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Ghana contributes the largest number of female peacekeepers to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major Damea Acheampong Kusi, Ghana Battalion Finance Officer, said on Thursday.

She said deploying more women into peacekeeping was crucial since women were able to engage more with the vulnerable and young girls in peacekeeping communities.

Major Acheampong Kusi made her comments in a Zoom meeting organized by the United Nations Information Centre to promote the work of women peacekeepers ahead of the International day of the UN peacekeepers celebrated on May 29.

The theme for this year’s celebration is: Women in peacekeeping: a Key to peace.

Major Acheampong Kusi reiterated that female peacekeepers served as positive role models for young girls.

Commenting on the challenges posed by COVID-19 for female peacekeepers, she said even though there was a pandemic, they remained committed to their responsibilities and continued to support the communities they worked in, in the fight against the pandemic.

Major Acheampong Kusi said they observed all needed protocols, and used the pandemic situation to train some of their community members in bead making and other skills.

Major Cynthia Adiasani, the Ghana Battalion Principal Nursing officer, said to keep their camp safe from COVID-19 infection, soldiers made to wear masks, use hand sanitizer, wash their hand at the entrances and sanitize their feet in chlorine solution before entering the camp.

Tilak Pokharel, Public Information Officer of (UNIFIL) commended Ghana saying, Ghana was the first out of 45 countries to send troupes to UNIFIL.

He said the Ghanaian team had about 118 women and played a key role in peacekeeping along the blue line.

The blue line served as a boundary between Lebanon and Israel, he explained.