United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

Many UN member states are of the view that text-based negotiation is the best way to take the process forward. But the US, Russia and China have refused to commit themselves to this process.

The success of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 should not make the international community overlook persisting problems. The objective of the 1540 is to internationalise WMD security by targeting the entire supply chain.

The reasons for abstention go far beyond the immediate issue at hand and are enveloped in deep Chinese strategic interests. The Chinese leadership is adamant that there can be no dilution of the concept of the principle of non-violation of the territorial integrity of nation states in the international system.

India’s overall approach at the UNSC in the past year was focused on projecting and representing the opinion of the developing world, addressing problems through regional solutions and achieving as much progress as possible through diplomacy and dialogue.

The powers in the Security Council and other prominent countries and groupings have hesitated to take action against Syria because of its profile and ability to manipulate events in West Asia.

Contrary to popular perception the US has adopted a cautious approach with President Obama outlining a limited role for the United States in the UN-authorised military intervention in Libya.

Along with a clear and unambiguous mandate, pre-intervention planning also demands an exit strategy which is lacking in the Libyan case.

Since there was no clarity about the end goals of this operation, it would have been difficult for the Indian government to communicate and justify its support for this resolution to its domestic constituency.

India’s decision to abstain on the Libya vote shows its distaste for taking a clear position on international issues.

The year 2010 commemorated ten years of the adoption of Resolution 1325 by the UNSC but the commemoration is without celebration. The apparent dissonance between the policy and the practice of the Resolution 1325 renders it inappropriate. This paper reviews the evolution of gender perspective in UN peacekeeping operations and assesses the gains and failures of the Resolution 1325 in gender balancing, recruitment and retention of women in the security sector.