Taking momentum of the UNISFA’s commemoration of the 22th anniversary of the first landmark United Nations Security Council resolution on Women Peace Security (1325) on 31 October 2022, following the November USG DPO and SESG HoA visit to UNISFA, that highlighted the centrality of WPS in implementing UNISFA’s mandate, in advancing the Action for Peacekeeping agenda, that included USG and SESG visit to the Elsie Initiative Pilot project to Dokra IndBatt HQs.

The Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, with support and presence also of the Mission Chief of Staff, facilitated by Gender Advisory team, engaged the female peacekeepers represented by Nepal, Vietnam, Ghana, and China TCCs camps located in UNISFA FHQs compound, together with engineering and welfare focal points.  The meeting was held coinciding with the HQs NY Elsie Initiative delegation presentation to and interaction with those female and male peacekeepers.

The AgHoM/FC reiterated that the meeting is one of the mission leadership initiatives, as part of UNISFA mission-wide commitment and concrete effort to advance Women Peace Security effort, which is central to the Action for Peacekeeping agenda.

The regular exchange meetings to commence regularly both at FHQs and all Team Sites, and to track the progress on how UNISFA (military -police-civilians components as well as substantive and supportive sections) as a whole is advancing and consolidating the supports to full meaningful participation of female and male peacekeepers in peace operation, and in turn contributing to gendered effective peacekeeping for the people we serve in Abyei.

This effort is particularly in line with the UNISFA’s implementation of the recent United Nations Security Council resolutions on Women Peace Security and peacekeeping, R2242 (2015), and R2538 (2020), for this particular meeting. 

The AgHoM/FC highlighted the importance of participation of female and male peacekeepers so as to meet the specific needs of the men and women, girls and boys in the communities we serve.  The AgHoM/FC also encouraged the active engagement and contributions of each personnel present in the meeting to raise the issues faced by female peacekeepers on the ground, and share frank recommendations, including to the Elsie initiative delegation from the HQs NY.

The AgHoM/FC stated his support to the Elsie pilot initiative, that UNISFA together with Elsie initiative team at HQs will continue working together, aimed to create enabling conducive environment for both female and male peacekeepers. That is hoped to benefit all peacekeepers male and female from different countries, to deliver their duties across different functions, fully and meaningfully.  

UNISFA’s mission-wide commitment to uphold the value of gender parity, Women Peace Security, and Action for Peacekeeping agenda was highlighted, contributing to gendered effective peacekeeping effort for the people in Abyei.