Hanoi (VNA) - The role of women in UN peacekeepingoperations was on the agenda at an online conference held by the Ministry of Defenceand the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam on November 26.

Co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence, Sen.Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien, and Kamal Malhotra, UN ResidentCoordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Vietnam, the conference aimed to reaffirm Vietnam’s strong commitmentto issues relating to women, peace, and security, as well as UN peacekeeping activities,and to demonstrate the country’s active and proactive efforts in taking on the dualroles of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and the ASEAN Chair in2020.

In his speech, Chien emphasised that member nations of the UN in general and SoutheastAsian countries in particular are making efforts to sustainably increase women’sparticipation in UN peacekeeping missions.

The country officially joined UN peacekeeping missions in 2014. In January 2018,it sent its first female officer to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission inSouth Sudan, as a tactical staff officer. In October 2018, it successfully deployedthe first Level-Two field hospital to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) inBentiu, with 10 female officers out of the 63 officers, medical staff, and doctors.

Female Vietnamese officers are valued by the UN for their professionalism, abilityto complete tasks in UN peacekeeping missions, and diplomacy.

In the future, the ministry will continue to maintain and consider the possibilityof further increasing the proportion of women participants, Chien said.

Discussions at the conference focused on the role played by women in UN peacekeepingactivities in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, and the disease preventionwork at UN peacekeeping missions. They also proposed international initiatives tofurther promote the role of women in UN peacekeeping operations.

As a preparatory activity for another conference on the role of women in UN peacekeepingactivities, to be held in Vietnam next year, this conference offered a chance tostrengthen the exchange of expertise and experience between countries regardingthe role of women and the response to COVID-19.

It also contributes to strengthening cooperation between countries, the role andposition of Vietnam in the region and the world in UN peacekeeping operations, andthe fight against COVID-19./.