CUNPK Hosts Inaugural 'Conference for Women Peacekeepers from the Global South' in New Delhi.
National
CUNPK hosted the first-ever 'Conference on Women Peacekeepers from the Global South' at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi (Delhi) from February 24 to 25, 2025. The conference was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).The theme of the conference was "Women in Peacekeeping: A Global South Perspective".
- The event united women peacekeepers from 35 leading Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) from the Global South, along with senior policymakers from the United Nations (UN).
- The conference featured sessions on topics such as addressing sexual exploitation and abuse, leveraging technology in peacekeeping, and promoting regional cooperation among Global South nations.
- Key dignitaries at the conference included the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who both participated and delivered the keynote address. The UN was represented by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General (SG), and Christian Saunders, UN Special Coordinator.
Main Point :- (i) India has been a key contributor to UN peacekeeping missions for over 70 years, providing nearly 300,000 troops across 50 missions since the 1950s and pioneering the deployment of women peacekeepers, including the first all-women Formed Police Unit (FPU) in 2007, which served in Liberia until 2016.
(ii) Dr. Kiran Bedi made history as the first female UN Police Advisor, serving from 2003 to 2005, further solidifying India's leadership in peacekeeping operations.
(iii) The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK), established in 2000 by the Indian Army (IA) with support from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), is dedicated to enhancing India's contributions to UN peacekeeping and offers comprehensive training programs for both Indian and international military personnel.
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