India supports women in peacekeeping resolution at UN

India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations has co-sponsored a Security Council resolution that calls for "full, effective and meaningful participation" of women personnel in peacekeeping operations.

India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations has co-sponsored a Security Council resolution that calls for "full, effective, and meaningful participation" of women personnel in peacekeeping operations.

On Friday the mission said in a tweet, "India is proud to co-sponsor" the resolution which was put forth by Indonesia. Peacekeeping is one of Indonesia's priorities during its 2019-2020 term on the Council. When it held its first presidency in 2019, The women in peacekeeping resolution was initiated by Indonesia and on Friday the Security Council president (Indonesia) is expected to announce the result of the voting on a draft resolution. Sources told ANI that the resolution has passed by consensus but the results will be announced late evening.

"In line with the priorities we (India) have set for ourselves, during our tenure in the Security Council beginning 2021, India will continue to push for greater involvement of women in all areas," the Indian mission further said in the tweet. India has a long tradition of deploying women peacekeepers. As early as 1960, India sent women in the Armed Forces Medical Services to serve in the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Republic of Congo.

In 2007, India was the first country to send an all-women Formed Police Unit to Liberia. They were hailed as "role models" by the then President of Liberia, as well as former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. This year, Major Suman Gawani won the UN Military Gender Advocate award. She is deployed in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).