UN Women Moldova and Ministry of Defence commemorate the crucial role of women in peace and security

Today marked the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Celebrated every year on 29 May, this day is an opportunity to highlight the crucial role that women peacekeepers play, recognising the importance of their equal participation and full engagement in all efforts to maintain and strengthen peace and security. The engagement of women contributes to improving the success of peacekeeping missions.

On the occasion of this day, Anatolie Nosatîi, Moldova’s Minister of Defence, explained that the National Army has been participating in international peacekeeping missions since 1997 and in UN peacekeeping operations since 2003. “Moldovan soldiers – men and women – were present in Iraq, Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, Georgia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo,” he said. “Their performance, which was an excellent one, showed that the National Army has well-trained soldiers for any kind of mission and that both women and men can equally contribute to maintaining peace in countries wrecked by conflicts and humanitarian crises. Their courage and professionalism over the years has been appreciated by the leaders of international teams, mission commanders, representatives of the UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations and by the simple citizens of the states where they worked as military observers".

Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, noted that women's participation in peace processes helps create solutions that take into account the needs of all people in conflict-affected areas and address the root causes of conflicts. “Women also contribute to the elimination of systems that enable and promote violence, ensuring the path to lasting global peace and security,” she said. “Today, we pay tribute to the unique abilities of women peacekeepers to help them integrate into the communities they serve and meet their needs".

Women peacekeepers serve as role models, inspiring women and girls from the societies in which they perform their military service.

Stela Alexandrova, a Ministry of Defence peacekeeper who has been serving on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan since 9 March 2023, remarked on the impact of women peacekeepers. "I believe that the increased participation of women in UN peacekeeping operations and missions significantly contributes to building trust between local populations and peacekeepers, thus contributing to the legitimacy, credibility and implementation of the mission's mandate,” she said. “The presence of women is indispensable to identifying the problems and needs of women and children in any conflict in the world".

Claudia Hlopeanicov, a Ministry of Defence peacekeeper who has also been serving on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan since 16 February 2023, said: "Considering that the purpose of the UN peacekeeping forces is to help conflict-ravaged countries create conditions for achieving peace within the country, fostering an environment that is safe and free of social tensions, its existence becomes crucial and necessary. For me, participating in the mission symbolises bravery and courage, sacrifice and honour, and I am confident that this is how I contribute to strengthening and maintenance peace".

Galina SÎrbu, a Ministry of Defence peacekeeper who served on the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic from 23 August 2021 to 10 March 2023, said that women peacekeepers play a key role in the success of UN peacekeeping operations around the world. “The main tasks of women on missions are preventing conflict, promoting human rights and contributing to lasting peace,” she said. “Their efforts help protect civilians and ensure the necessary security for all components of peacekeeping operations to carry out their mandate activities".

Currently, the Republic of Moldova contributes to the consolidation of peace and security in areas marked by conflict and instability, participating in peacekeeping missions and operations in the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Lebanon. In total, 17 women have worked or are currently working on international missions under the aegis of the UN. By supporting UN peacekeeping efforts, the Republic of Moldova has demonstrated, over time, an important contribution to strengthening peace, stability and security in the world.