From engaging with displaced women in Haiti to bringing courts to remote communities in South Sudan, women are helping people affected by conflict find safety, seek justice and rebuild their lives.
Their experiences took centre stage at , an SDG Media Zone conversation during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Moderated by Yoshita Singh of the Press Trust of India, the session brought together military, police and civilian peacekeepers with a shared message: women must be active partners in building peace.
Today, more than 50,000 military, police and civilian peacekeepers serve in 11 peacekeeping missions. Out of the 45,000 uniformed peacekeepers, only 10 per cent are women.
The power of women peacekeepers
For Lt Col Glory Mkwizu of the Office of Military Affairs in the , reaching women whose concerns might otherwise go unheard is an essential part of that work. Drawing on her experience supporting internally displaced people in Mozambique, she described how female engagement teams help overcome cultural barriers and create opportunities for women to share security concerns.
Skills training and connections to livelihood opportunities also support their economic recovery. Mkwizu urged recognition of women¡¯s role as partners in peace processes and peacebuilding, rather than solely as beneficiaries.
Empowering local women
Trust was also central to the experience of Gissel Sosa, Chief of the Mission Management and Support Section in the . Recalling her service with a Gender Mobile Team in Haiti, she described working with local women as community focal points to raise awareness of rights and access to justice.
Women police officers have the same training and responsibilities as their male colleagues, she explained, but communities may respond to them differently. Their presence can help build relationships while showing local women that leadership and positions of authority are within their reach.
In pursuit of justice
In South Sudan, access to justice sometimes meant holding court hearings under trees. McCall Carter, a Judicial Affairs Officer with the Justice and Corrections Service who served in South Sudan and Liberia, described how mobile courts reached remote communities affected by conflict. These open hearings gave people an opportunity to seek justice where access was limited. Her account highlighted the contribution of civilian peacekeepers to rebuilding institutions and helping communities move beyond violence, alongside the work of military and police personnel.
Across these experiences, visibility carried a message of its own. The speakers recalled how seeing women serve alongside men and exercise authority encouraged local women to believe in their own capacity to lead. They called on women considering peacekeeping to see it as an opportunity to support communities, contribute to global stability and inspire the next generation. Their message underscored the importance of women¡¯s full participation across military, police and civilian roles in the pursuit of lasting peace.
