The contribution of female military peacekeepers towards operational effectiveness in United Nations Organization Stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The literature has shown that armed conflict has a disproportionate impact on women and children and makes them more vulnerable to various security risks such as displacement, sexual violence, trafficking, and both physical and psychological abuse. Additionally, feminists argue that women and children comprise the majority of conflict victims, which provides a compelling reason for the inclusion of women in peacekeeping efforts. Consequently, the United Nations (UN) and scholars advocate for the inclusion of women in UN peacekeeping and contend that they significantly enhance operational effectiveness in the protection of civilians. Furthermore, UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), with its four pillars (participation, protection, prevention, and relief and recovery), guides the significant contributions of female peacekeepers through operational activities. The significant contributions made by female peacekeepers in the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) include the following: 1. Protection of civilians (PoC) (victims of gender-based violence confide more in females than males). 2. Interaction with the local population (local populations, particularly women, relate better to women than men). 3. Community outreach is mostly initiated by female peacekeepers, which enhances intelligence gathering and promotes mission effectiveness and credibility. To answer the overarching research question of this study, namely What difference does the contribution of female peacekeepers make to enhancing operational effectiveness in MONUSCO? The female peacekeepers who were deployed in MONUSCO have made a significant contribution to the operational effectiveness of the mission by enhancing community engagement, intelligence gathering, and civilian protection. Their presence fosters a greater understanding of local dynamics and conflict factors by enhancing communication and building trust with local populations, particularly women and children. Through the engagement teams, they contribute to patrols, cordon and search operations, quick impact projects, and disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration processes, addressing gender-specific needs and empowering women in the host communities. Moreover, the integration of the engagement teams has strengthened the intelligence gathering that has led to successful proactive military operations in promotion of the mission mandate. It is evident that these women’s participation enhances operational effectiveness and promotes the mission mandate towards the long-term sustainability of peace efforts. Nevertheless, the concept of full, equal, and meaningful participation in leadership and command roles remains sluggish. Evidence shows that increased inclusion of women in peacekeeping may enhance contributions to the PoC, which could improve the operational effectiveness of missions. Furthermore, UN efforts to address these challenges launched the “Action for Peacekeeping Initiative”, spearheaded by the UN Secretary-General. It aimed to enforce the political commitment of the member states on various critical thematic areas. Among these is the implementation of the WPS agenda by ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women at all levels of the peace process through the integration of a gender perspective in planning, reporting, and analysis. The study supports the deployment of diverse gender engagement teams at all levels to accommodate the needs of the local population, both male and female. Even though women are said to play a significant role in enhancing operational effectiveness, it is notable that female peacekeepers face powerful masculinity and gender stereotypes, along with cultural barriers that hinder operational effectiveness. Despite institutional commitments to gender inclusion in peacekeeping, MONUSCO continues to encounter operational and cultural obstacles that are rooted in power masculinities and gender stereotypes. The study recommends establishing a gender oversight committee in MONUSCO, which will be responsible for monitoring women’s inclusion, as well as addressing institutional gaps. Notably, in MONUSCO, a gap still exists regarding the implementation of gender policies, specifically Resolution 1325, and the structural changes required for actual transformation on the ground. In this regard, this study suggests that peacekeeping operations should balance liberal inclusion goals with radical feminist critiques to promote both participation and institutional transformation.

Grantor dc:publisher

Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Komsana, Caroline Nomthandazo

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Khanyile, M. B.

Language dc:language.iso

en_ZA

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134663

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134663