"The United Nations Department of Peace Operations is an instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace."
The study of the principles and practices involved in maintaining peace, providing humanitarian assistance, and protecting human rights in conflict situations.
Introduction to Peacekeeping: An overview of the history, principles, and objectives of peacekeeping operations and the role of different actors involved.
International Humanitarian Law: An understanding of the legal framework that governs the conduct of armed conflicts and the protection of civilians, detainees, and wounded people.
Conflict Analysis: A systematic approach to understanding the root causes, dynamics, and actors of a conflict in order to design an effective peacekeeping intervention.
Humanitarian Principles and Ethics: An understanding of the values, principles, and standards that guide humanitarian action, such as impartiality, neutrality, and respect for human dignity.
Protection of Civilians: The design and implementation of strategies and measures to prevent and respond to threats and violations against civilians, such as sexual violence, forced displacement, and arbitrary detention.
Gender and Diversity: The integration of gender and diversity considerations into all aspects of peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, including the participation and empowerment of women and marginalized groups.
Logistics and Supply Chain Management: The planning, coordination, and management of the resources and assets needed to support peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, such as transportation, communication, and procurement.
Human Resources and Staff Safety: The recruitment, training, and management of the personnel involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, as well as the measures to ensure their safety and security in often dangerous environments.
Partnerships and Coordination: The collaboration and coordination among different actors involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations at the local, national, and international levels, including governments, NGOs, and UN agencies.
Monitoring and Evaluation: The systematic and participatory process of assessing the impact and effectiveness of peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions, as well as the accountability mechanisms for ensuring transparency and responsiveness.
Traditional peacekeeping: It is a type of peacekeeping that involves the deployment of armed forces to prevent interstate conflicts and maintain a ceasefire while the parties negotiate a peace agreement.
Complex peacekeeping: It involves multiple actors and complex conflicts, such as civil wars and inter-ethnic conflicts. It aims to address not only the symptoms but the root causes of the conflicts and build long-term peace and development.
Multidimensional peacekeeping: It combines military, civilian, and police components to address the socio-economic, political, and security dimensions of conflicts.
Humanitarian aid: It involves providing relief assistance, such as food, shelter, and medical care, to people affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and other crises.
Nation-building: It involves rebuilding the institutions and infrastructure of a country, such as democracy, rule of law, public services, and economic development, to promote stability and prosperity.
Conflict prevention: It involves early warning, diplomacy, and other measures to prevent conflicts before they escalate and become violent.
Peace enforcement: It involves the use of force to compel the parties to respect a ceasefire or a peace agreement and restore security and stability.
Protection of civilians: It involves the use of force to protect civilians from violence, such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, and other crimes against humanity.
Transitional justice: It involves addressing the past human rights abuses, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, and promoting reconciliation and accountability through judicial and non-judicial mechanisms.
Gender mainstreaming: It involves integrating gender perspectives and promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in all aspects of peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.
"Peacekeeping is distinguished from peacebuilding, peacemaking, and peace enforcement, although the United Nations does acknowledge that all activities are 'mutually reinforcing' and that overlap between them is frequent in practice."
"Peacekeepers monitor and observe peace processes in post-conflict areas and assist ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements they may have signed."
"Such assistance comes in many forms, including separating former combatants, confidence-building measures, power-sharing arrangements, electoral assistance, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development."
"UN peacekeepers can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel."
"Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security."
"Jean-Pierre Lacroix is the Head of the Department of Peace Operations."
"He took over from the former Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous on 1 April 2017."
"Since 1997, all directors have been French."
"The UN does not have such a force. In cases where direct UN involvement is not considered appropriate or feasible, the Council authorizes regional organizations such as NATO, the Economic Community of West African States, or coalitions of willing countries to perform peacekeeping or peace-enforcement tasks."
"DPKO's highest level doctrine document, entitled 'United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles and Guidelines' was issued in 2008."
"The purpose of peacekeeping is to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace."
"UN peacekeepers assist ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements they may have signed."
"The United Nations acknowledges that peacebuilding, peacemaking, and peace enforcement are 'mutually reinforcing' and that overlap between them is frequent in practice."
"Confidence-building measures are among the forms of assistance provided by UN peacekeepers."
"Peacekeepers monitor and observe peace processes in post-conflict areas."
"The United Nations Security Council has the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security."
"UN peacekeepers can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel."
"The Council authorizes regional organizations such as NATO, the Economic Community of West African States, or coalitions of willing countries to perform peacekeeping or peace-enforcement tasks."
"DPKO's highest level doctrine document... was issued in 2008."