Speaking of peace, we stand on the cusp of an urgent and missing need, for peace will not be merely the absence of war, but the dignity and well-being of all.
Peace, as noted by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, means: “Access to education, health, and essential services – especially for girls and women.
It means giving every young woman and man the chance to live as they choose. It also means developing sustainably and protecting the planet’s biodiversity”. [1]
Peacekeeping operations began in 1948 with the establishment of the first UN Peacekeeping mission. [2] [3]
Over the years, UN Peacekeeping’s goals remain the same; primarily aimed at maintaining ceasefires, stabilizing the situation on the ground, and resolving conflicts by peaceful means through settlement and negotiation with efforts made at the political level.
Upon the intensification of conflicts and the escalation and depth of disputes and clashes, we see the need for UN Peacekeeping operations and personnel, as effective means of dealing with many interstate conflicts.
Also read: The international day of cultural diversity.
One may ask, what is it that entitles Peacekeepers to achieve security? Peacekeepers provide peaceful resolutions to conflicts, human rights monitoring, empowering women, deliver field support, reform the security sector, disarmament, demining, protect civilians, and more. [4]
In its ongoing pursuit of women’s empowerment, the United Nations, following the resolutions issued by its Security Council, encouraged and called for the necessity of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations and the equality of their roles with those of the male workers. [2]
As a result, women’s involvement in Peacekeeping operations achieves greater access to civilians, especially women and children, which helps collect accurate and statistical data, participation in decision-making and planning improves the quality of work, building trust and confidence among those targeted by Peacekeeping operations, especially civilians and victims, and lastly, creating an emblematic blend of women who represent power and compassion at the same time.
As for Syrian women and their role in Peacekeeping in general, they are inspiring examples of resilience and determination, playing crucial roles in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.
However, framing their work and effort at community levels has not easily translated into a voice at the international level, or among key parties to the conflict.
For sustainable peace in Syria, women’s leadership, engagement, and full participation in peace talks and peace-building efforts must be ensured by international actors and development partners. [2]
On the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, 29 May, the Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative, in a continuing effort, aims at uplifting Syrian women and helping those interested in engaging in peacebuilding in Syria, through education, empowerment, awareness-raising, and equal opportunities.
♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.