More women needed on peace missions: India

Stressing that greater participation of women in post conflict reconstruction is the "sine qua non" for lasting peace and security, India has called for more deployment of females in peacekeeping forces.

"India was the only country, which has contributed a female peacekeeping unit of 100 personnel, presently deployed in Liberia," Indian envoy to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri said.

Presently, women comprise only 8 per cent of UN police officers and about 2 per cent of the military personnel deployed in peacekeeping operations.

"This mission in Liberia stands out as the only one of its kind among the ongoing UN peacekeeping operations," he said during an open session of the Security Council on 'Women and Peace and Security.'

The Security Council also unanimously passed a resolution calling for greater participation of women and girls in peace making efforts following conflict.

After a similar resolution was passed nine years ago only 16 countries have so far adopted national action plans to make the resolution a reality.

The new resolution reiterates the obligation on member-states to increase women engagement in political solutions, economic management and aid distribution.

"India has consistently held that greater participation of women in areas of conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacekeeping and post conflict reconstruction is the sine qua non for lasting peace and security," Puri said.

Image: An officer from the first all-female unit of United Nations peacekeepers stands in front of troops as they arrive at Roberts International Airport outside Liberia's capital Monrovia.
Photograph: Christopher Herwig/Reuters