UN peacekeeping chief hails India as a pillar of peacekeeping, calls its women peacekeepers indispensable

India remains a cornerstone of UN peacekeeping, with its women peacekeepers proving indispensable to mission success and global security, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix has said.

Ahead of his visit to New Delhi for the conference ‘Enhancing the Role of Women in Peacekeeping: A Global South Experience’ on Feb 24-25, Lacroix emphasized that India’s contributions go beyond troop deployment, shaping training, leadership, inclusion, and strategic communications in peacekeeping operations.

“Indian women peacekeepers are redefining peacekeeping itself,” Lacroix told news agency PTI, adding that their presence improves operational outcomes, strengthens trust with local communities, and contributes to lasting peace.

India, a top troop and police contributor to UN missions, deployed the first all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) to Liberia in 2007. As of September 2024, India has 5,384 personnel, including 153 women, across 10 missions. Notable examples of leadership include Captain Seema Gowdar, whose team at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has enhanced civilian protection, and Major Radhika Sen, winner of the 2023 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Lacroix highlighted that India’s women peacekeepers play a crucial role in conflict zones by engaging with local communities, ensuring protection, and countering misinformation. “More women in peacekeeping means more effective peacekeeping,” he said, stressing that gender-inclusive leadership is a strategic necessity.

The conference, hosted by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK), will bring together women officials from 50 Global South countries to discuss evolving challenges in peacekeeping. The event also serves as a platform to shape discussions for the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin in May.

As peacekeeping missions face increased threats in hostile environments, Lacroix underscored the need for better protection of personnel through accountability, advanced technology, and intelligence-sharing. He also called for more women in leadership roles, noting that of the UN’s 11 peacekeeping missions, only one is led by a uniformed woman.

“We need more trailblazing uniformed women,” he said, urging UN Member States to nominate more female candidates for senior roles to enhance peacekeeping effectiveness worldwide.