FEMALE PARTICIPATION OF BANGLADESH IN UN PEACE OPERATION

Bangladesh Armed forces have played significant role in women empowerment and gender mainstreaming by employing the women as peacekeepers in volatile security situations of the field missions. So far, total 1718 female peacekeepers from Bangladesh Armed Forces participated in UN peace operation. Currently 373 female members from Bangladesh Armed Forces are deployed in different peacekeeping missions.

UN has set a target of deploying 22% Female Staff Officer and Military Observer in UN peacekeeping operation 2025. Bangladesh is near to reach 18% and will further increase the women participation beyond 22% in days ahead. Bangladesh achieved 6.50% of the participation of female contingent members against the target of 12 % goal of UN. Necessary steps to increase female participation in UNPKO is ongoing. Besides, Bangladesh Army has started inclusion of “Female Engagement Team” in the Battalion from January 2019 and shall continue deploying the same in all subsequent major contingents in UN peace operation.

The statistics of Bangladeshi women participation in UN peacekeeping is as following