“A more feminine mission build trust with the communities they serve and improving its effectiveness,” UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said at the start of the event.
It also highlights the important role that women play in various peacekeeping missions today and emphasizes the need to ensure the equal participation of women.
The Fund was established by the UN, Canada, and other Member States in 2019. It is an innovative, multi-purpose fund that aims to increase progress towards the UN’s gender goals. in line with Security Council resolutions and the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028.
The Head of UN Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, called on Member States at the event to continue increasing opportunities for women to work as “blue helmets” and other uniformed personnel.
‘A matter of justice’
“Let me be clear: our gender reform efforts are also a matter of fairness – there should be no limitation on the grounds of femininity to what women can achievein every role and at every level,” he emphasized in his opening remarks.
Since its inception in 2019, the EIF has awarded more than $17 million in grants to 20 projects.
The Ghanaian army and the Senegalese police and Gendarmerie are among the recipients, who have deployed four gender-powered units that have 1,277 employees, 18 percent of whom are women in all positions.
Some of the 14 security companies that support the EIF surveyed 3,689 staff members to find out what barriers are preventing women’s participation, determined to implement evidence-based solutions to overcome them.
A Senegalese woman peacemaker works on a plane deployed to MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.
Operation is in progress
Meanwhile, the The Togolese military and the Senegalese police has raised awareness among 5,000 people, in order to combat gender inequalities and encourage women to join as part of large recruitment campaigns.
Five EIF-funded projects are now actively creating inclusive communities for women, including through the construction of gender-sensitive housing and facilities in Jordan, Senegal, and Togo.
They are also improving deployment conditions for uniformed women peacekeepers deployed on UN peacekeeping missions. Mali (MINUSMA) and Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The UK Minister of State, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, gave full support to the initiative, and announced an additional contribution of £1 million ($1.24 million) to the EIF.
“It is wonderful to see how many projects are supported by the EIF already face barriers to participation“, he said.
Moving up
“More investment will mean the Fund can increase that effect and make gender equality a future reality,” he said at the event.
Them Korea also announced an additional contribution of $500,000. Meanwhile, Canada’s Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security Jacqueline O’Neill announced that the life of the EIF has been extended to 31 December 2025 as “Canada is committed to continuing to support the EIF.”
Representatives of Ghanaian and Uruguayan soldiers also spoke at the event, championing some of the new actions developed with EIF funding, including driving gender and family-friendly policies and providing cross-training to prepare military women to play an equal part in all job specifications needed in peacekeeping missions.
