India offers to increase the participation of women peacekeepers in UN operations

India is not exactly the model country when it comes to dealing with violence against women but the country has been taking serious efforts to improve on this domestically and abroad. In order to combat violence against women in areas of armed conflict, the Indian government has offered to increase the participation of women peacekeepers in UN operations, while emphasizing on the fact women at top positions in UN peace operations is essential.

According to Ummid, permanent Representative Asoke Kumar Mukerji told the Security Council, “Our women peacekeepers have helped to reduce conflict and confrontation by imbibing a greater sense of security to local populations and inspiring women and girls to push for their own rights and participation in the peace process," adding, "We continue to lay emphasis on gender sensitive pre-deployment training and are willing to increase our contribution to peace operations."

At the meet, according to the Economics Times report, Mukerji also said, "We are in strong agreement with the view that sexual violence in armed conflict is not incidental, but integrally linked with the strategic objectives, ideology and funding of extremist groups," adding that India supports all efforts by the Women Protection Advisors and Gender Advisors in all forthcoming  peace operations.

Addressing this form of terror being used by the extremists groups, Mukerji said that gender perspective should be kept in mind during the execution of peace operations.  He also stated that the Indian women peacekeepers who have already been in the region for some time, have helped to reduce conflict and have imbibed a greater sense of security among the locals, in addition to helping and inspiring women to push for their own rights in the region.

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