Keeping the peace: gender, geopolitics and global governance interventions

This contribution examines who and what constitute peacekeeping, and how this exacerbates gendered and geopolitical inequalities. While the number and distribution of peacekeepers (boots on the ground) is highly dependent upon Global South men and Global North money, peacekeeping appears to be more gender-friendly and truly globally representative. Despite significant transformations in the nature of peacekeeping operations, it appears that many of the more recent changes, such as introducing more female peacekeepers, has done very little to change the patriarchal and colonial culture of peacekeeping. This article exposes the perpetuation of inequalities and suggests that such interventions need to be critically examined in more detail.