June 19, 2025 | 20:45 (GMT+7)
Enhancing female military personnel’s participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations
PANO - From June 18 to 21, the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with support from Canadian government (within the framework of the Military Training and Cooperation Program), hosted an international workshop titled “Enhancing the meaningful participation of female military personnel in protecting civilians at the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions.”
In the opening remarks, Senior Colonel Mac Duc Trong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, emphasized the essential role of women in the United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping forces.
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Participants in a group photo |
Since 2014, Vietnam has deployed nearly 1,100 military personnel to three missions, namely the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and the Abyei area, and the U.N. headquarters, with the average proportion of female military personnel exceeding 16%.
Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Vietnam Patrick Haverman asserted that the participation of female military personnel significantly enhances the effectiveness of civilian protection, especially in building trust with women and girls in conflict-affected areas.
Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam Leigh McCumber believed that the workshop would create an opportunity for peacekeeping delegates and experts from various countries to share knowledge, strengthen intersectoral and international cooperation and promote the role of women in peace processes.
During the workshop, delegates shared practical experiences and proposed concrete, feasible solutions to foster the full, equal, and meaningful participation of female military personnel in U.N. peacekeeping missions, especially in civilian protection, which remains one of the core pillars of U.N. peacekeeping operations today.
Translated by Hue Chi