Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations

This project aims to support and incentivize efforts to increase the meaningful participation of uniformed women in United Nations (UN) peace operations. It facilitates continued support to Troop and Police Contributing Countries and the UN in support of the Canadian-led Elsie Initiative for Women in UN Peace Operations. This initiative supports numerical targets and culture change to ensure that women are represented across all ranks and functions including leadership and non-traditional roles and positions and are deployed in enabling environments that offer equal conditions. Project activities include: (1) supporting Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peacekeeping barrier assessments; (2) constructing gender-sensitive accommodations training and daycare facilities; (3) providing financial premiums for gender-strong unit deployments; (4) developing gender policies strategies and action plans; and (5) training and capacity building.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations; (2) increased use of policies and practices by Troop and Police Contributing Countries and UN organizations to increase meaningful participation of uniformed women to UN peace operations; and (3) expanded country-specific knowledge of barriers to deployment of uniformed women.