International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers - 29 May
By Namrata Hazarika / GICJ
There are currently 12 peacekeeping operations deployed by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, spread around Southeast Europe, Africa, and Asia. This shows that, 30 years since its establishment, peacekeeping operations remain a valuable instrument used by the United Nations Security Council to maintain the global order [1]. In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly declared the 29th of May as the International Day of Peacekeepers through Resolution A/RES/57/129 [2]. This day celebrates the brave and selfless individuals who dedicate their lives to protecting vulnerable people in conflict-affected regions by serving in the UN peacekeeping operations. It also pays homage to over 4,000 peacekeepers who have sacrificed their lives to ensure global peace and harmony [3].
This year’s theme is “People Peace Progress: The Power of Partnerships''. It reflects the idea that global peace is a collective action and peacekeeping is a collaborative tool. The diversity among peacekeepers is highlighted by an initiative named “People for Peace'', which aims to educate young people on the importance of these operations by allowing peacekeepers and partners from around the world to voice their experiences [4]. The series illustrates that peacekeeping troops are a “melting pot of cultures, capabilities and skills'', as Captain Deepak Kuman of India, a UNIFIL public information officer in South Lebanon, puts it [5]. Peacekeeping through partnerships goes beyond promoting diplomacy and this initiative echoes this sentiment by encouraging conversations about women's leadership in missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) [6], celebrating the breaking of gender roles attached to prison officers in Central African Republic (CAR) [7], and supporting the spread of positive masculinity through MONUSCO, DRC [8].
The purpose of peacekeeping has evolved since its inception in 1945. In the 21st century, the process has expanded in reverse, intending to encompass global as well as local ambitions. Since World War II, its focus has shifted from securing the goals of the great powers to protecting the populations of failed or conflict-affected states. This change mirrors the evolving perception of what constitutes a threat as well as the fluctuating definition of peace. The nature of international conflict has evolved from being state-centric to human security-driven, compelling missions to go beyond performing observational tasks. Today, peace is not solely attained in the absence of conflict which has compelled peacekeepers to adopt a more humanitarian role centred around improving the quality and strengthening the impact of peacekeeping [9].
Thus, missions have come to include agendas of providing humanitarian assistance, promoting human rights and even assisting with the organisation of democratic elections in order to advance economic development and ensure social justice. For example, operations are accompanied by a human rights team supported by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. They are tasked with documenting human rights violations in conflict-affected societies such as sexual violence against women and children and assessing local justice systems [10]. The expansion of the previously narrow scope of such operations to accommodate the complexity of contemporary issues has instilled its fair share of challenges primarily tethered to its budget. A budget of $6.37 billion was approved for twelve missions from July 2021 to June 2022, which is less than the budgets set in 2020/21 and 2019/20. The financial plan set by Secretary-General António Guterres raises three challenges [11].
First, the budget does not reflect the complexity of the expanded mandate of the peacekeeping missions. For example, current operations are required to deliver political impact, as explained earlier. However, peacekeepers are unable to support the required democratisation and aid in economic development because they lack the necessary training.
Relatedly, the second problem is the widening gap between expectations of mission impact and financial investments into training, birthing performance issues. Peacekeepers are subjected to short training sessions that do not equip them with the skills needed to garner the required political impact. As pointed out by the delegation of the European Union and the UK in the fifth budgetary committee meeting, the lack of structured training covering topics of accountability of sexual abuse and consent has hindered their prevention [12]. Allegations of sexual misconduct, occuring in the form of transactional sex between peacekeepers and the locals, has plagued UN missions since its inception. The latest allegations stem from MINUSCA, CAR [13]. Their persistent occurrence raises concerns about the commitment of said missions regarding protection of women and international humanitarian law. Furthermore, it sets a bad precedent regarding the legitimacy of its accountability mechanisms. This prioritises the need for more training, or rather specialised training on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), and greater monetary investment to implement them, which the current system lacks [14].
Third, political actors involved in peacekeeping must provide a stronger commitment to operational issues. The lack of such an assurance is due to member-states not paying their financial obligations on time, contributing to peacekeepers becoming targets for attacks. The budgetary strain has been accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has not only worsened an adjacent problem of mobility for peacekeepers but also added further dimensions to their duties. The role of peacekeepers has been amended to include aiding local populations to shield themselves against the virus with no reflections on budget estimations [15][16].
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) acknowledges the sacrifices, hardships, and commitments endured by peacekeepers. We firmly believe that justice can only prevail if accountability is ensured. Hence, we urge member-states to adhere to their financial commitments to ensure the fulfilment of expectations from mission impact. To curb acts of SEA, we support the efforts of the UN to ensure greater levels of diversity among peacekeepers and encourage more participation and recruitment of women in missions. Being an advocate for the upliftment of human rights based on the principles of international law, GICJ supports legal, financial and security sector reform to accommodate the changing nature of threats faced by peacekeepers.
Peacekeeping, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights, People For Change, Diplomacy, Covid-19, Women’s Rights, Protection of Women, Geneva, Justice, Geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice
Sources:
[1] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/where-we-operate
[2] https://undocs.org/a/res/57/129
[3] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/fatalities
[4] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/people-peace
[6] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/people-peace-mame-rokhaya-lo-empowering-women-ituri-drc
[9] http://repository.essex.ac.uk/16862/1/Gizelis-Dorussen-Petrova-Bound-to-Fail-MSS04a-to-AU-rev_.pdf
[10] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/promoting-human-rights
[11] https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/gaab4366.doc.htm
[12] https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/gaab4368.doc.htm
[15] https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/a4p-factsheet-challenges.pdf
[16] https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/peacekeepers-are-not-remedy-they-have-role-fighting-against-covid-19
