UN Peacekeeping Operations

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is UN Peacekeeping Operation?
• What are the mandates of UN Peacekeeping operation?
• What are the principles of UN Peacekeeping operation?
• Successes of UN Peacekeeping missions
• How has India contributed in UN Peacekeeping Operations? 
• News summary: Indian women peacekeepers in Sudan conflict zone

 

Why in news?

• The Indian Army has deployed its largest-ever contingent of women soldiers for UN peacekeeping operations in the volatile oil-rich Abyei region of Africa.
• Abyei region is situated between northern and southern Sudan and is hotly contested by both.

Image caption: Abyei region

 

What is UN Peacekeeping operations?

• The UN Charter gives the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. 
• In fulfilling this responsibility, the Council can establish a UN peace operation.

 

What are the mandates of UN Peacekeeping operation?

• UN peace operations are deployed on the basis of mandates from the United Nations Security Council.
• These mandates differ from situation to situation, depending on the nature of the conflict and the specific challenges it presents. 
• Depending on their mandate, peace operations may be required to:
  • Deploy to prevent the outbreak of conflict or the spill-over of conflict across borders;
  • Stabilize conflict situations after a ceasefire; 
  • Assist in implementing comprehensive peace agreements;
  • Lead states or territories through a transition to stable government, based on democratic principles, good governance and economic development.

 

What are the principles of UN Peacekeeping operation?

• There are three basic principles that continue to set UN peacekeeping operations apart as a tool for maintaining international peace and security. These are:
  • Consent of the parties
    • In the absence of such consent, a peacekeeping operation risks becoming a party to the conflict; and being drawn towards enforcement action.
  • Impartiality
    • Peacekeepers should be impartial in their dealings with the parties to the conflict, but not neutral in the execution of their mandate.
  • Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate

 

Successes of UN Peacekeeping missions

• Since 1948, the UN has helped end conflicts and foster reconciliation by conducting successful peacekeeping operations in dozens of countries, including Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mozambique, Namibia and Tajikistan.
• UN peacekeeping has also made a real difference in other places with recently completed or on-going operations such as Sierra Leone, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Timor-Leste, Liberia, Haiti and Kosovo.
• In other instances, however, UN peacekeeping have been challenged and found wanting, for instance in Somalia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
• Overall, UN Peacekeeping Forces have an impressive record of peacekeeping achievements, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize (1988). 

 

How has India contributed in UN Peacekeeping Operations? 

• India has been actively participating in peacekeeping right from 1950 when it supplied medical personnel and troops to the UN Repatriation Commission in Korea.
• Currently, India is Fifth largest troop contributor with 5,424 personnel across 9 missions. India’s contribution to the peacekeeping budget stands at 0.16%.
  • Nearly 80% of the Indian peacekeepers are deployed in hostile regions such as Central African Republic and South Sudan in various sections.
• In April 2019, a total of 150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have received medals of honour for their dedicated service and sacrifice.
• In August 2021, India, in collaboration with the UN launched UNITE AWARE platform. 
  • It is a technology platform to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.
• India has also proposed a 10-point plan, including making those targeting UN peacekeepers more accountable.
• India has also suggested to build a memorial wall to honour peacekeepers.

 

News summary: Indian women peacekeepers in Sudan conflict zone 

• India has deployed a platoon of women peacekeepers in Abyei as part of the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
• The women platoon will provide relief and assistance to local women and children in one of the highly operational and challenging conditions under the UN flag.
• This is India’s largest single unit of women peacekeepers in a UN Mission since it deployed the first-ever all women’s contingent from the Central Reserve Police Force in Liberia in 2007 as part of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
• Indian women particularly have a tradition in Peacekeeping. 
  • Dr Kiran Bedi, UN’s first Police Adviser, Major Suman Gawani and Shakti Devi have made a mark for themselves in UN Peacekeeping.

 

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Q1) What does UN peacekeeping do?

UN peacekeepers provide security and political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. Peacekeepers protect civilians and empower national authorities to assume these responsibilities.

 

Q2) When had India deployed its first-ever all women’s contingent in UN Peacekeeping operations?

 India had deployed its first-ever all women’s contingent from the Central Reserve Police Force in Liberia in 2007 as part of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

 

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Source: Largest unit of Indian women peacekeepers in Sudan conflict zone  |  Times of India  |  United Nations Peacekeeping