Undercovered: Why the UN Needs More Women Peacekeepers

Undercovered is our daily feature bringing attention to women’s issues worldwide, which we feel deserve a larger audience.

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Speakers at a U.N. defense summit said on Thursday that more women needed to be involved in the peacekeeping process, Reuters reported.

Jo Griffin writes:

UK Defence Minister Michael Fallon and other speakers called on U.N. member states to double the number of women peacekeepers by 2020 after UN Women data showed just four percent of peacekeepers in 16 missions globally were women.

The U.N. is currently investigating accusations of sexual exploitation by foreign peacekeepers in Central African Republic and reports South Sudan peacekeepers failed to respond during an attack on foreign aid workers where women were raped and beaten.

Fallon said they needed to “redouble efforts to enable women to participate in all aspects of peacekeeping”, saying women’s participation could help drive success.

You can read the full report here.

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Undercovered is a daily feature from Mediaite, bringing attention to stories about women’s issues that warrant more attention. Go through the Undercovered archives here. If you have an idea or a tip, please email us at Undercovered@mediaite.com

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