United Nations Peacekeeping Forces

Why in news?

• Indian Defence Minister last year proposed an initiative for ‘women in United Nations Peacekeeping (UNPK) operations’ as part of expanding India-ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) defence cooperation.
• Under it, India is set to conduct two initiatives for training women personnel from South East Asia.

About United Nations Peacekeeping Forces:

• The United Nations Peacekeeping operations are policing and peace building actions carried out by the UN to bring order and stability in war-torn nations.
• The UN Peacekeepers are known as ‘Blue Helmets’ or ‘Blue Berets’. Its personnel consist of soldiers and military officers, police officers and civilian personnel from many countries.
• Jean-Pierre Lacroix is the Head of the Department of Peace Operations. He took over from the former Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous on 1 April 2017.
• Role of UN Peacekeepers:
• They ensure that peace agreements/accords are implemented in warzones. In addition, they give help through confidence-building measures, electoral support, improving law and order and bolstering social development that will bring positive economic changes.
• The United Nations Charter authorises the United Nations Security Council to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. Due to this, it falls on the UN Security Council to deploy peacekeepers in order to ensure stability and security in conflict regions.

Structure:

• The UN Peacekeeping force is supplemented by personnel from member nations. They are added to the force on a volunteer basis. As of late about, 100,000 personnel serve in the UN Peacekeeping forces.
• Among the largest individual contributors, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh top the list with 8000 units each.

India’s role in UN Peacekeeping:

• Till date India has taken part in 49 Peacekeeping missions, contributing over 180,000 troops. The Indian peacekeepers were lauded for their role in preventing carnage in the South Sudan Conflict in 2014.
• So far India has provided two military advisors – Brigadier Inderjit Rikhye and Lt Gen RK Mehta, one deputy Military Advisor (Lt Gen Abhijit Guha) and 14 Force Commanders along with numerous Police Commsisonsers in various UN Missions.
• The Indian Army has contributed a large number of its medical corps in the conflict zones it has deployed.
• The first all-women contingent in a peacekeeping mission was from India, deployed to the UN operation in Liberia.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Which of the following statements regarding UN Peacekeeping is incorrect?

(a) It helps countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace.

(b) It requires the consent of the contracting parties.

(c) It consists of military, police and also civilian peacekeepers.

(d) It does not use force under any circumstances or situations.

Answer