United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Sunday expressed special thanks to Bangladesh among all other participating countries for its role in advancing the cause of women in peacekeeping missions.
While speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day long UN Peacekeeping Ministerial ‘23 on Sunday at a hotel in capital Dhaka, the UN peacekeeping operation chief also lauded Bangladesh for its leading role played in the UN Peacekeeping Mission (UNPKM).
"We thank you all, especially Bangladesh, which has repeatedly demonstrated a strong commitment in advancing the cause of women in peacekeeping," said the UNPKM Operation chief.
Bangladesh, one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, is co-hosting the meeting, with the theme of ‘Women in Peacekeeping’, with Canada and Uruguay.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, in his speech, said steps had been taken to improve the working environment of women in peacekeeping missions. But challenges remained, he said, as women made up only 6.5pc of the entire contingent.
"Women are still excluded in combat and senior positions," he said.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Maj Gen ASM Ridwanur Rahman, Commander of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security, Catherine Pollard, Under Secretary General for Management Strategy, Police and Compliance, Ulric Shanon, Director General of the Peace and Stabilisations Operations Programme, Global Affairs, Canada, among others, also spoke at the function.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said the meeting marked the first milestone in the journey towards the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting which is scheduled to be held in Ghana in December.
“The theme of this preparatory meeting, ‘Women in UN Peacekeeping,' resonates deeply with the values and principles that Bangladesh holds dear”, he said
"Recognising the invaluable contributions of women peacekeepers, we are committed to promoting their meaningful participation in peacekeeping operations at all levels," the foreign secretary said.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a global champion of women's empowerment. At the same time, she is an ardent proponent of increasing the number of women peacekeepers in various UN peacekeeping mission.
“The all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingents were the result of her active encouragement and support. Aligning with the UN's Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy, we have taken initiatives to increase the number of women peacekeepers.
“In addition to troops and police, our female judges and correction officers have also been serving in peacekeeping operations and contributing to security sector reforms,” the foreign secretary said.
He recalled Bangladesh's pioneering role as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in October 2000, making a clarion call for women's equal participation in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
“We have been also implementing a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security involving all stakeholders,” he said.
In his speech, the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh mentioned that discrimination and sexual abuse had no place in Bangladesh's peacekeeping missions. He also urged all UN member states to work together “to eradicate such occurrences.
“We must collectively strive to eradicate such occurrences,” he said
The foreign secretary said guided by the peace-centric foreign policy dictum of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, ‘friendship to all and malice towards none,' Bangladesh had been at the forefront of the UN's peace endeavours including peacekeeping.
“As a leading troop and police contributing country to UN peacekeeping missions, Bangladesh remains firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the United Nations in promoting peace, security and gender equality. We believe gender equality and empowerment of women are crucial for sustainable peace and development,” he said.
The preparatory meeting provides the member states with an opportunity to engage in a comprehensive dialogue, learn from each other's experiences and exchange views on the contemporary opportunities and challenges related to gender parity in peacekeeping.
“It is through such discussions that we can collectively shape commitments from member states and strengthen our collective resolve to advance the cause of women in UN peacekeeping, as well as peacebuilding efforts,” the foreign secretary said.
“We look forward to exploring effective strategies to ensure that all peacekeepers, irrespective of gender, can thrive in a safe and supportive environment”, he added.
