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Improving Peacekeeping Capacity
Concerns
Effective peacekeeping operations can transform conflict and bring about a stable peace so that displaced people can return home. Yet too often, under-funded peacekeeping missions with weak mandates can only keep a lid on a crisis situation. With a combination of field-based evidence and New York and Washington-DC based advocacy, Refugees International seeks to improve the United Nations' and other regional institutions' abilities to effectively protect civilians and also aims to generate greater political will to send peacekeepers in when genocide and crimes against humanity occur.
Refugees International is working to ensure that military troops and civilian police can deploy more quickly when peacekeeping operations start up, and that they receive better equipment and training for peacekeeping tasks. Through the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping (PEP), Refugees International is encouraging the U.S. Congress and administration to devote more resources to winning the peace, including:
- Fully funding UN peacekeeping;
- Supporting greater peacekeeping capacity around the world through “train and equip” programs like the Global Peace Operations Initiative; and
- Building up America's own capacity to respond to post-conflict situations especially through the new State Department Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization.
UN Peacekeeping missions have been in the news recently as allegations of sexual abuse have been lodged at peacekeepers. The masculinized culture of peacekeeping missions has led to a "boys will be boys" attitude that condones abusive behavior. The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations is working on reforms, including establishing “conduct and discipline units” to investigate allegations. Refugees International supports these reforms but calls for further action, including greater integration of women into peacekeeping forces and increased attention to empowering women in local communities. To read more about RI's work on sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping missions, click here.
What You Can Do
- Sign Up for our bimonthly E-Updates to learn more about improving peacekeeping capacity.
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Donate to our program on Improving Peacekeeping Capacity. (Note: In the comments field, please write Peacekeeping.)
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ViewChad 2004 - Sudanese Refugees at Water Well
This is one of three wells recently drilled to provide water to the refugees at Farchana camp and the nearby village. Water is life in this semi-arid region and disputes about water rights can be deadly.
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