Indian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) are continuing to provide critical assistance to internally displaced persons in the Abyei region, the United Nations Department of Peace Operations confirmed on Saturday, 29 August. The region, administered by UNISFA, straddles the contested border between Sudan and South Sudan.

On-Ground Support in Abyei

According to the UN Department of Peace Operations, the mission's assistance to displaced communities encompasses basic services, educational initiatives, and community engagement programmes. 'Indian peacekeepers with UNISFA continue their commitment to assisting internally displaced persons in Abyei. The Mission's support includes critically needed basic services, educational initiatives and community engagement,' the UN department stated in an official post on X.

India's Broader Peacekeeping Commitment

India's contribution to UN peacekeeping extends well beyond Abyei. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, P. Harish, highlighted in June that India was the first country to deploy an all-female unit to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, a move that reportedly inspired thousands of Liberian women to join their national police force.

Currently, more than 160 Indian women peacekeepers serve across various UN missions worldwide. According to P. Harish, these women 'build trust in communities, give hope to vulnerable populations — particularly women and children — and serve as visible symbols of women's agency in maintaining peace and security.'

Women Peacekeepers and Gender Advocacy

Indian Army Major Abhilasha Barak, a recipient of the UN Peacekeeper's Gender Advocate Award, is among the most recognised examples of India's commitment to gender-inclusive peacekeeping. Two other Indian women have received the same award previously, according to P. Harish's address to the UN Security Council.

P. Harish also stressed that women peacekeepers play a pivotal role in addressing gender-based violence and ensuring that peace processes reflect the needs of all segments of society — including those most vulnerable in conflict zones.

India's Training Infrastructure for Global Peacekeepers

To strengthen the global pipeline of women peacekeepers, India established the Centre for UN Peacekeeping in New Delhi, which runs specialised training programmes for women military officers from across the world. Last year, participants from 15 countries attended the UN Women Military Officers Course, while women peacekeepers from 35 countries gathered for the Conference for Women Peacekeepers from the Global South.

This comes amid growing international recognition that gender-diverse peacekeeping forces produce measurably better outcomes in conflict-affected communities. India's expanding peacekeeping footprint — both in numbers and in institutional training capacity — positions it as a leading contributor to multilateral peace efforts going forward.