UN official calls for more women peacekeepers in Africa

Women serving as peacekeepers in Africa are of "critical importance", a UN official said in a call to increase the number of women in UN peacekeeping missions.

Briefing the UN Security Council (UNSC) on her recent Joint Solidarity Mission with the African Union, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday said: "These women, against all odds, strengthen our protection efforts, increase the credibility of our efforts, engage in local level mediation and make communities feel more at ease."

Mohammed called for the addressing of practical challenges women might face while serving in UN security missions, such as lack of deployment opportunities, according to the UN official website.

"Much more can and should be done," she urged.

The UN aims to double the number of the women serving as military and police peacekeepers by 2020.

According to the latest figures issued by the UN, it has some 110,000 peacekeepers serving in 13 operations around the world, with 4% of those deployed being women.