New York [US], March 28 : In a bid to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, the India-led Group of Friends (GOF) comprising 40 member states, convened its second meeting to deliberate on strategies to strengthen legal frameworks against perpetrators of malicious acts targeting peacekeepers, focusing on supporting measures for ensuring accountability, an official release said.
At the meeting, India launched a new database designed to record crimes against peacekeepers and monitor progress in holding perpetrators accountable.

The database is designed to serve as an online repository, empowering the Secretariat and member states to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against Peacekeepers.
"The meeting commenced with an informative briefing and update by the Secretariat, which provided valuable insights into ongoing efforts. The meeting marked a significant step towards accountability--launching a dedicated database designed to serve as an online repository, empowering the Secretariat, Missions, and member states to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against Peacekeepers. This database, sponsored by India, is hosted on the Unite Aware platform and is poised to facilitate comprehensive analysis and drive effective strategies for promoting accountability," the release said.
At the meeting, India's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj highlighted the GOF's progress over the past year, emphasising the insights gained into challenges surrounding accountability, particularly in strengthening the rule of law within Mission areas. She expressed confidence in leveraging these insights to enact impactful measures advancing accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.
"The meeting's agenda also featured a substantive discussion on providing legal frameworks to support the concept of accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. 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. Member states engaged in fruitful deliberations on practical approaches to assist host state rule-of-law institutions in prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring justice for peacekeepers," the release said.
According to the official release, 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.
"Delighted to announce the launch of a new database designed to record crimes against Peacekeepers & monitor progress in holding perpetrators accountable. India is at the forefront of advocating for accountability, leading the Group of Friends dedicated to this cause," India at UN said in post on X.