UN official says boosting women's roles in peacekeeping improves mission effectiveness

An agency official for the United Nations said strengthening the meaningful participation of uniformed women in peacekeeping is a priority and argued gender-balanced units make missions more effective, trusted and representative.

The official said, "Strengthening the meaningful participation of uniformed women in peacekeeping is a priority for the United Nations," and added that gender balance among uniformed personnel helps "make gender equality a reality" and improves community engagement and protection of civilians.

The official cited progress in the Democratic Republic of Congo as evidence, saying the corrections component there is led by a woman and that the mission saw "about 52% of the government provided personnel women," a change the speaker described as driving a "cultural shift across the DRC." Another agency official highlighted a named role model, Zainab Bla of Sierra Leone, described in the transcript as "a police woman" who serves in the mission in Abieh, UNISFA, and who "decided that she did not want to live as a victim." These examples were presented as evidence that role modeling and female leadership can spur institutional change.

Officials said progress has accelerated since work began on a "uniform gender parity strategy" in 2018, with more women deploying, occupying a broader range of roles and taking leadership positions. "More women have deployed to peacekeeping, but they have also done so in more roles, and also in leadership positions," one speaker said.

Speakers stressed that deployment alone is not sufficient. They described specific practices intended to create enabling mission environments, including a "woman health online court," which the transcript characterizes as reducing stigma and encouraging health-seeking behavior, and gender-sensitive camp designs. Practical elements noted included improved lighting and dividers to provide privacy, a sense of ownership and respect in shared spaces.

The officials framed these measures as part of the broader women, peace and security agenda and urged sensitizing men to support gender balance and women's leadership. "When we are all together, working together as teams, men and women, we bring the unique'characteristics" one speaker said, concluding that gender-balanced teams are "absolutely critical to legitimacy, the effectiveness, and the future of peacekeeping operations."

The officials emphasized progress but said more work remains; no formal decisions or votes were recorded in the transcript. The discussion focused on examples, practices and the stated goal of embedding gender balance across mission structures.