UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION - INTERNATIONAL RELATION
News: Rajnath proposes role for women in U.N. peacekeeping
What's in the news?
● Defense
Minister Rajnath Singh made two proposals for expanding the scope and the depth
of the India-ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) defense relations.
● These include an initiative for women in United Nations Peacekeeping (UNPK) operations and another initiative on marine plastic pollution.
United Nations Peacekeeping:
● Since
1948, UN Peacekeepers have undertaken 71
Field Missions.
● There
are approximately 81,820 personnel
serving on 13 peace operations led by UNDPO, in four continents currently.
This represents a nine-fold increase since 1999.
● A
total of 119 countries have contributed military and police personnel to UN
peacekeeping.
● Currently,
72,930 of those serving are troops and military observers, and about 8,890 are
police personnel.
● They
are often referred to as Blue Berets or
Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets.
● The UN Peacekeeping Force won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
Principles:
The
three basic principles that guide U.N.’s Peacekeeping missions are:
● Consent
of the parties
● Impartiality
● Non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the mandate.
Control:
● Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the UN Security Council.
Peacekeeping forces:
● Member states contribute their manpower for Peacekeeping forces on a voluntary basis.
Funding:
● The
financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States.
● Every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.
Responsibilities of U.N. military personnel:
● Protecting
civilians and other U.N. personnel.
● Monitoring
disputed borders.
● Observing
peace processes in post-conflict areas.
● Providing
security in conflict zones.
● Providing
security during elections.
● Assisting
in-country military personnel with training and support.
● Assisting ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements.
India's Contribution to UN peacekeeping force:
Backdrop:
● India
contributed more than 2,60,000 troops and personnels over six decades.
● India
remains one of the largest troops and police contributing countries providing
more than 5,700 Indian Peacekeepers deployed in 9 out of 12 UN Peacekeeping
Missions at present.
● 177 Indian Peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN Peacekeeping Missions, the highest from any troop-contributing country.
1. Contributes Most number of missions:
India has a long history of service in UN Peacekeeping missions. To date, more
than 2,53,000 Indians have served in 49 of the 71 UN Peacekeeping missions
established around the world since 1948.
2. Third Largest troop contribution:
Currently, there are around 5,500 troops and police from India who have been
deployed to UN Peacekeeping missions, the third highest amongst
troop-contributing countries.
3.
India has also provided, and continues to provide, eminent Force Commanders for UN Missions.
4.
India also served as Chair of the three
international commissions for supervision and control for Vietnam, Cambodia,
and Laos established by the 1954 Geneva Accords on Indochina.
5.
In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN Peacekeeping Mission.
6.
In addition to their security role, the members of the Indian Formed Police
Unit also organized medical camps
for Liberians, many of whom have limited access to health care services.
Medical care is among the many services Indian Peacekeepers provide to the
communities in which they serve on behalf of the Organization. They also
perform specialized tasks such as veterinary support and engineering services.
7.
Indian veterinarians serving with the UN
Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), stepped up to help cattle herders who were
losing much of their stock to malnutrition and disease in the war-torn nation.
8.
India has suffered the highest
fatalities in the UN Peacekeeping Forces. 177 Indian Peacekeepers have made
the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN Peacekeeping Missions, the highest
from any troop-contributing country.