UN Peacekeeping at the Local-Level: Using Geocoded Data to Assess Diversity, Gender Balance, and Effectiveness

Abstract

We develop an original dataset of geocoded United Nations peacekeeping deployments and assess the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations at the local level. Drawing upon primary documents sourced directly from the UN covering 10 multidimensional peacekeeping operations from 1999-2018, we present comprehensive time-series data on UN peacekeeper deployment location by type, gender, and nationality. We show that although the UN responds dynamically to conflict events in the field, deployments outside of population centers tend to be fairly homogenous in regard to both nationality and gender. We then empirically investigate the oft-posited link between deployment of peacekeepers and reductions in violence against civilians at the local level. Our analysis suggests that the UN must match peacekeeping personnel type to sources of violence at the operational level in order to effectively prevent civilian victimization.