The Women in Blue Helmets : Gender, Policing, and the UN's First All-Female Peacekeeping Unit

__The Women in Blue Helmets__tells the story of the first all-female police unit deployed by India to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in January 2007. Lesley J. Pruitt investigates how the unit was originated, developed, and implemented, offering an important historical record of this unique initiative. Examining precedents in policing in the troop-contributing country and recent developments in policing in the host country, the book offers contextually rich examination of all-female units, explores the potential benefits of and challenges to women’s participation in peacekeeping, and illuminates broader questions about the relationship between gender, peace, and security. "The Women in Blue Helmets tells the story of the first all-female police unit deployed by India to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in January 2007. Lesley J. Pruitt investigates how the unit was originated, developed, and implemented, offering an important historical record of this unique initiative. Examining precedents in policing in the troop-contributing country and recent developments in policing in the host country, the book offers contextually rich examination of all-female units, explores the potential benefits of and challenges to women's participation in peacekeeping, and illuminates broader questions about the relationship between gender, peace, and security."--Provided by publisher The Women in Blue Helmets tells the story of the first all-female police unit deployed by India to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in January 2007. Lesley J. Pruitt investigates how the unit was originated, developed, and implemented, offering an important historical record of this unique initiative. Examining precedents in policing in the troop-contributing country and recent developments in policing in the host country, the book offers contextually rich examination of all-female units, explores the potential benefits of and challenges to women’s participation in peacekeeping, and illuminates broader questions about the relationship between gender, peace, and security. Contents Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction 1. The FFPU in a Global Context 2. How the FFPU Began 3. Women at Work: Securing the Peace 4. Political Economy, Women, and Peacekeeping 5. Who’s Afraid of the Girls? Fears about FFPUs 6. Increasing Women’s Participation in Peace and Security Conclusion Appendix: Interviews Notes References Index Tells the story of the first all-female police unit deployed by India to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in January 2007. The author investigates how the unit was originated, developed, and implemented, offering an important historical record of this unique initiative.