Description
This paper will deal with the question of whether including more women in UN peacekeeping missions can be seen as an effective way to reduce the negative impact of peacekeeping operations, concerning the incidences of sexual abuse and exploitation committed by mission personnel against local women. It will explore the available data on the possible gains in mission efficiency that may come from this measure, drawing from reports from institutions such as the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. It will also delve into the nuanced implications of this measure for the women participating in PKOs, who might suffer an increased workload from being expected to “monitor” their male colleagues’ behavior. The paper will combine the quantitative analysis with an analysis of testimonials from women in PKOs. Interacting with the field of Critical Security Studies, the work aims to dialog with the discussion about the problems associated with the militarized nature of peacekeeping and how to reduce the recurrence of sexual abuse and exploitation against local women in missions.
