She was speaking at a high-level virtual event titled “Key to Peace, Key to Protection: Women Peacekeepers in Action” to mark the International Day of Peacekeepers and the Protection of Civilian Week in New York recently. 

The event was jointly organized by the Permanent Missions of Canada, Ghana, and Zambia to the United Nations, said a media release on Sunday. 

Stressing the importance of ensuring meaningful, equal, and full participation of women in peace operations, she said as a tribute to UN peacekeepers, this year Bangladesh has issued a set of commemorative stamps with UN Post, which includes a stamp featuring the first ever women fighter pilots from Bangladesh deployed to UN peace operations.

These stamps commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who dreamt of a world free of conflict, inequality, and injustice, she said. 

In reiterating Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to put women to the forefront of the peacekeeping operations, she highlighted Bangladesh’s historic involvement with the adoption of the landmark Security Council resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security (WPS) and the recent adoption of the National Action Plan to implement it. 

Bangladesh led by example to become the first country to deploy a woman military contingent commander in UN history in Cote d’Ivoire in 2016. 

It was also one of the first countries to deploy all-women Formed Police Unit in Haiti in 2010. 

Today Bangladesh features among the top countries in terms of her contribution of women peacekeepers to the UN Peacekeeping Operations.

Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne spoke at the event among other speakers and panelists.