India-Led Group of Friends Convenes Meeting to Enhance Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers

India-Led Group of Friends Convenes Meeting to Enhance Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers

In a bid to enhance accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, the India-led Group of Friends (GOF) convened its second meeting. This meeting aimed to strategize and strengthen legal frameworks against perpetrators of malicious acts targeting peacekeepers, focusing on supporting measures for ensuring accountability.

Launch of the Database

India launched a new database dedicated to recording crimes against peacekeepers and monitoring progress in holding perpetrators accountable. This database serves as an online repository, empowering the Secretariat and member states to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against peacekeepers.

Insights from the Meeting

  • Informative Briefing: The meeting commenced with an informative briefing by the Secretariat, providing valuable insights into ongoing efforts.
  • Significant Step Towards Accountability: The meeting marked a significant step towards accountability by launching a dedicated database to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against peacekeepers.
  • Role of India: India sponsored the database, hosted on the Unite Aware platform, poised to facilitate comprehensive analysis and drive effective strategies for promoting accountability.

Addressing Challenges

India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, highlighted the GOF’s progress over the past year, emphasizing insights gained into challenges surrounding accountability, particularly in strengthening the rule of law within Mission areas. Leveraging these insights, impactful measures advancing accountability for crimes against peacekeepers are to be enacted.

Discussion on Legal Frameworks

  • Substantive Discussion: The meeting featured a substantive discussion on providing legal frameworks to support the concept of accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.
  • Expert Insights: Professor Bimal Patel, a distinguished member of the International Law Commission and Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University, shared expert insights on this intricate topic.
  • Deliberations: Member states engaged in fruitful deliberations on practical approaches to assist host state rule-of-law institutions in prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring justice for peacekeepers.

High-Level Commitment

The High-Level Meeting of the GOF serves as a testament to the unwavering commitment of member states, spearheaded by India, towards promoting accountability and upholding the safety and dignity of peacekeepers worldwide.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers:

  1. What is the primary aim of the India-led Group of Friends (GOF) meeting discussed in the passage?
    • A) To discuss peacekeeping missions worldwide
    • B) To strategize and strengthen legal frameworks against perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers
    • C) To promote economic development in member states
    • D) To launch a new peacekeeping mission
    Answer: B) To strategize and strengthen legal frameworks against perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers
  2. What was launched by India during the meeting to record crimes against peacekeepers?
    • A) A new mobile app
    • B) A dedicated database
    • C) An awareness campaign
    • D) A peacekeeping training program
    Answer: B) A dedicated database
  3. Who provided valuable insights into ongoing efforts at the GOF meeting?
    • A) Member states
    • B) Secretariat
    • C) Peacekeepers
    • D) Legal experts
    Answer: B) Secretariat
  4. Who highlighted the progress of the GOF over the past year during the meeting?
    • A) Professor Bimal Patel
    • B) India’s permanent representative to the UN
    • C) Secretariat
    • D) Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj
    Answer: D) Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj
  5. What serves as a testament to the commitment of member states towards promoting accountability for crimes against peacekeepers?
    • A) The launch of a new database
    • B) The High-Level Meeting of the GOF
    • C) The speech by India’s permanent representative
    • D) The engagement of legal experts
    Answer: B) The High-Level Meeting of the GOF