Beyond the Numbers: The Unique Contributions of Female Peacekeepers to UN Mission Success : From Representation to Lived Experince in Military and Police Missions

Sammanfattning

This thesis investigates how women peacekeepers contribute to everyday production of security through forms of labour that are largely overlooked within dominant peacekeeping frameworks. Drawing on qualitative interviews with women deployed in UN missions, the study shows that relational, emotional and communicative practices are central to building trust, gathering information and maintaining stability, yet these activities remain marginal within institutional reporting systems shaped by militarised and masculine norms. Using a Gender and Security lens, the analysis reveals a persistent contradiction that women’s contributions are essential to mission functioning, but the structures surrounding them rarely recognise or support the kinds of expertise they provide. These findings demonstrate that women enact security across interpersonal, community and organisational levels, challenging narrow definitions of operational effectiveness and exposing the limits of gender-neutral policy approaches. Methodologically, the study highlights the value of qualitative, interview-based research for uncovering forms of labour that quantitative indicators cannot capture. The conclusion argues that meaningful progress requires structural and cultural change within peacekeeping institutions, including the recognition of relational and emotional labour. The thesis identifies several avenues for future research, including comparative mission studies, examination of male peacekeepers´ engagement with emotional labour and analyses of community perceptions of women peacekeepers. Together, these insights deepen understanding of how gender shapes security practices and point toward pathways for more effective and inclusive peacekeeping.