UN peacekeeping operations play a crucial role in promoting women’s rights and access to justice in conflict-affected areas, where discriminatory laws, weak protections, and social norms often leave women and girls vulnerable. In fragile settings, justice systems are frequently weakened or destroyed, leaving survivors of gender-based violence with little recourse. Peacekeeping missions help rebuild police and judicial services, deploy mobile courts, train investigators on gender-based violence, and provide survivor-centered support, ensuring women can access justice even in remote or high-risk areas.
Women peacekeepers themselves strengthen operations by expanding access, building trust, and addressing gender-specific risks. Programs like the Elsie Initiative Fund help overcome structural barriers, providing resources, infrastructure, and training that enable women to participate fully in peacekeeping missions. Beyond security, UN missions also promote women’s participation in peace and political processes, supporting local mediation, advocacy networks, and leadership development to ensure women’s voices shape laws, policies, and community recovery efforts.
Peacekeeping operations also focus on long-term protection through awareness campaigns, legal support, and mine action initiatives that create safe spaces for women and children. Female deminers and community educators demonstrate the critical role women play in ensuring safety, fostering inclusion, and inspiring future generations. However, ongoing funding shortages threaten these efforts, reducing the capacity of missions to deliver essential services and support for women. Sustainable peace and effective justice systems depend on continued investment in women, highlighting that protecting women’s rights is essential for building lasting security and resilient communities.
