United Nations Security Council Resolution 2538–United Nations peacekeeping operationsLetter from the President of the Council on the voting outcome (S/2020/851) and voting details (S/2020/856)

Resolution 2538 (2020)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous relevant resolutions and presidential statements addressing issues of peacekeeping and women, peace and security,

Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, reaffirming the primary responsibility of the Security Council under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security,

Underscoring the importance of peacekeeping as one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security,

Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, such as consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate, and recognizing that the mandate of each peacekeeping mission is specific to the need and situation of the country concerned, and that the Security Council expects full delivery of the mandates it authorizes,

Recognizing the significance of the 20th anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000)and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action as momentum for Member States to commit to implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and its priorities, by ensuring and promoting the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes, including through mainstreaming a gender perspective, and remain committed to increasing the number of civilian and uniformed women in peacekeeping at all levels and in all positions, including senior leadership positions,

Recognizing the indispensable role of women in increasing the overall performance and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, further recognizing that the presence of women and better balance between men and women among peacekeepers contribute to, among others, greater credibility of the missions among the population, more effective community engagement, and enhanced protection responses,

Noting with appreciation the progress made in efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General to mobilize all partners and stakeholders in support of more effective United Nations peacekeeping through the Secretary-General’s “Action for Peacekeeping” initiative, which places high importance on promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda, alongside advancing political solutions, strengthening protection of civilians, improving the safety and security of peacekeepers, supporting effective performance and accountability, strengthening the impact of peacekeeping on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, improving peacekeeping partnerships, and strengthening the conduct of peacekeeping operations and personnel,

Recalling resolution 2242 (2015) and its request that Secretary-General initiate, in collaboration with Member States, a strategy to double the number of women in military and police contingents of United Nations peacekeeping operations by 2020 and further requests that this strategy ensure the full, effective and meaningful participation of women in all aspects of peacekeeping, further recalling the Secretary-General’s System-Wide Strategy on Gender Parity and Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018–2028, and stressing the need to continue the efforts to increase participation of women in peacekeeping operations,

Stressing the women’s participation in peacekeeping operations requires collective commitment and concerted efforts by all Member States and the United Nations Secretariat, and should be supported with appropriate resources, welcoming continuing efforts and initiatives by Member States and the United Nations Secretariat to increase women’s participation in peacekeeping operations, including by providing uniformed women personnel with equal access to education, training and capacity-building, networking opportunities, and taking steps to better understand and address barriers to participation of women in peacekeeping,

Recalling its resolution 2242 (2015), recognizing the indispensable role of women in United Nations peacekeeping and welcoming efforts to incentivise greater numbers of women in military, police and civilian deployed in United Nations peacekeeping operations, and noting the importance of increasing the number of women in leadership positions and of ensuring that the needs and participation of women are integrated in all stages of mission planning and implementation through the inclusion of appropriate gender technical expertise,

Underscoring the importance it places on the safety and security of peacekeepers, including women peacekeepers, in the field and the need for the Secretary-General and Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries and Member States to work together to ensure that missions are adequately resourced and all peacekeepers in the field are willing, capable and equipped effectively and safely to implement their mandate,

1. Calls upon Member States, the United Nations Secretariat and regional organisations to strengthen their collective efforts to promote the full, effective, and meaningful participation of uniformed and civilian women in peacekeeping operations at all levels and in all positions, including in senior leadership positions;

2. Encourages Member States to develop strategies and measures to increase the deployment of uniformed women to peacekeeping operations, including by:

(a) Disseminating information about and providing access to deployment opportunities for women personnel, including for senior positions;

(b) Providing access to training for uniformed women personnel, and ensuring that trained uniformed women are deployed for peacekeeping operations;

(c) Developing a national database of trained women personnel interested in and available for nomination and deployment;

(d) Identifying and addressing barriers in the recruitment, deployment, and promotion of uniformed women peacekeepers;

(e) Considering ways, as appropriate, to increase the participation of women in national militaries and police;

(f) Supporting the capacities of regional organisations in training uniformed women;

(g) Taking measures to provide support and incentives including child care and other relevant needs;

3. Calls on the Secretary-General to continue to implement the System-Wide Strategy on Gender Parity and Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018–2028, and to continue to monitor and evaluate progress and challenges in meeting the targets, taking into account the views, best practices, and lesson learned from Member States, particularly Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries as well as countries hosting peacekeeping operations, and further calls on all Member States to continue to support the strategies, including by increasing the number and participation of uniformed women personnel in peacekeeping operations;

4. Encourages Member States to strengthen cooperation to support greater participation of women in peacekeeping operations, including through sharing best practices for recruitment, retention, training, and deployment of uniformed women;

5. Encourages cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organisations in advancing greater participation and role of women in peacekeeping operations;

6. Calls upon Member States and the United Nations Secretariat to ensure safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working environments for women in peacekeeping operations and to address threats and violence against them, urges the United Nations Secretariat or Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries, where appropriate, to provide adequate and appropriate infrastructure and facilities for women in the missions, such as accommodation, sanitation, health care, protective equipment, taking into account their specific needs as well as demands with regard to security and privacy, further urges Member States and the United Nations Secretariat to make available adequate resources in this regard;

7. Expresses concern regarding allegations of sexual harassment in peacekeeping operations, affirms its support for the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual harassment, and requests the Secretary-General to strengthen efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment within peacekeeping operations, in close cooperation and consultation with Member States;

8. Encourages Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries to provide all military and police personnel with adequate training to carry out their responsibilities in the missions, and requests the United Nations Secretariat to provide and update the necessary guidance and training materials;

9. Encourages Member States and the United Nations Secretariat to enhance partnerships to support targeted trainings and capacity-building programmes for uniformed women personnel, including through the Light Coordination Mechanism, triangular partnership, bilateral, and regional frameworks; further encourages Member States to nominate uniformed women personnel to participate in such training activities and to promote their deployment to peacekeeping operations;

10. Requests the United Nations Secretariat to continue public communications and advocacy to encourage women’s participation in peacekeeping operations, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders;

11. Encourages Member States, the United Nations Secretariat and peacekeeping missions to facilitate networking opportunities and develop sustainable networks among former, current and prospective women peacekeepers, as a means to exchange experience and information about participation in peacekeeping operations and to inspire more women to participate in peacekeeping operations;

12. Urges peacekeeping operations to promote full, effective and meaningful participation of women in all components and functions and at all levels at headquarters and in the field, including through the establishment of mixed engagement teams which include both men and women, and increased involvement of women peacekeepers in components and functions where they are underrepresented;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to report the progress of the implementation of this resolution and other related aspects of participation of women in peacekeeping operations in his comprehensive annual briefing mandated by its resolution 2378 (2017);

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council on 28 August 2020