International Development Grant
Promoting Gender Sensitive Strategies Policies and Training for UN Peacekeeping
Project Number: CA-3-P011021001
Status: Operational
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $5,219,030.00
Start Date: January 13, 2022
End Date: June 30, 2025
Duration: 3.5 years
Project Description
This project aims to create an inclusive workplace culture and support gender parity across the United Nations (UN) Departments of Peace Operations and Peacebuilding and Political Affairs at all levels in headquarters and in the field. Through an in-depth assessment of existing policies leadership training development and advocacy to adopt new strategies this project seeks to enable transformational change. Driving gender equality for the UN’s peace operations and political missions will not only improve work conditions for men and women it will make UN operations more inclusive and responsive to the peace and security needs of the populations they serve.
Expected Results
The expected results for this project include: (1) increased number of women deployed to UN peace operations; (2) improved UN policies equitable access and performance of duties for women serving as civilians or uniformed personnel within field missions and headquarters; and (3) increase a pool of qualified trained senior women police officers who qualify for nominations for deployments to UN missions.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of May 2025 include: (1) conducted 21 trainings to strengthen the Department of Peace Operations’ (DPO) ability to build inclusive environments and contributed to data collection for the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy; (2) implemented and developed the Women Command Development Course benefitting 200 Member-State nominated senior women; (3) supported analysis of measures needed to improve prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse; (4) supported monitoring of sexual exploitation and abuse in high-risk missions; (5) provided 9 coaching sessions to 35 participants on “navigating complex career challenges” focusing on under-represented groups for hiring managers on recruitment for diversity. Also launched 67 initiatives to improve decision-making to support gender parity and equality goals in DPO; (6) supported awareness raising through 16 advocacy events and peer exchange among Member States; (7) provided strong input to the ‘Future of Peacekeeping’ study and the peacekeeping ministerial preparatory meeting in Montevideo; (8) supported 20 teams (including police and military) in 13 missions to implemented actions to support the enabling environment for women in peace operations. These actions include strengthening gender-responsive leadership creating structured feedback channels from women to leadership addressing and preventing bias and stereotyping and supporting mechanisms for uniformed women; (9) held 5 capacity-building workshops for civilian HQ staff to better understand intersectional experiences. These workshops focused on topics such as informal diversity and inclusion trust-building prevention of sexual harassment and combating racism; and (10) equipped staff and managers with tools to build an inclusive organizational culture. This includes training 35 managers on how to have difficult conversations at work 30 managers on the framework on psychological safety and 50 hiring managers on preventing bias in recruitment.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
DPO – United Nations Department of Peace Operations
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Foreign Affairs and Trade Gs&Cs