Vietnamese female soldiers actively participate in peacekeeping

Implementing the correct policies of the Party and State, since 2014, Vietnam's UN peacekeeping forces have excellently fulfilled their tasks, making important contributions to implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of international relations.

Vietnam is a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community, proactively and actively integrating into the international community, making practical contributions to the implementation of the United Nations Charter, maintaining peace and security, promoting cooperation and development, and enhancing Vietnam's prestige and position in the international arena. In that common achievement, there are very important contributions from female soldiers and officers of the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Public Security.

In January 2018, Vietnam sent its first female military officer to participate in a United Nations peacekeeping operation as an individual as a combat staff officer at the South Sudan Mission. Currently, the proportion of Vietnamese female soldiers participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations is higher than the general rate and higher than the United Nations target.

As of May 2023, 81 out of 529 soldiers deployed to the United Nations peacekeeping mission were women, including 12 female officers deployed as individuals, 21 female soldiers of the No. 1 Engineering Team and 48 female soldiers of Vietnam's Level 2 Field Hospitals. Notably, Vietnam also had the first female officer in the Vietnam People's Public Security force participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Female soldiers of the 2nd Engineer Team at the farewell ceremony for their departure to the United Nations peacekeeping mission at the UNISFA Mission, Abyei region, August 8, 2023. Photo: An Dang/VNA

At missions, Vietnamese female soldiers have undertaken and successfully completed many different positions such as military observers, combat staff officers, training staff officers, doctors, and nurses.

At the International Conference on Women in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations on November 26, 2022 in Hanoi, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix emphasized: "Vietnam has become one of the leading countries in efforts to increase women's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations."

According to Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and former Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, the fact that Vietnam has sent a high proportion of female soldiers to join the UN peacekeeping force demonstrates Vietnam's strong efforts and commitment to actively contributing to the mission of maintaining peace and security in the world, promoting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and especially the role of women in UN peacekeeping activities. This is an important achievement in achieving gender equality and empowering women.

The example of female soldiers who are willing to sacrifice, overcome all the difficulties and challenges of years of hard training, long periods of living in harsh, difficult and dangerous conditions in the area where the mission is stationed, volunteering to be away from home and children, participating in and successfully completing the United Nations peacekeeping mission, has inspired and given confidence to women and girls not only in Vietnam but also in the host country, as said by UN Deputy Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix: "Female peacekeepers in the United Nations bring greater confidence and they are special role models for local women and girls".

Touching stories about Vietnamese female soldiers helping local people grow vegetables, take care of their children, teach young children, provide free medical examinations and treatment for local people, build roads to schools, prevent floods, build schools, sew and donate masks to prevent COVID-19, cook pho and other dishes to introduce Vietnamese culinary art to international friends... have spread the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", Vietnamese women in the eyes of colleagues at peacekeeping missions and local people.

During his official visit to Vietnam from October 21-23, 2022, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres assessed: “Thousands of miles away from home, Vietnamese peacekeepers, both men and women, are risking their lives to bring peace, hope and opportunities for a better life to people in some of the world’s most disadvantaged places.”

The UN Secretary General also affirmed: “The ultimate goal of UN peacekeeping operations is to build trust and Vietnamese soldiers have done that”. Vietnamese female peacekeepers are the bridge to bring the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam to international friends, at the same time bringing a new perspective, beautifying the image of the blue beret soldiers of the United Nations.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

Source