"We are currently trying to increase the participation of our female peacekeepers from four to seven percent," Lt. General Supriyanto stated in Jakarta Wednesday.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) will increase the participation of female peacekeepers in various United Nations peacekeeping missions from four to seven percent, General Staff Chief Lieutenant General TNI Joni Supriyanto said. "We highly expect that our female peacekeepers will be at strategic positions in the United Nations. We are currently trying to increase the participation of our female peacekeepers from four to seven percent," Lt. General Supriyanto stated in Jakarta Wednesday.

Joni made this statement during a press conference at an International Conference under the theme "Preparing the Modern Armed Forces for Operation Maintenance of Peace in the 21st Century".

The conference was held in collaboration between TNI, the Foreign Ministry, and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and attended by representatives from 28 countries and two International organizations.

The participants will share their perspectives and experience on several crucial issues related to the UN peacekeeping mission, including the protection of civilians in the war and armed conflict and increasing the role of women in peace missions.

TNI continues to enhance the role of female personnel in peacekeeping missions, especially as agents to approach the locals in the areas of war and conflict and to build a reconciliation process during conflict, Joni remarked.

"The participation of female personnel was intended to get sympathy easily from the local people. Women are easier to accept with the aspirations of local people so that it is easier to reduce the increase of conflict," he noted.

TNI has deployed around 2,850 personnel as part of a contingent of UN peacekeepers from Indonesia, Joni revealed.

In addition, based on the records of the Foreign Ministry on March 31, 2019, Indonesia has sent 3,080 personnel including 106 female personnel, who are divided into eight UN peacekeeping missions.


Translator: Yuni / Azis Kurmala
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019