The Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF), established in 2019, is a UN multi-partner trust fund aimed at increasing the meaningful participation of uniformed women in peace operations. It supports Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs) by addressing barriers such as gender-insensitive infrastructure and socio-cultural norms. With $35.8 million in contributions as of December 2023, the EIF funds projects that align with the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy (UGPS) 2018-2028, focusing on increasing the number and roles of women in UN peace operations.

Governance Structure

The EIF operates under a transparent and inclusive governance framework. The Steering Committee consists of UN Women, the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, and key donor countries. Canada, the founding member, co-chairs the committee. The Technical Committee provides operational and technical support, while the UN Women-hosted Secretariat manages day-to-day functions. The Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO) administers funds, ensuring proper resource allocation and oversight.

EIF Impact

The EIF aims to accelerate the participation of uniformed women in peace operations, with notable success:

• In 2023, the average percentage of women deployed by EIF-supported military contingents was 10.5%, compared to the global average of 7.4%.
• EIF-funded Police Contributing Countries (PCCs) deployed 16.9% women, slightly below the global average of 19.8%.
• Since 2019, the EIF has supported 20 projects, focusing on gender parity in peacekeeping.

Outcomes and Key Results

EIF’s four key outcomes focus on:

1. Expanding knowledge of barriers: EIF supported 8 T/PCCs and 12 security institutions to conduct institutional assessments. By 2023, 8 barrier assessment reports were published using the MOWIP methodology.
2. Increased deployment of women: Nearly 250 women from Niger, Togo, and Senegal received training for deployment, while Ghana, Uruguay, and Togo launched recruitment initiatives.
3. Expanding the pool of eligible women: Through training and recruitment efforts, EIF increased the number of women eligible to serve in peace operations.
4. Improving conditions: Projects in Togo, Senegal, and Ghana enhanced infrastructure, such as gender-sensitive accommodations, to support women’s participation in peacekeeping.

Key Statistics

• The EIF has allocated $17 million across two programming rounds since 2019.
• The fund has supported 21 security institutions and two UN peacekeeping operations.
• Ghana deployed its second Gender-Strong Unit (GSU) in 2023, with 20% women among the 800 peacekeepers.
• Senegal deployed two gender-strong Formed Police Units (FPU) in 2023, with 20% women in command and technical roles.
• The percentage of women in EIF-supported T/PCC military contingents rose from 6.3% in 2018 to 10.5% in 2023, demonstrating the EIF’s effectiveness in advancing gender equality in peacekeeping.

These efforts show significant strides toward achieving the UN’s gender parity goals by 2028, though persistent challenges in recruitment, training, and leadership roles remain. These include:

1. Recruitment Barriers

• Socio-cultural norms: Women continue to face resistance from traditional gender roles that view military and police roles as "male-dominated."
• Structural barriers: Many national security institutions still lack gender-sensitive recruitment processes and policies that encourage women to enlist, especially for combat and technical roles.
• Limited outreach: Recruitment campaigns targeting women are often inadequate, underfunded, or too narrowly focused.

2. Training Challenges

• Access to training: Although progress has been made, women are often underrepresented in essential training programs, particularly in combat, command, and technical areas. In many T/PCCs, they lack access to the same level of pre-deployment training as men.
• Training quality: Training programs are not always adapted to address gender-specific challenges, such as harassment or discrimination in the field. Gender-sensitive training remains limited in scope, and resources allocated to these programs are insufficient.

3. Leadership Roles

• Underrepresentation in leadership: Even when women are deployed in peace operations, they are rarely appointed to senior leadership positions. As of 2023, women make up only 9% of uniformed peacekeepers, and their presence in command roles is far below this already low figure.
• Promotion pathways: The lack of clear career progression and promotion pathways for women in national military and police institutions hinders their rise to leadership positions. Traditional gender biases contribute to slower promotions and fewer opportunities for women to take on command roles.

4. Gender-Sensitive Infrastructure

• Living conditions: Despite efforts to improve working and living conditions, many peacekeeping missions lack the infrastructure required to support uniformed women effectively. Basic needs, such as gender-segregated accommodations and facilities, remain insufficient in many mission areas.

5. Institutional Resistance

• Slow policy change: While T/PCCs have committed to increasing the participation of women, implementation is often slow, with institutions resisting the necessary reforms to achieve gender parity. This includes entrenched attitudes that see women as less capable in operational or leadership roles.

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