India has paid tribute to all women and men peacekeepers, including the 14 police officers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, said the country's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, R Ravindra.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the contribution of United Nations Police to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, India said that it deployed about 3000 police officers in around 24 UN peacekeeping operations.
'India remains an active participant in UN deliberations on women empowerment and gender mainstreaming issues, supports the Secretary General's call to action for accelerated implementation of the WPS agenda in "Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)" and "A4P+ priorities," the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN said.
"Indian women Police officer Shakti Devi, who was deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, was awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2014 for her contribution in the creation of a Women's Police Council in Herat," Ravindra said.
He added that more targeted actions are needed to identify and address the structural problems that prevent increased numbers of uniformed women.
India also highlighted the need to improve barracks facilities and related working conditions; provide equal opportunities for women, and implement a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and abuse to create a safe working environment.
( With inputs from ANI )
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