“In all the years that I have spent working across conflict zones with United Nations Peacekeeping, I’ve discovered that women, genuinely, hold the key to sustainable peace. We constitute 50 per cent of any society and only by involving women in key decisions that impact their day-to-day life will societies become truly peaceful and inclusive, says Hiroko Hirahara, Head of Field Office, UNMISS Bentiu.
Prior to South Sudan, Ms. Hirahara has served in peace operations in Cyprus, Darfur and Liberia. Currently she is leading uniformed and civilian peacekeepers at a challenging time. “With the dangers posed by COVID-19, we have had to completely change the way we work on-the-ground as we support national-led efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus in Bentiu while doing our best to fulfil our mandated tasks despite severe operational challenges,” she reveals. “However, I’m very proud to say that we’ve managed to find innovative ways to keep ourselves and the communities we serve safe and healthy as far as possible.
Ms. Hirahara says that the number of female peacekeepers—military, police and civilian—being deployed to UNMISS and peacekeeping missions worldwide is gradually increasing. “While we as the UN still have a long way to go in terms of achieving gender parity in peacekeeping operations, such an increase, in my opinion, makes a very positive impact, especially when it comes to dealing with sexual- and gender-based violence,” states Ms. Hirahara. “I’ve noticed that survivors of such incidents instinctively and culturally find it easier to open up to female peacekeepers and ask for the help they need. What’s more, uniformed female peacekeepers in Bentiu have encouraged South Sudanese women to take leadership roles and done a lot to build capacity among their South Sudanese counterparts,” she continues.
A stellar example of such capacity building is Lieutenant-Colonel Emilie Simon, a Military Observer from Namibia, who has built strong networks with her national military counterparts. “Many of the South Sudanese female military personnel I interact with are frustrated by the lack of career development. With time, I’ve managed to motivate many of them to further their education as well as sharpen their skills. It is a matter of pride for me when my South Sudanese interlocuters say that I’m a role model for them,” avers Lt. Colonel Simon.
Lance Corporal Anabella Gloria Nbou from Ghana has a similar story to tell. “I’m currently deployed in Koch and by virtue of constantly patrolling in remote villages here, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of the conflict on women and children. Therefore, I make it a point to be accessible to local women and give them the space to tell me their stories,” she says.
Ruth Njiru from Kenya, a Police Adviser serving with the UNMISS Bentiu Field Office since December 2018 says that the opportunity to interact very closely with local communities, especially women and children, has been invaluable. Ms. Njiru has used her time on patrols to develop connections with young people, share messages and raise awareness among youth about the importance of education. “As women peacekeepers, we strike a different rapport with South Sudanese women, as we share many of the same concerns. I’ve always used this connection to make sure we do the best we can to trickle down income-generating skills to displaced women as well as local law enforcement counterparts,” she says.
With COVID-19 casting a pall over the entire world, these women peacekeepers from Bentiu are truly inspirational continue to make their best efforts on behalf of UNMISS to fulfil mandated tasks, while following all safety precautions advised by the World Health Organization. They are unanimous in their opinion that peacekeeping, despite all its challenges, is an incredibly rewarding experience!
- OLIVIER NDIKUMANA
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).Africanews provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes.
References
- ^ Download logo (www.africa-newsroom.com)
Newer articles:
- COVID-19: South Sudan rumor tracking overview - Issue #3 - 04/06/2020 03:51
- Much of South Sudan’s cabinet has Covid-19. What happened? - 03/06/2020 15:07
- U.S. Embassy in South Sudan: 2020 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program - 03/06/2020 02:09
- South Sudan coronavirus cases pass 1,000 - 02/06/2020 14:33
- Japan pledges $821,000 fighting COVID-19 in South Sudan - 02/06/2020 08:36
Older news items
- Japan pledges $821,000 fighting COVID-19 in South Sudan - 02/06/2020 08:36
- IOM, Government of South Sudan to Establish a Point of Entry in Renk - 02/06/2020 04:08
- Return pressure builds as COVID-19 hits South Sudan displacement camps - 02/06/2020 03:01
- COVID-19 cases spike in South Sudan; IRC calls for end to political standoff inhibiting country’s response - 02/06/2020 02:44
- Logistics Cluster South Sudan Convoy Schedule (June – July 2020) - 02/06/2020 02:32
Latest news items (all categories):
- UAE company agreed to loan $13B to South Sudan in exchange for oil - 27/04/2024 16:44
- South Sudan auditor flags spending of IMF funds - 27/04/2024 16:41
- UN Aid Trucks Held up at South Sudan Border - 27/04/2024 16:37
- South Sudanese comedians find laughs in painful past - 27/04/2024 16:34
- The DRC had the world's biggest military spend increase last year – and South Sudan was second - 27/04/2024 16:29
Random articles (all categories):
- Amnesty International calls for release of two South Sudanese pastors detained in Sudan - 20/02/2015 23:13
- Ethiopia deputy PM attends South Sudan’s Independence Day - 09/07/2013 23:18
- Evictions in South Sudan During the COVID Crisis: Housing Land and Property Technical Working Group Key Messages - May 2020 - 15/02/2021 14:42
- Elections were Neither Free Nor Fair In Most Parts Of south Sudan. - 02/05/2010 16:18
- Queen Elizabeth II has died, Buckingham Palace announces - 08/09/2022 18:48
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 31786 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 21861 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 20744 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 17296 times
- With prisons full, South Sudan to introduce mobile courts to clear backlog of cases - 11/10/2012 11:29 - Read 14214 times