Women Peacekeepers Make the Case for Greater Female Representation in UN Missions

Three women UN peacekeepers — military, police and civilian — took the stage at an UNGA81 side event on the International Day of Peace to share firsthand accounts of how their presence in conflict zones transforms civilian protection, community trust and access to justice. With women still comprising only about 10% of the UN's 45,000 uniformed peacekeepers, the panelists argued that closing that gap is not aspirational — it is operationally essential.

• Women peacekeepers say their presence breaks cultural barriers and inspires local women and girls to pursue leadership
• Mobile courts in South Sudan — sometimes held under trees — bring justice to remote, conflict-affected communities
• Haiti's Gender Mobile Team used local women as focal points to expand access to rights education and justice
• All three panelists call on women worldwide to apply for UN peacekeeping roles across military, police and civilian tracks

The panel, held in the SDG Media Zone during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, featured Lt. Col. Glory Mkwizu, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Office of Military Affairs, UN Department of Peace Operations; Col. Gissel Sosa, Chief of the Mission Management and Support Section, UN Police Division; and McCall Carter, Judicial Affairs Officer, Justice and Corrections Service, UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Yoshita Singh, UN Correspondent for the Press Trust of India, moderated.