VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia has encouraged an increasing role of women in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces. The role of women in the peacekeeping forces is considered very important to mainly reduce the adverse impacts on women in conflict areas.

“Basically, in conflict area, women are the most vulnerable object. So, by having female peacekeepers, hopefully we can mitigate, and reduce the risk for women, such as sexual harassment. Maybe, we can also learn from other countries, not only among MIKTA. It is interesting to know that Sweden sent 40 percent of its female peacekeepers. Meanwhile, Indonesia has 2.700 women peacekeepers,” said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, A.M Fachir in the opening speech of MIKTA Panel Discussion on Women and Peacekeeping in Jakarta more recently (April 19, 2018).

A. M Fachir further said that now, Indonesia is a country ranked in the top ten contributors to the UN peacekeeping forces, with 2,700 personnel scattering in conflict areas. Since 1957, Indonesia has contributed through the dispatch of approximately 40,000 personnel to maintain peace in some countries in the world. In the future, Indonesia will keep improving its contribution by sending one military battalion and hundreds of police personnel; 40 of whom are women. (VOI/Rezha/RHM)