Six South Africans will be among those peacekeepers honoured posthumously on International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the United Nations (UN) announced on Thursday.

The day would be marked by a ceremony on Friday at the UN's headquarters in New York, as well as ceremonies at its peacekeeping missions and offices around the world.

Staff Sergeant Samson Davids, Corporal Sibusiso Bafana Nelson Dube and Corporal Morney Reinaart Molouly died while serving with the UN Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Private Lesedi Boitumelo Monasia, Corporal Ben Benjamin Titus and Corporal Sydney Melvin Williams died while serving with the African Union-UN hybrid operation in Darfur.

The commemoration ceremony included awarding Dag Hammarskjöld medals to the military, police and civilian personnel who lost their lives last year serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

The medals will be received by representatives of the respective Permanent Missions, to be forwarded to the next of kin.

At the UN headquarters, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is set to oversee a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of the 132 peacekeeping personnel, 10 of them women, who lost their lives - whether through attacks, illnesses or accidents - in 2008 in the service of peace.

This year, the United Nations is marking the day with special emphasis on the important role played by women peacekeepers and the need to deploy them in greater numbers.

In a statement, Ki-moon said there were still far too few women peacekeepers.

"With women joining national militaries and police in greater numbers, it is critical that member states contribute even more female personnel to the UN.

"On this international day, let us draw on the power of women to strengthen UN peacekeeping, while helping women and girls themselves to transform their destinies - and societies - for the better."

Women make up only 8% of the United Nations police, and 2% of its military personnel.

More than 2000 soldiers and police officers from South Africa are serving in UN peacekeeping operations around the world - in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Nepal, and in Darfur, Sudan.