On 11 September, UNFICYP peacekeepers met the Canadian Ambassador on Women, Peace and Security, Jacqueline O’Neill, who visited UNFICYP to learn about how the Mission is implementing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda in Cyprus. Ambassador O’Neill also asked the peacekeepers about their experiences of deploying on UN Missions, what motivates them from participating in UN peace operations.

A broader discussion ensued to address existing gender inequalities, bias, and unequal treatment that women experience in their professional lives, including during their deployments to UN Peace Operations. Referring to the backlash to principles of gender equality and parity, Ambassador O’Neill notes that “is essential to address these backlash with support from the Elsie initiative fund”.

During her meeting with a diverse group of peacekeepers from the Mission’s police, civilian and military components at the Elsie Room, Ambassador O’Neill was briefed on UNFICYP’s work to ensure gender responsiveness within its operations, and most recently, how is the Mission is addressing the issue of asylum seekers stranded in the buffer zone.

UNPOL Gender Focal Point, Danica Gnjatovic, noted that “women in peacekeeping missions have experience in working with vulnerable categories, have the necessary empathy and do not have threatening predispositions. It is precisely for this reason that women are a key link in peacekeeping missions. UNPOL peacekeepers are actively engaged in protection of vulnerable categories from across the divide.”

UNFICYP Gender Affairs Officer, Lauren McAlister, highlighted that “to achieve and operationalize the objectives of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, we need to look at what does and does not work in really achieving structural change. Otherwise, we can also risk having unintended consequences that work against real change.”

On his part, Military Gender Focal Point, Hashmat Ullah Khan, explained that “a gender responsive action plan is in place in UNFICYP, specifically for the military component to ensure integration across military activities and addresses all relevant elements of military activities. A focal point network is established, with ongoing oversight and capacity building by the Mission’s gender adviser, to ensure that considerations and accountability are at all levels and sectors”.

The Elsie recreational space was established in response to the United Nations efforts to ensure gender parity in its operations and to respond to the needs of both male and female peacekeepers equally, including ensuring adequate and diverse recreational spaces. This multi-purpose recreational space provides a place for gatherings, physical activities and games, a working area and kitchen facility. More information about the Elsie Initiative for uniformed women in peace operations can be found here: https://elsiefund.org/