Stories
Peacekeeping is a cornerstone of the UN’s peace and security work. But peacekeepers can’t deliver peace on their own – they need strong partnerships. Around the globe, UN peacekeepers work with Member States, civil society, humanitarians, the media, the communities they serve and many others, to foster peace, protect civilians, promote human rights and the rule of law and improve the lives of millions of people. Here are stories on some of the peacekeepers who carry out this important work.
A new photo exhibit on UN Peacekeeping opened at Headquarters on Monday, honouring the service and sacrifice of uniformed and civilian peacekeepers as it marks its 75th anniversary.
Two young poets pay tribute to the strength and resilience of communities affected by conflict as well as those who help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods with a poem called “Peace begins with me,” making 75 years of UN Peacekeeping.
The UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali’s Egyptian Formed Police Unit deployed in Douentza, Mali, since 2017, has set up three Search and Detect teams to tackle the persistent threat of IEDs in Mali. One of them is composed entirely of women police officers, and it’s the first all-women Search and Detect team deployed in a UN peace operation.
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Working with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Greek and Turkish-Cypriot duo transform a peacekeeping military container in Cyprus’ UN-controlled Buffer Zone to create a welcoming co-working space that supports local entrepreneurs to build business partnerships.
Determined to help other women in her community in Abyei, Sudan, Atoch, an advocate for women who have suffered rape or abuse, heads the first ever gender-based violence desk at the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Abyei.
“Tena de Tena” or “hand in hand”, a community violence reduction programme led by the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic, provides livelihood support to thousands of people, ultimately driving economic growth as well as preventing violence.
A new Light Mobile Surgical Module deployed by the Malawi Battalion has significantly improved the safety and security of peacekeepers, who can now access urgent medical care in hard-to-reach places.
Every day, United Nations peacekeepers work to protect millions of vulnerable people in increasingly dangerous places in the world’s most fragile political contexts.
Commending Military Observer Major Winnet Zharare, 39, as "a role model and a trailblazer", Secretary-General António Guterres, will present her with the award on Thursday during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. For the first time, a Zimbabwean peacekeeper has been chosen to receive the prestigious 2021 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
Late Captain Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar of Chad, was named on Tuesday as the recipient of United Nations Peacekeeping’s highest award, for exceptional courage, serving in Mali, which will be presented on Thursday at UN Headquarters in New York.
"Rachel Adau Gieu is a fierce advocate for women’s rights in Jonglei, South Sudan. She is the Executive Director of the Women’s Empowerment Centre and Chair of Jonglei’s Gender Champions Taskforce."
"Since 2006, UNIFIL Demining teams have cleared 4,885,900 square meters of land in south Lebanon, disposing of 47,221 items including mines, cluster bombs and unexploded ordinances."
"Positive masculinity is an innovative approach that engages men, making them allies, in efforts to advance gender equality and to prevent sexual and gender-based violence."
Captain Deepak Kumar from India served with UNIFIL, the peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, as a 29-year-old military public information officer. In this story, he reflects on the partnership between the UN and troop-contributing countries and military cooperation that creates a vibrant melting pot of cultures, capabilities and skills that come together to make peacekeeping more effective.