Peacekeeping: What It Is, How It Works, and Its History

Despite the fact that the practice of the UN peacekeeping has developed meaningfully in the past few years, right from the start, their operations of have been supported by three principles which include consent of parties, impartiality, and non-use of force except in when defending oneself. 1 

The principle of impartiality provides that United Nations peacekeeping operations have to implement their mandate without exhibiting favor or bias to any party. This principle is essential in the maintenance of the consent and collaboration of the principle party. 2 That said, it is crucial of any individual working as an international civilian officer to understand how the principle works. 

According to impartiality, the use of force in peace operation by the UN is always accompanied by negative political impacts which are a premonition of doom. Assessments and appraisals regarding its use needs to be done at the suitable and applicable level while clenching a mission that is embedded on a number of unified factors which constitute mission competence, public insights, humanitarian effect, force defense, safety and security of staffs and more significantly, the impact that such an action could have to national and local approval of the operations. 3 

It’s very clear that experience has presented that the perceived lawfulness of a UN peace operation may decline as time moves on, if the magnitude of the UN footprint and behavior of its workers resign to be a source of local bitterness; or if the peace operation does not align with the laid strategies and therefore cannot be achieved. 4 Operations pertaining to peace ought to always uphold the sovereignty of a nation. Soldiers and forces should always seek to promote peace and cohesiveness and be aware of the negatives that their peace operations could have to the locals. 5 

Bibliography  

Donald, D. 2002. "Neutrality, Impartiality And UN Peacekeeping At The Beginning Of The 21St Century". International Peacekeeping 9 (4): 21-38. doi:10.1080/714002776. 

Hughes, Ann. 2002. "'Impartiality' And The UN Observation Group In Lebanon, 1958". International Peacekeeping 9 (4): 2-20. doi:10.1080/714002772. 

Roberts, David. 1997. "More Honoured In The Breech: Consent And Impartiality In The Cambodian Peacekeeping Operation". International Peacekeeping 4 (1): 1-25. doi:10.1080/13533319708413649. 

Ryan, Stephen. 2000. "United Nations Peacekeeping: A Matter Of Principles?". International Peacekeeping 7 (1): 27-47. doi:10.1080/13533310008413817. 

"United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles And Guidelines". 2008. International Peacekeeping 15 (5): 742-799. doi:10.1080/13533310802396475. 

1 . "United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles And Guidelines". 2008. International Peacekeeping 15 (5): 742-799. doi:10.1080/13533310802396475. 

2 Donald, D. 2002. "Neutrality, Impartiality And UN Peacekeeping At The Beginning Of The 21St Century". International Peacekeeping 9 (4): 21-38. doi:10.1080/714002776. 

3 Hughes, Ann. 2002. "'Impartiality' And The UN Observation Group In Lebanon, 1958". International Peacekeeping 9 (4): 2-20. doi:10.1080/714002772. 

4 Roberts, David. 1997. "More Honoured In The Breech: Consent And Impartiality In The Cambodian Peacekeeping Operation". International Peacekeeping 4 (1): 1-25. doi:10.1080/13533319708413649. 

5 Ryan, Stephen. 2000. "United Nations Peacekeeping: A Matter Of Principles?". International Peacekeeping 7 (1): 27-47. doi:10.1080/13533310008413817. 

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