Vietnam’s draft law facilitates women’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations

Thursday, May 15, 2025 | 16:59:00

(VOVWORLD) - Lawmakers are discussing a draft law on Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, at the ongoing 9th session of the 15th National Assembly in Hanoi. The draft law will introduce mechanisms to encourage and facilitate women’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations. It includes provisions that align with both Vietnam’s current situations and the UN Security Council’s regulations, reflecting Vietnam’s commitment to promoting women’s rights and strengthening their roles in maintaining global peace and security.

Vietnam’s draft law facilitates women’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations - ảnh 1

Female officers of the Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2 depart for a UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei. (Photo: VNA)

According to a UN report, 8.4% of the UN’s 80,000 peacekeeping personnel are women. Women also make up 7.7% of the UN military peacekeepers, and 19.6% of the UN Police Officers. In its resolution 2242, the UN Security Council set out to have 15% of women in military contingents and 20% in Formed Police units by 2028.

Since 2014, Vietnam has deployed nearly 1,100 personnel to UN peacekeeping missions at three field missions and the UN Headquarters, of which, more than 13% were women, meeting the UN’s criteria for women’s participation.

Vietnam needs policies that are sustainable and effective to maintain and further women’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations. The draft law on Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations follows the fundamental principles of gender equality, as stipulated in the 2006 Law on Gender Equality.

Key provisions include prohibiting gender discrimination; ensuring appropriate recruitment, training, and deployment of women in line with their expertise, duties, and experience; and special policies for female personnel.

Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh, Vice Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department at the Ministry of National Defense, said: “The draft law’s approaches to promoting gender equality serve two purposes. Firstly, it aims to fulfill the UN’s Resolution 1325, which urges all actors to increase the participation of women in all UN peace and security efforts. The UN has set specific criteria for participating individuals and units. And secondly, the draft law aims to create a legal framework to encourage female military and police officers to join in UN peacekeeping missions.”

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Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh is Vice Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department at the Ministry of National Defense (Photo: Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations )

Colonel Le Quoc Huy of the Permanent Office for United Nations Peacekeeping at the Ministry of Public Security, said: “The draft law places great importance on policies for peacekeeping personnel—not only during training, but deployment, and also after they have complete their missions and return home. It also includes provisions to support female personnel, both materially and spiritually.”

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Colonel Le Quoc Huy of the Permanent Office for United Nations Peacekeeping at the Ministry of Public Security (Photo: Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations)

Vietnam’s effort to establish comprehensive, transparent, specific, and stable regulations for participation in UN peacekeeping operations is proof of its commitment to promoting gender equality. It also ensures that Vietnam’s legal framework aligns with the UN Security Council’s goal of increasing the number of female peacekeepers.