Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations recently visited Ghana. During her trip, the Ambassador announced a U.S. pledge of $3 million to support a women’s body armor pilot project at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Accra.
The purpose of this pilot project is to evaluate the degree to which the equipment enhances operations and safety during training and deployment. This project aims to reduce barriers to women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in UN peace operations.
The number of women joining peace keeping missions has indeed begun to grow. In 2023, there are some 4,800 women who served as military peacekeepers – and nearly 12,000 in formed police units.
But these women need better equipment to serve safely. The current ‘unisex’ personal protective equipment simply doesn’t fit women peacekeepers, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. “Women-specific body armor features a tailored cut, rounded chest, shortened torso, and adjustable back that tightens to fit, allowing the vest to conform to a woman’s torso, providing better coverage of vital organs.”
Women peacekeepers bring a unique and needed skill set to their jobs, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. “We know that women peacekeepers are more approachable to women and girls – and especially survivors of gender-based violence. They help ensure that peacekeeping missions are effectively communicating with communities they serve. They offer valuable perspectives on conflict, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. And they serve as powerful role models for the next generation of peacekeepers – inspiring women and girls to imagine a future after conflict ends.”
The United States is grateful for Ghana and Zambia’s consistent leadership in providing women peacekeepers with not only the armor, but the training, infrastructure, and support they need.
“An investment in this armor is an investment in women,” declared Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, “and in turn, an investment in entire communities. It’s long past time that we empower and protect these peacekeepers as they dedicate their lives to empowering and protecting civilians in conflict.”
