Effective contributions
On June 13, as part of the visit, the UN delegation held a working session with the Standing Office of the Ministry of Public Security on UN Peacekeeping Operations and the Viet Nam Formed Police Unit No. 1 (VNFPU-1). During the session, Faisal Shahkar, UN Police Adviser and Director of the Police Division of the UN Department of Peace Operations, presented UN-certified instructor certificates to officers and lecturers with outstanding achievements at the Peacekeeping Training and Capacity-building Centre in Hung Yen Province.
Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix acknowledged the professionalism, initiative, and strong commitment of Viet Nam after meeting and exchanging views with officers who had served or will serve in UN Peacekeeping missions. Highlighting Viet Nam’s practical contributions in recent years, Lacroix expressed his hope that the country would continue to expand its involvement in peacekeeping activities, especially amid complex transnational crime and growing hotspots of conflict affecting civilians worldwide.
Lieutenant Colonel Luong Thi Tra Vinh, a Vietnamese female police officer who previously served in a UN peacekeeping mission, shared that her participation significantly enhanced her sense of responsibility, action capability, communication, decision-making, flexibility, adaptability, and autonomy — skills essential for any security commander. These are also key competencies being instilled in the VNFPU-1 team. Observing the unit's professional training activities and modern equipment, the UN delegation expressed confidence in Viet Nam’s increasingly visible participation.
According to Lacroix, the UN stands ready to support Vietnamese police officers in fulfilling their missions at UN peacekeeping operations. He also affirmed the UN's ongoing commitment to assisting Viet Nam’s Ministry of Public Security in strengthening capacity building, training, information exchange, and expert cooperation in this field. Colonel Le Quoc Huy, representative of the Standing Office of the Ministry of Public Security for UN Peacekeeping, noted that the peacekeeping force under the Ministry of Public Security have made rapid progress in recruitment, training, and preparation for deployment, demonstrating Viet Nam's strong determination to make effective contributions to international operations.
The Under-Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of Viet Nam’s peacekeeping forces, along with the country’s commitment to enhancing female participation, particularly that of female police officers.
“There are many ways to achieve this goal, such as enhancing training and capacity building, and encouraging member states to nominate more female candidates, including for leadership roles, by creating a more welcoming and supportive work environment for women. I look forward to strengthening our excellent existing partnership with Viet Nam across all these areas,” he remarked.
Affirming Viet Nam’s commitment
On June 12, at the international forum titled “Enhancing the participation of female police officers in UN Peacekeeping Operations – International and Vietnamese experience” jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Security and UN Women, Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung stated: “The Ministry of Public Security has proactively implemented policies and strategies to promote the participation of female police officers in UN peacekeeping operations. This not only reflects Viet Nam’s international commitment but also reflects modern, humane security thinking, and proactive integration.”
At present, the Ministry of Public Security has deployed units with female officers to UN missions, achieving a female participation rate of over 30% — well above the UN’s minimum requirement of 20%. This achievement has been recognised by the international community. However, to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness, participants at the forum agreed on the need to further improve policy frameworks, expand international cooperation, and raise awareness of women’s role in peacekeeping.
Providing an overview of Viet Nam’s legal and policy frameworks supporting gender equality and female participation in peace and security, Le Khanh Luong, representative of the Department of Youth Affairs and Gender Equality under the Ministry of Home Affairs, highlighted policies that actively encourage women's participation in politics, security, and society. He noted that the Vietnamese National Assembly is currently reviewing the draft Law on Participation in UN Peacekeeping Forces, which is expected to establish a robust legal framework including more favourable policies for peacekeeping personnel, especially for women and those who are injured or killed in the line of duty.
The forum marked an important milestone affirming Viet Nam's strong commitment to promoting gender equality and enhancing the role of female officers in international peacekeeping efforts. It also represents a significant step in implementing Viet Nam's first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (2024–2030), actively contributing to the global agenda under the UN’s Pact for the Future.
Sharing international experience
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Viet Nam, empowering women in law enforcement not only produces immediate impact but also contributes to long-term sustainable development by ensuring women have equal opportunities to develop and lead. Jenna Dawson-Faber, UNODC representative in Viet Nam, highlighted the importance of capacity-building initiatives that promote both professional and personal development for female law enforcement personnel.
“We support mechanisms that enhance the role of female law enforcement officers so that they can attain leadership positions, participate effectively in development processes, and strengthen their leadership role, as well as help them develop their professional and personal skills and address the challenges women may encounter in their work,” she stated.
“The UN Police needs more female officers and more different teams to improve operational effectiveness. We rely on member countries to carry out these shared commitments. The full, equal, and meaningful participation of female police officers, particularly in community activities, helps to build trust and enhance understanding of security forces, especially among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups,” UN Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar added.
“The presence of women in peacekeeping forces is not only a matter of gender equality but also improves operational performance. Viet Nam has surpassed global standards for the proportion of female police in peacekeeping. We encourage Viet Nam to continue these efforts, especially in promoting women to hold leadership roles and key positions in missions,” Angela Pratt, Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, emphasised at the forum.
Commenting on Viet Nam’s progress in increasing the number of female peacekeepers, Pratt noted that the greater the participation of women in peacekeeping, the more effective the mission becomes, particularly in civilian protection and preventing recurring violence. She also highlighted the ongoing need for support from member states, through both financial assistance and policy advocacy.
