several post-conflict policy and legislative frameworks aimed at addressing gender inequalities, lack of respect for women’s rights and other negative traditional norms affecting women. Key among these include the Gender Justice Laws or the Three Gender Acts. These exemplify our resolve to attain gender equality and empower women.

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The Maldives also fully supports the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse and exploitation by United Nations peacekeepers, and encourages the Security Council to include tasks related to women, peace and security in peacekeeping mission mandates. In that spirit, the Government of the Maldives has pledged a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of gender-based violence.

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For its part, the Royal Government of Cambodia is deeply committed to fighting the spread of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and is cooperating with the Association for Southeast Asian Nations and the States Members of the United Nations, as well as United Nations agencies, sparing no effort to address threats to women’s security.

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I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Secretary-General António Guterres — the author of the new United Nations approach for the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, as outlined in his report (A/71/818), which prioritizes the rights and dignity of victims and calls for the establishment of a zero-tolerance policy. We are confident that that new strategy will bring change.

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We also share the assessment that the presence of women peacekeepers in conflict zones can facilitate interaction and confidence-building with local communities and affected populations, particularly women and children.

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First, South Africa believes that a crucial aspect of ensuring that women are safeguarded from becoming victims of sexual violence and abuse is to increase the number of women peacekeepers deployed in peacekeeping missions. That would provide for a safer environment for women to report instances of sexual violence and abuse, as well as their concerns and overall perspectives about the security situation.

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In situations where peacekeepers themselves are involved in crimes, they should be made to face the full rigours of the law to serve as a deterrent. My delegation wishes to reiterate the importance of adopting survivor-centric approaches towards victims as a means of addressing difficulties in reintegration and social stigma related to their abuse.

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Mandatory training on addressing sexual violence for all peacekeeping personnel should be continued and supported. The Indonesia National Defence Forces Peacekeeping Centre has included training on this particular issue and will ensure the continuation as well as the strengthening of this exercise.

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Venezuela also reiterates its support for the Organization’s zero-tolerance policy and demands accountability for all crimes of violence and sexual abuse committed by any foreign force and by military, police or civilian personnel deployed in peacekeeping operations and special political missions, as well as by staff of the Organization not deployed in such operations.

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The international community, and in particular the Security Council as the guarantor of world peace and security, must vigorously combat this type of violence and ensure that perpetrators are brought before the competent courts to answer for their actions.

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