On the 29th of May 2020, we honour our UN Peacekeepers that dedicate their lives to peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions. The theme this year is "Women in Peacekeeping: A key to peace", essentially marking the 20th Anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
"As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we must do more to achieve women’s equal representation in all areas of peace and security. Together, let us continue to wage peace, defeat the pandemic and build a better future."
The International Day of UN Peacekeepers offers us an opportunity to pay tribute to their contribution in the organization and to honour the 3,900 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving the UN since 1984.
Recognising the 2020 theme, female peacekeepers have proven that they can perform the same quality in their roles as their male counterparts. In 1993, only 1% of deployed uniformed personal made up of women. Yet in 2019, women constitute 4.7% out of 95.000 peacekeepers and 10.8% out of form policy units in UN Peacekeeping missions. "More women in peacekeeping mean more effective peacekeeping" (UN)
Women Peacekeepers help improve the performance of peacekeeping by contributing their skills such as having greater access to communities, especially women, and thus, help promote human rights and protection of civilians. When diverse women participate in peace negotiations, the quality and durability of peace agreements increases, and when women are signatories of peace agreements, they are more likely to be implemented, which academic research shows help to ensure sustainable peace and prosperity.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, UN Peacekeepers are facing one of their greatest challenges. They are continuing to assist governments and local communities in response to the pandemic while also adapting their activities to protecting vulnerable) to monitor the Armistice Agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours.are a crucial part of the COVID-19 response.
When UN peacekeeping was first established on the 29th of May in 1948, the security council authorized the deployment of UN military observers in the Middle east for UNTSO to oversee the agreement between Isreal and its Arab Neighbours.
Ever since, more than 1 million peacekeepers have served in 72 UN peacekeeping missions, impacting the lives of millions and saving countless lives. Today, there are 95,000 peacekeepers including military, police and civilian personnel serving 13 operations. To mark this day, the Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of all peacekeepers at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Please honour our UN peacekeepers, follow @UNPeacekeeping and share the hashtag #womeninpeacekeeping for #PKday!
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