PANO – The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has just asked Vietnam to assign female officers to a number of specific posts at the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Central Africa Republic (MINUSCA).

The inauguration of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center

According to the military attaché of Vietnam to the UN, the UN is seeking to increase the number of female officers in UN peacekeeping missions as they will encourage local women to participate in dialogues with UN peacekeeping forces. The agency has set the goal to increase the proportion of female officers at its peacekeeping missions to 35%, from the current figure of only 8-10%.

Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center, affirmed that Vietnam's female officers are capable of undertaking the job like their female counterparts from other countries. The center is preparing female officers that meet UN criteria, especially those who have gone through training courses provided the UN. The head of the center also said the center may officially send its female officers to the two UN missions at the end of 2016 or in early 2017 after the UN and Vietnam have reached agreement on tasks and posts for these officers.

Translated by Huu Duong