South Africa has hosted a side event at United Nations Headquarters showcasing the pivotal role that women peacekeepers can play in UN peace operations around the world.
Ten female officers from the South African National Defence Force and the Police Service who have all previously served in UN operations were on hand to share their personal experiences, amidst an urgent need for member states to train and deploy more females into UN peacekeeping.
Lt. Colonel F. Van Staden has served in UN missions in Burundi in 2005 and later in Sudan’s Darfur region around 2011…
“The presence of women in peacekeeping operations leads to the empowerment, education and skilling of women globally, and encourages transformation. Including women is beneficial as women tend to be better received by locals and combatants likewise. Ex-combatant females gravitate more towards us in uniform. Communities find it easier to express their concern once we reach the ground. There’s an old African proverb that normally says once you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”
This was an event to showcase South Africa’s commitment to peace and development by hearing from women who have actually been to the frontlines of war-torn communities. And while the number of women in UN military positions has grown, currently only around 5% of all uniformed military, police and justice and corrections personnel are women, while South Africa has around 14% women deployed as part of its mission in the DRC.
“Women can better understand and deal with matters of gender-based violence. The Secretary General in his address on the 11th of April has indicated that the presence of women in peacekeeping operations has led to a decline of gender-based violence in all mission areas and that is evident today.”
Lt. Colonel E.M. Molusi was deployed as a UN military police commander in the DRC from 2006 until 2011.
“It was not the norm at that time to see women in command positions within the UN forces. It was my personal duty to prove that a woman can command. I was always being firm and being polite to show that a woman can command. More women are needed in key positions. The post must not be preferably woman, must be for the woman. And also we need the presence of women in peacekeeping operations.”
The UN is seeking a modest 15%+ target of women serving in military contingents by 2028.
Lt. Col C. Duven was just among 12 female pilots in the air force when she started flying military transport aircraft in 2004.
“I am honoured to be among the women present today, because we are all pioneers in our own right. Is that not why we are here today? To pave the way for future pioneers by sharing our experiences, and showing that the stigma surrounding women in uniform is unjustified. In May 2012, I became the first female commander on the C130 in Africa and many countries around the world. I may have been the first female commander on the C130 but there are many female pilots that have come before me and after me. When I started my flying career there were only 12 female pilots in the SA Air Force and that included myself. Today those numbers have soared well over 50 throughout the years.”
South Africa ranks 7th highest among troop contributing countries of women peacekeepers currently serving in the UN system.
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