Bangladesh
UN Peacekeeping Mission UN peacekeeping chief urges to ensure equal participation of women in missions
Dhaka, June 27: Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, has emphasized on ensuring equal participation of women in peacekeeping missions.
He said this at the closing session of the 'UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Preparatory Meeting on Women's Peacekeeping' program at a five-star hotel in Dhaka on Monday.
Pierre Lacroix said that the United Nations peacekeeping mission has been performing its duties for the past 75 years. This mission is important for the future as well, we must ensure it now. Barriers must be removed to ensure women's meaningful and equal participation in peacekeeping missions.
The UN peacekeeping chief said significant changes should be made in all areas including peacekeeping missions to make the workplace safe, fair and dignified for women.
He said, gender sensitive working environment must be created in national security institutions and UN peacekeeping missions. We are working hard to implement the UN Secretary General's zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment of women. We expect member countries to do the same.
Lacroix said that complaints of sexual harassment, discrimination and harassment should be taken seriously.
Mohammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations, said that Bangladesh has always prioritized the establishment of gender equality. Women's participation should be ensured in all activities of the Mission. Women's participation is needed in all areas including analysis, planning and implementation.
He said that in the last two days, the United Nations peace mission has successfully discussed creating a suitable environment for women, facing various challenges and obstacles, and the role of women in various fields.
Mentioning that necessary steps should be taken to create a suitable working environment for women in peacekeeping missions, Mohammad Abdul Muhith said that everyone has talked about creating an environment for women's participation in peacekeeping missions. Hence gender sensitive leadership, work environment and infrastructure should be ensured in that case. Our women judges served in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMIS) under very challenging circumstances. Steps should be taken to create suitable working environment for women in these places.
