Despite a particularly deadly year for UN peacekeepers, with more than 60 peacekeepers killed in hostile acts, in 2017 the UN achieved its peacekeeping objectives in Côte d'Ivoire, refocused its work in Haiti and will soon complete its mandate in Liberia.
"We protect civilians every day. We save lives every day. We often do so in very difficult and stressful circumstances." Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.
The challenges of 2017
One of the challenges facing UN peacekeeping forces in increasingly complex and dangerous areas is the need for better training and equipment, particularly for intelligence gathering and environmental awareness. This includes the use of modern technologies such as drones, radar and balloons.
"We need to do even more for risk prevention and mitigation when we seek to protect our colleagues. Ensuring the safety and security of personnel deployed in volatile environments is an absolute necessity." Athul Khare, Head of the UN Department of Field Support.
The UN is considering borrowing or purchasing more equipment for security, housing, transport and communications. In Mali, for example, one in four military hospitals has neither staff nor equipment, and in the Central African Republic, one in three, he said. There are also shortcomings in terms of collaboration with local communities, which means that in some regions, more French-speaking peacekeepers are needed.
Sexual exploitation and abuse
One of the main challenges in peacekeeping operations is to combat allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers. Earlier this year, Secretary-General António Guterres unveiled his strategy to eradicate this scourge and appointed Jane Connors as the first Victims' Rights Advocate.
The UN's new strategy to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse puts more pressure on governments to investigate and prosecute where necessary. In addition, 17 countries have contributed $1.8 million to a trust fund to help victims obtain medical, psychosocial, legal or socio-economic support. "Information on allegations arrives with fewer obstacles than before," said Lacroix. "We also need to do more to fully implement this policy, and there needs to be strong awareness-raising at all levels."
Environmental protection
UN peacekeeping also manages its impact on host countries in other ways, preserving natural resources and the environment during deployment. Programs to reduce energy consumption also enable missions to save time and resources, and focus on implementing their core mandates. All UN peacekeeping operations launched environmental action plans this year, leading, for example, to the development of 80 wastewater treatment programs.
Projects
If 2017 was the year of ambitious reforms, 2018 must be the year of implementation, said Lacroix. He noted that this will be particularly important in the field, where colleagues must be informed and empowered to act. Collaboration with member states and regional organizations must also be strengthened to better serve the world's most vulnerable people.