First Woman to Lead CECOPAM: Lieutenant Colonel María del Rosario Cardoso Reyes and Her Role in UN Peacekeeping Missions

Huehuetoca, State of Mexico, May 29, 2025. Lieutenant Colonel María del Rosario Cardoso Reyes, a military nurse and General Staff Officer in the Mexican Armed Forces, has over 30 years of service experience. She joined the Army as a military nurse and currently serves as the Director of the Mexican Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations (CECOPAM, in Spanish), becoming the first woman to hold this position.

“I had no female military role models. There were very few of us. However, it was my mother, with her unwavering willpower and discipline, who inspired me. I have always wanted to contribute something to society,” she explains.

Her initial training in Health Sciences shaped a humanitarian vision that, years later, led her to participate in a UN peacekeeping mission. “More than a challenge, it has been an opportunity. I have witnessed the evolution of women’s inclusion in the Armed Forces since I joined in 1994. More and more women are in key positions, and there is greater awareness of the value we bring,” she adds.

Experience in Mali: integration and learning 

This year, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers is commemorated under the theme “The Future of Peacekeeping,” highlighting the work of thousands of people—civilians, police, and military personnel—deployed in missions around the world. In this global context, the participation of women like María del Rosario Cardoso Reyes represents not only a historic milestone for Mexico but also a key element in building more representative, equitable, and sustainable peacekeeping operations.

From 2018 to 2019, she was deployed as a Staff Officer in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). “I was motivated by the humanitarian aspect of these operations. The calls for missions are open, and Mexico allowed me to participate and represent the country abroad,” she says. 

During her time in Mali, she worked in a multicultural team comprised of personnel from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Although the number of Mexicans was small, she highlights the recognition her country received. “We were known for our warmth and neutral stance. That facilitates integration,” she recalls.

Her role was to be part of the military component and train personnel joining the mission, applying the knowledge acquired during her military education. “In Mali, we don’t improvise; everything is written down, everything is structured,” she emphasizes.

The experience strengthened her perspective on the role of women in peace contexts. “We adapt and interact impartially and respectfully. I discovered a greater resilience in myself thanks to this opportunity.” 

Leadership with a Gender-Equality Focus 

Since May of this year, Lieutenant Colonel Cardoso has been leading CECOPAM, the center that trains both Mexican and uniformed personnel from other nations who will deploy in peacekeeping operations. In her office, she keeps the blue beret she wore in Mali—a symbol of her role as an international peacekeeper—and the insignia of the institutions where she has trained. 

“Everything I’ve learned in the Army, Air Force, and National Guard has prepared me for this moment,” she affirms.

She is clear that women must occupy increasingly broader roles in these operations. She points to active listening, assertiveness, and respectful communication as strengths that facilitate women’s integration into multicultural environments.

She notes that the Army has made progress in complying with national and international policies promoting gender equality. “At the Center, we work with clear standards. The UN provides strong structures, and Mexico fulfills them,” she states.

She also emphasizes that, in peacekeeping missions, communication is not just a technical tool but an essential condition for operational effectiveness. She explains that having formal channels, such as radios and established codes, enables immediate responses to medical, logistical, or even psychological situations that may arise during deployment.

Multiplying the Impact

Reflecting on her experience with the UN as a peacekeeper, she does so from an institutional and collective perspective. She highlights the importance of sharing what is learned with those who remain in the country. “We return to our country with the full intention of creating a multiplier effect and inviting our fellow servicemen and women to participate,” she says, convinced that each mission is an opportunity to open the path for new generations. 

Her story is also linked to the international commitments assumed by Mexico through the Beijing Platform for Action, particularly in the area concerning “Women and Armed Conflict.” This approach promotes the active participation of women in all phases of conflict resolution, from negotiations to reconstruction. It also supports the training of personnel to prevent sexual violence in conflict settings and advocates for the reform of justice and security institutions with a gender perspective.

Adopted in 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action is the most comprehensive international framework for promoting the rights of women and girls. It outlines twelve critical areas of concern, including women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, as well as peacebuilding.

The presence of women in peacekeeping missions not only upholds the principle of equality but also significantly improves humanitarian responses and the legitimacy of peace processes. Robust evidence shows that when more women participate in efforts to build, maintain, and sustain peace, these efforts tend to be more inclusive, lasting, and effective.

With a firm voice, Lt. Col. María del Rosario Cardoso Reyes underscores that contributing to peace is not exclusive to the military sphere. Each person, from their own experience, can contribute. Though she does not frame it as a motto, her trajectory proves it: leadership is also built through preparation, discipline, mutual understanding, and teamwork. 

¹ Coomaraswamy, R. (2016) Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. UN Women. Available at: https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/sites/www.un.org.peacebuilding/files/documents/globalstudywps_en_web.pdf