International Development Grant

Reducing Barriers for Uniformed Women in UN Peace Operations

Project Number: CA-3-P006631001

Status: Closed

Country/Region: Unknown

Regional Focus:

Africa 20%
America 20%
Asia 20%
Oceania 20%
Europe 20%

Maximum Contribution: $4,258,896.00

Start Date: December 04, 2018

End Date: December 31, 2022

Duration: 4.1 years

Project Description

This project aims to support decision-makers in UN Troop and Police Contributing Countries (TPCCs) with evidence and knowledge of the barriers limiting the deployment of uniformed women to United Nations (UN) Peace Operations. The participation and full involvement of women is important for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and yet the proportion of uniformed women deploying on UN Peace Operations is very low. With a better understanding of why there are so few uniformed women effective measures can be taken to reduce these gender imbalances. Project activities include: (1) collaborating with national or regional research partners from 8 selected TPCCs; (2) developing a comprehensive Barrier Assessment Methodology to undertake research of the barriers to women’s participation in UN Peace Operations resulting in detailed reports and policy recommendations to TPCCs; and (3) producing a series of Policy Briefs to inform policy development on women’s participation in UN Peace Operations at both country and multilateral levels.

Expected Results

The expected outcomes for this project are improved policies and practices of Troop and Police Contributing Countries to reduce barriers to uniformed women’s deployment to UN Peace Operations.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) developed and published a groundbreaking Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) barrier assessment methodology in October 2020. This provided Troop and Police Contributing Countries (TPCC) necessary tools to identify and assess barriers and opportunities for uniformed women’s meaningful participation in peace operations within their institutions; (2) collaborated with seven national and regional research partners from the selected TPCCs to develop country-specific comprehensive Barrier Assessment Methodology. This resultd in detailed reports and policy recommendations to TPCCs. The Ghana Armed Forces the National Police and National Gendarmerie of Senegal the Armed Forces of Uruguay the National Police of Uruguay and the Zambia Police Service completed their MOWIP Barrier Assessments Reports. These Barrier Assessments increased the knowledge of decision-makers on current obstacles to the meaningful participation of uniformed women in peace operations to enable innovative and transformative policies to address these challenges; and (3) produced and published six policy briefs as part of the Opportunities for Women in Peacekeeping: Policy Series launched on February 9 2022. This included the guest entry From More to Meaningful: Six strategies to make women’s participation count in peace support operations in the London School of Economics and Political Science Women Peace and Security blog. The policy briefs aimed to promote a shift in policy frameworks and their corresponding policy actions from increasing participation in numbers to increasing meaningful participation by transforming structures practices and attitudes.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
Geneva Centre for the DemocraticControl of the Armed Forces

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Women's rights organisations and movements and government institutions 70%
Security system management and reform 30%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Foreign Affairs and Trade Gs&Cs

Policy Markers
Level 2 Gender equality
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31 $4,258,896 CAD
Geographic Information
800";Budget Type:Original;Start Date:2018-04-01;End Date:2019-03-31;Value Date:2018-12-04;Value:"$858
Reference ID: 436