The United Nations Headquarters is hosting the 20th Chiefs of UN Police Components Conference, also known as Police Week, from 4 to 6 February. Leaders of United Nations police components from field missions, spanning peacekeeping operations and special political missions, are gathering for their annual meeting with senior UN officials.
Throughout the week, participants will discuss current challenges facing UN policing and outline priorities for the year ahead. On Thursday, they will brief the United Nations Security Council, with the session broadcast live on UN WebTV.
A key part of the conference will focus on the future of UN policing. Discussions will explore how United Nations Police can support peacekeeping priorities through advances in data, technology, and gender representation. Participants will also examine the impact of the ongoing liquidity situation in field missions and other operational challenges.
Colleagues seeking interviews or more information are encouraged to reach out to UN Peacekeeping contacts.
Background on UN Police
As of 31 December 2025, United Nations Police (UNPOL) had an authorized strength of 7,740 officers, with 4,626 deployed. Women represented 21.7 per cent of all personnel. UNPOL officers serve across seven peacekeeping operations—MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, UNFICYP, UNISFA, UNMIK, and UNMISS—and five special political missions: BINUH, UNMHA, UNTMIS, UNVMC, and UNOWAS.
Despite a recruitment freeze and the UN’s continuing liquidity crisis, UNPOL has met the targets of the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy in two categories of personnel—Individual Police Officers and members of Formed Police Units. It has also come close to reaching targets in the remaining two categories involving professional posts at Headquarters and in the field.
However, the freeze has affected women’s representation in leadership roles. For the first time in three years, the percentage of women serving as heads or deputy heads of police components has fallen below 45 per cent, currently standing at 33.3 per cent.
