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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HAITI: Women Turn Spotlight on Haiti's Silent Rape Epidemic

Some 14 months after Haiti's earthquake, activists say there is an ongoing epidemic of rape and gender-based violence (GBV) in the country's more than 1,000 squalid displaced persons camps, where nearly a million people are still awaiting permanent housing.

INDONESIA: UN Wants RI Police Women In Peace-keeping Missions

UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) Alain Le Roy praised Indonesian peacekeepers` performance and urged Indonesia to involve police women in future UN missions.

Speaking to ANTARA News at the Jakarta-based UN Information Center on Thursday, he said women peacekeepers` presence was needed because there were always women among displaced people in the UN mission areas.

UNITED STATES: U.S. Moves to Fulfill U.N. Resolution on Women, Peace, and Security

USAID is playing a central role as the United States crafts a strategy to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which lays out a broad set of approaches designed to empower women in conflict-affected nations.

SERBIA: Introducing Gender Advisors In The Security Sector In Serbia

The round table, held at Centre's premises on March 1, was opened by welcome speech of Tanja Miscevic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. During her speech, she discussed the process of developing a National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in Serbia and its significance for achieving equality of men and women in Serbia.

INTERNATIONAL: UN Women's Bachelet Outlines New Peacebuilding Initiative

UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet today announced a new initiative to boost women's roles in conflict resolution.

SUDAN: South Sudan Denies Rape and Physical Abuse of Police Recruits

A key police officer in the minister of internal affairs of the government of south Sudan denied Friday allegations of rape of female police recruits and physical abuse during a year-long police training period in Juba.

PHILIPPINES: PHL Pushes For Participation Of Women In UN Peacekeeping

As it reaffirmed its commitment to the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations (UN), the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (NYPM) pushed for the deployment of more female peacekeepers.

INTERNATIONAL: Security Council Discovers Linkages Between Poverty and Peace

Better late than never: Following this axiom, the UN Security Council which normally debates country-specific and war-and-peace issues such as Sudan and the Middle East, decided to widen its horizon and discussed in a high-level session some of the root causes underlying conflicts around the world.

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