Security Council Calls on United Nations, Regional Organizations to Bolster Role of Women in Peacekeeping, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2538 (2020)
The Security Council, in a videoconference meeting* on 28 August, announced its adoption of a resolution calling for greater action to bolster the role of women — both uniformed and civilian — in all levels of peacekeeping.
In unanimously adopting resolution 2538 (2020), the Council called upon Member States, the United Nations Secretariat and regional organizations to strengthen their collective efforts towards women’s full, effective and meaningful participation at all peacekeeping levels and positions.
It encouraged Member States to develop strategies to increase the deployment of uniformed women to peacekeeping operations, including by disseminating information about and providing access to deployment opportunities and training, as well as through the sharing of best practices for recruitment, retention, training and deployment. It also asked the Secretary-General to continue to implement the System-Wide Strategy on Gender Parity and Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, taking into account lessons learned from troop and police contributors as well as host countries.
Further, the Council requested the Secretariat to continue public communications and advocacy to encourage women’s participation in peacekeeping and called upon both the Secretariat and Member States to ensure safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working environments for women and to address threats and violence against them.
Among other elements guiding the Organization, the Council urged the Secretariat or troop- and police-contributing countries, where appropriate, to provide adequate and appropriate infrastructure and facilities for women in the missions, such as accommodation, sanitation, health care and protective equipment, taking into account their specific needs as well as demands concerning security and privacy.
Expressing concern about allegations of sexual harassment in peacekeeping operations and affirming its support for the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy, the Council also asked him to strengthen efforts to prevent and address the issue in close cooperation and consultation with Member States.
[Security Council resolutions are currently adopted through a written procedure vote under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as set out in a letter (document S/2020/253) by its President for March (China).]
__________* Based on information received from the Security Council Affairs Division.