English
Kinyarwanda
A two-day seminar of UN Police (UNPOL) Women Network serving under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) ended on Thursday in South Sudan with participants commending Rwanda’s approach on gender equality that should be replicated in their respective countries.
About 80 female police peacekeepers including 13 Rwandans, took part in the seminar that was presided over by the Special Representative of the Secretary General to UNMISS, David Shearer.
It was also attended by UNMISS Police Commissioner, Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo as well as UNMISS Force Commander, Lt Gen Frank M. Kamanzi.
While speaking at the official opening of the seminar, Shearer, who thanked UNMISS-UNPOL for organizing the event, commended the role of police women in restoring peace and protection of the Internal Displaced People in various sites under UN compounds in South Sudan.
He said that the UN has launched program for women to reach highest level management positions, adding that “everything starts from middle management and team leader positions.”
In his address, CP Munyambo said that the seminar comes as an initiative to strengthen, unite, and raise the capacity of Women in UNPOL, in addition to supporting and enabling them to reach the highest level management positions.
“Caring mothers, loving daughters, competent colleagues and a wide range of many other roles are played by women around us with care, diligence and efficiency. Unfortunately, they also represent a somehow neglected part of the societies in many parts of the world,” said CP Munyambo.
He added that although women do the same job as their male counterparts, they continue to be minority in missions.
“What needs to be acknowledged is that they serve as an example for women in local communities,” the Police Commissioner observed.
Presently, there are about 100 female UNPOL officers serving under UNMISS. Rwanda will soon deploy an all-female police contingent to South Sudan.
“Understanding the important role of women in our society and more specifically for us as a peacekeeping mission also bestows upon us the responsibility to conduct ourselves in a manner portraying gender equality and sensitivity,” said CP Munyambo.
He further noted that in the line of duties, members of UNPOL have exposed themselves to considerable risks in order to protect civilians, and recognized their “relentless efforts and express my sincere gratitude for your excellent professionalism.”
The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Deputy Commissioner for Public Relations, Media and Protocol, Chief Supt. Lynder Nkuranga, who also attended the seminar, gave a presentation on “Women empowerment and Gender Equality in Rwanda” highlighting the country’s journey thus far to becoming among the top countries globally in gender empowerment.
UNMISS Deputy Police Commissioner, ACP Unaisi Lutu Vuniwaqa from Fiji, said that Rwanda has made a milestone in gender-related development, citing Isange One Stop Centre, which offers free medical, psycho-socio and legal service to victims of GBV, which should be adopted in other countries to give women hope.
The female police peacekeepers brainstormed and identified challenges and impediments towards female empowerment. They to proposed ways for treating all women and men fairly in the workplace and to identified venues for everybody to have equal opportunities to achieve strategic positions.
The seminar was also partly organized to reorganize the women network and elect its new leadership to further its agenda of future actions and co-operation with counterparts on national and international levels.
The new 7-member board, which includes a Rwandan – AIP Dorothy Kabatesi from Rwanda Formed Police Unit (FPU) –, is headed by a Zambian, IP Doreen Mazuba Malambo as its chairman.
