Indian Women in Blue Helmets: Professionalism in Peacekeeping

Majority of conflict situations in which the United Nations (UN) intervenes today are complex and as per their mandates, joint efforts of both men and women are required to make the peacekeeping operations as effective as possible. In many instances, maintaining good relations with the civilian population is a prerequisite for effective peacekeeping, as it often implies easy access to information at the grassroots level and increased security for UN personnel and the local population. In local societies where women and their dependents often constitute the majority of the population, it is advantageous to have women in various peacekeeping capacities, as it is easier for female peacekeepers to have a dialogue with local civilians than it is for their male colleagues in the peacebuilding process.