Principles of Peacekeeping

United Nations peacekeeping is one of the UN’s most distinctive tools for maintaining international peace and security. While peacekeeping missions vary widely in size, scope and context, they are all guided by a set of core principles that shape how they are authorised, deployed and conducted.

This session introduces participants to the basic principles of UN peacekeeping: consent of the parties, impartiality, and the non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. It also explores the additional factors that influence peacekeeping success, including legitimacy, credibility, and the promotion of national and local ownership.

The course examines why these principles matter in practice, how they affect mission behaviour in the field, and how they help distinguish peacekeeping from other forms of international intervention. Participants will also gain an introduction to the legal framework that underpins peacekeeping operations, including the UN Charter, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, mission mandates, and mission-specific rules governing the use of force.

By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of the foundations of UN peacekeeping and the practical and legal considerations that shape mission effectiveness.