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Peacekeeping

The UN was created to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" and one of its main objectives is to maintain international peace and security.

Peacekeeping, although not explicitly provided for in the Charter, has become one of the main instruments used by the United Nations to achieve this goal. Over the years, the range of tasks assigned to UN peacekeeping operations has expanded significantly in response to changing patterns of conflict and to better respond to threats to international peace and security.

To know more:
https://peacekeeping.un.org/en​

The MHA Security Forces have been present,since the nineties of the last century, in the United Nations peace missionsand place experts in key places of the Organization.​

Ministerial Meetings on UN Peacekeeping Missions 

Mostly held approximately every two years, and as a high-level political forum created to discuss the priorities and future of peacekeeping and security missions, these meetings, which currently have six editions, the first of which was held in 2016 (London), following the 2015 Leaders' Summit on Peacekeeping (New York), are an important mechanism for mobilising voluntary contributions from each member state to strengthen the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping missions.

Thus, the 6th Ministerial Meeting Peacekeeping 2025 (Berlin, 13 and 14 May), on the theme Capacity Building, Partnerships and the future of Peacekeeping, brought together delegations from 134 of its member states (51 of which were represented at ministerial level), as well as regional organisations and observers, from which a set of commitments (pledges) were made to ensure that the material and financial capacity building needs of this international body were met, This has resulted in important contributions from 74 member states, including Portugal, which has reaffirmed its support for United Nations peace operations through contributions aimed at strengthening and building capacity in areas such as Uniformed Capabilities; Peacekeeping Training, Capacity Building and Partnerships; Environment and Women, Peace and Security, in the form of financial contributions totalling €125. 000.00, broken down as follows:

• Peacekeeping Training, Capacity Building and Partnerships - €50,000.00 for a Telemedicine project under the Triangular Partnerships Programme (TPP), which aims to improve access to medical care in peacekeeping missions;

• Environment - €25,000.00 to support the improvement of sanitation conditions;
  
  
• Women, Peace and Security - €50,000.00 to organise training courses under the Senior Women Talent Pipeline (SWTP), dedicated to increasing the participation of civilian women in UN peace operations, as a key element in the Gender Parity Strategy.

In this context, the portuguese MHA also expressed its willingness to commit a Specialised Police Team (SPT) to public order management and its willingness to develop initiatives and training actions on environmental and climate risks and climate adaptation within the scope of Capacity Building and Partnerships for Peacekeeping, commitments that will be promoted by the Public Security Police (PSP). 

To know more:
https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/un-peacekeeping-ministerials​

The promotion of human rights

Since 1948, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN has been protecting human rights through legal instruments and activities on the terrain. The Human Rights Council, created in 2006, is today the UN's main independent intergovernmental body responsible for human rights. The different Committees of independent experts monitor the implementation of the main international human rights treaties. Each signatory State of a treaty has an obligation to take steps to ensure that everyone in the State can enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.
  

Main instruments 

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment