India plays a crucial role in supporting peacekeeping initiatives, particularly through its leadership in promoting accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, the UN's chief peacekeeping official underlined in a statement on May 30. During a press briefing, which coincided with the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix played up India's significant contributions.He had traveled to New Delhi to participate in the inaugural Conference for Women Peacekeepers held on February 24-25.In response to a PTI inquiry regarding the conference, Lacroix expressed his eagerness to attend, highlighting India’s status as a vital contributor of troops and police. He mentioned that India not only provides a considerable number of personnel but also actively supports various peacekeeping initiatives. "I would particularly point out India’s leadership role in ensuring accountability for crimes committed against peacekeepers," he remarked.The conference, themed 'Women in Peacekeeping: A Global South Perspective,' was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK). It gathered women peacekeepers from 35 Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) from the Global South to address the changing challenges in peacekeeping and underscore the essential contributions of women in promoting peace and security.Lacroix elaborated on the dual aspects of involving women in peacekeeping. "On one hand, increasing the number of women leads to more effective peacekeeping efforts, and on the other, it empowers women through their involvement in peacekeeping and political processes, ensuring they are integral to all peacebuilding endeavors," he explained. He stated that this is not an ideological issue but a practical necessity, asserting that full participation of women is essential for the success of peacekeeping missions.During the briefing, alongside Acting Military Adviser of the UN Major General Cheryl Pearce, Lacroix acknowledged the UN's progress in increasing the number of women peacekeepers, while also recognizing that there is still much work to be done. He pointed out ongoing challenges within formed military units, particularly due to limited resources from member states. He also noted the need for more senior female generals to apply for roles such as Force Commander and Deputy Force Commander.India ranks as the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping efforts, currently deploying over 5,300 military and police personnel across various missions, including those in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara. Notably, India was the pioneer in sending an all-women Formed Police Unit to Liberia back in 2007. More recently, in January 2023, India dispatched an all-women's platoon of peacekeepers to the UN Mission in Abyei, marking the largest deployment of female peacekeepers in recent times.Furthermore, during its presidency of the UN Security Council in December 2022, India initiated a 'Group of Friends' aimed at enhancing accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. The country also unveiled a new database to track crimes against peacekeepers and monitor the progress in holding those responsible accountable.
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