Her story Of War – Peace has a better chance with women in charge

Source: The post is based on the article “Her story Of War – Peace has a better chance with women in charge” published in The Times of India on 7th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

Relevance: About inclusion of women in the peace process.

News: India has sent an all-women platoon of peacekeepers to Abyei, Sudan. This is the second such deployment since the deployment of female peacekeeping police unit to Liberia in 2007.

Note: As of 2020, out of 95,000 UN peacekeepers, women made up only 4. 8% of military contingents and 10. 9% of police units.

What are the impacts created by the female peacekeeping police unit in Liberia?

a) The deployment prompted for recruiting of more women in the Liberian police, b) After the Indian women peacekeeping force left, Liberian women made up 17% of the country’s security sector, up from 6% before their arrival.

Why inclusion of women in the peace process is essential?

Various research have found that 1) When women make decisions, the risks of war and conflict reduce, 2) Civil society groups including women’s organisations make a peace agreement about 64% less likely to fail, 3) When women participate in peace processes, the agreement is 35% more likely to last at least 15 years, 4) Women face the worst brunt of war, in terms of sexual violence and abuse as well as displacement. The inclusion of women in the peace process will encourage women to reclaim public life without fear.

In short, Women will be safer if there are many more women in all ranks in various government branches, including the police.