The UN Peacekeeping commemorated its 75th anniversary of peacekeeping missions
Key Points On UN Peacekeeping
- Three Indian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year, are among the 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers who will be honoured posthumously with a prestigious medal here for their service
- The three Indians include Border Security Force personnel Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi, who served with the Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Aand Shaber Taher Ali, employed in a civilian capacity with the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq.
- They will be honoured with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal at a solemn ceremony
- The medal is a posthumous awardand the highest honour awarded to U.N. Peacekeepers
- It was established in 1997and named after Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations,
What Is UN Peacekeeping?
- UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 when the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of UN military observers to the Middle East.
- UN Peacekeeping helps countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.
- It deploys troops and police from around the world, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the General Assembly.
- United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support.
- Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
Features of UN Peacekeeping
- The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States.
- According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.
- UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
- Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis. Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat
- UN peacekeeping is a unique global partnership.It brings together the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police contributors and the host governments in a combined effort to maintain international peace and security.
- There are currently 13 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on three continents.
UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles:
- Consent of the parties;
- Impartiality;
- Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.
Responsibilities Of UN Peacekeeping Military Personnel
Current Status of UN Peacekeeping
- The UN has undertaken 71 peacekeeping operations since 1948
- At present, has close to 75,000 personnel drawn from 121 countries deployed in conflict zones across the globe – mostly in Africa.
- The highest contributors to these missions are Bangladesh, Nepal, and India
- The 10 countries sending the most personnel for UN missions are from Asia and Africa.
- The latest figures put the UN peacekeeping forces’ death toll at 4,207, with the highest fatalities again from Asian and African countries.
India And UN Peacekeeping
- India’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping began with its participation in the UN operation in Korea in the 1950s
- The UN entrusted the Indian armed forces with subsequent peace missions in the Middle East, Cyprus, and the Congo.
- India also served as Chair of the three international commissions for supervision and control for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos established by the 1954 Geneva Accords on Indochina.
- India also had the honour of providing two Military Advisers.
- In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN Peacekeeping Mission.
- The Indian contingent in the Upper Nile region has all received UN Medals of Honour.
- India was the first country to contribute to the Trust Fund on sexual exploitation and abuse which was set up in 2016.
- India has suffered the highest fatalities, followed by Pakistan and Bangladesh.
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
- On May 29th, 2023, the world celebrated the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, a day to honour the brave men and women who serve under the blue flag and risk their lives to protect civilians and promote peace in conflict zones.
- The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Peace begins with me”.
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