Canadian Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security Jacqueline O'Neill highly appreciated the participation of Vietnamese female officers in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Vietnamese female soldiers from the UN peacekeeping force depart for South Sudan. Photo: Internet.
At the international workshop "Female police officers participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations - opportunities and challenges" held at the People's Security Academy on May 30, domestic and international delegates discussed solutions to increase the participation of female security officers and police, and promote gender equality in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The workshop highlighted the important role that female security officers and police officers play in UN peacekeeping operations and the importance of promoting diversity in conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding. The event was organized by the Vietnam People’s Security Academy in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) Vietnam with support from the Government of Canada.
Female security officers and police officers often face cultural barriers, prejudices, and limited access to resources and training opportunities. In addition to discussing the above barriers and challenges, delegates also pointed out positive changes due to the participation of female officers in United Nations peacekeeping operations such as strengthening community cohesion, access to justice, and gender-sensitive approaches to conflict resolution, thereby building trust and promoting peace in countries and territories affected by conflict. The workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Public Security , the People's Security Academy and the People's Police Academy, the Ministry of Public Security's Permanent Office for United Nations Peacekeeping, the Ministry of National Defense, and a number of police officers who will participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Vietnam People’s Security Academy to organize this international conference. This is a valuable opportunity to celebrate the indispensable role of women in peacekeeping operations, as well as to learn from the experiences of Canada and other countries that have successfully increased the full participation of female police officers in peacekeeping efforts. By sharing knowledge and best practices, we are working to promote gender equality and the meaningful participation of women in peace and security,” said Caroline Nyamayemobe, Acting UN Women Representative.
The workshop was attended by Ms. Jacqueline O'Neill, Canadian Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security during her visit to Vietnam and Ms. Sergeant Jane Boissonneault, Head of International Deployment Peace Services at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They shared experiences, best practices and in-depth analysis on increasing women's participation in the field of peace and security, especially in UN peacekeeping operations.
Canadian Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security Jacqueline O'Neill speaks at the conference on May 30 (Photo: Canadian Embassy).
“I am delighted to be in Vietnam at a time when the country is developing its first-ever National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security, which clearly demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to greater participation of women in the security and defence forces in peacekeeping operations. Discussions like today’s International Conference are valuable because they provide us with the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other, as we all work to identify and remove barriers that women face in peacekeeping operations,” said Ms. O’Neill.
Closing the workshop, the People's Security Academy also pledged to train and prepare the Vietnamese security sector to protect public safety, promote gender equality and women's awareness.
"I hope that in the coming time, the People's Security Academy will have the opportunity to participate in activities implementing this agenda, approaching from the perspective of enhancing the role of women in ensuring security in all areas through connection and cooperation with UN Women and Canada. In addition, the Academy is looking forward to receiving support to expand cooperation with appropriate Canadian training institutions or law enforcement agencies in areas of mutual interest such as investigating and preventing cybercrime, preventing terrorism, or participating in training activities for the United Nations peacekeeping force of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam," said Colonel Trinh Ngoc Quyen, Director of the People's Security Academy.
The workshop is an activity of the regional project "Empowering Women for Sustainable Peace: Preventing Violence and Promoting Social Harmony in ASEAN" supported by the governments of Canada and the Republic of Korea.
Bich Huong
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