BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

WOMEN IN UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS: DRIVERS AND BARRIERS FOR BANGLADESH

Author: Syeda Tanzia Sultana, Shah Muhammad Salahuddin

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2020v41n1a2

ABSTRACT

Growing necessity for female peacekeepers in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKOs) to cope up with the changing nature of armed conflicts and their disproportionate impacts on women has been widely recognized by the United Nations (UN). Indeed, the increased proportion of female police and military peacekeepers in the UNPKOs is not satisfactory and remains well below targets. As one of the major Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs), Bangladesh is currently leading the wave of change by recruiting and deploying women peacekeepers, police and civilian officers to the UN missions. However, compared to the total contribution, the gender ratio of women participation from Bangladesh is not up to the mark. Against this backdrop, the paper endeavours to find out how women are incorporated in the UNPKOs and how Bangladesh has progressed in this regard. It also explores how different drivers as well as barriers influence Bangladesh to increase the women participation in UN missions. Besides, the paper argues that Bangladesh has been making its best efforts but due to multiple barriers it is still struggling to increase its female peacekeepers in keeping with the country’s commitment to safeguarding global peace based on the UN Charter and in the light of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).