Gender Diplomacy in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions: A Case Study of India

The United Nations has been endowed with the task of maintaining peace and security across the globe, and peacekeeping has been one of its most important aspects since its inception. The Cold War marked a shift from interstate to intra-state conflicts alongside instances of failure of UN peacekeeping missions. While peacekeeping has been traditionally a male-dominated space, the significant rise of gender-based violence highlights the need for women peacekeepers. The adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in 2000 was an important advance in the UN’s commitment to gender-sensitive peacekeeping. The article attempts to discuss the context of UNSC 1325 and the role of women in UN peacekeeping missions. India has played an important role in the UN peacekeeping missions. As one of the largest contributors to the UNPK missions, this article sheds light on the contribution of Indian women as UN peacekeepers in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Abyei. It also explores and examines the challenges faced by India in gender mainstreaming in UN peacekeeping missions. Lastly, it proposes some policy recommendations for India to attain gender parity in UN peacekeeping missions.