A direct look at female peacekeepers from various countries: Indian female soldiers have dual identities during the day and night!

Chinese female peacekeepers: Responsible for local female mass work

The first peacekeeping infantry battalion organized by *** to go to South Sudan has completed its preparations for the expedition. This morning, the oath-taking ceremony was held in Laiyang, Shandong General Assembly. At the meeting, the expedition order was read out and the flag was awarded to the peacekeeping infantry battalion. The battalion will depart for South Sudan in the near future to perform peacekeeping tasks assigned by the United Nations. This is the first time that my country has sent troops to participate in a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

The officers and soldiers of the peacekeeping infantry battalion are well-equipped, well-trained and have high morale. The battalion is equipped with light weapons for self-defense, highly mobile armored personnel carriers, body armor, helmets and other protective equipment. The personnel are mainly composed of a brigade of the 26th Group Army and a regiment of the 54th Group Army, with additional professional forces such as communications and medical treatment. It has 3 infantry companies and 1 support company under its jurisdiction. 30 people have peacekeeping experience, and 99 people have received third-class merit awards or above. What is particularly eye-catching is that there are 13 female soldiers in the infantry battalion. They will perform patrols, security, humanitarian rescue and other operational tasks together with male soldiers, and are mainly responsible for mass work among local female groups. This will be the first time that Chinese female soldiers perform combat missions in a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Brigadier General Jean Bayeux, Chief of Staff of the Military Office of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), once said in New York that China has made important contributions to international peacekeeping operations, and Chinese female peacekeepers have played an important role in peacekeeping operations. played an important role.

When talking about Chinese female peacekeepers, he said that Chinese female peacekeepers have played an important role in peacekeeping operations. They can engage in some important tasks related to women in the host country and strengthen communication with local women. Understand, this is what peacekeepers must do.

A group photo of the female soldiers of China’s first peacekeeping infantry battalion.

Bayo said that female soldiers can engage in various peacekeeping jobs, including leadership jobs. They can be deployed as military observers to respond to and resolve some very sensitive situations. They can also play a role in some of the most difficult tasks, such as protecting civilians, because female peacekeepers easily gain trust through communication with local people.

Bayo emphasized that high quality and strong capabilities are the characteristics of Chinese peacekeepers. They are well-trained, dedicated and disciplined. Chinese peacekeepers can not only improve the efficiency of peacekeeping operations, but are often regarded as a "wealth" by local people because they provide local people with assistance in engineering technology, road construction, medical services, transportation, etc., which are very important for peacekeeping operations. Also very important.

Chinese female soldiers went abroad for the first time in 2003 to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Currently, Chinese female soldiers are performing peacekeeping missions in many United Nations peacekeeping mission areas.

The training of the female soldiers class of China’s first peacekeeping infantry battalion.

Spanish female peacekeepers: enjoy the most “equal” treatment

In the United Nations peacekeeping mission area in southern Lebanon, you can often see female peacekeepers from Spain, wearing thick Wearing bulletproof vests and bulletproof helmets with the word "UN" on them, they drive cars or armored vehicles, patrolling the roads with male soldiers, and participating in handling various problems and disputes.

In the Spanish army, female soldiers enjoy the same equal treatment as male soldiers. Most positions in the army are open to female soldiers. If male soldiers can hold the position, female soldiers can also hold the position. No wonder we can see it everywhere in the Spanish peacekeeping force. Female soldiers stand guard with male soldiers at high tower observation posts and gate posts; on the training ground, they conduct military training of the same subject and intensity; in the car repair shop, female soldiers covered in oil stains Get under the car with the male soldiers to repair the car. A female officer humorously told the author: "In our place, except for the different places to bathe and sleep, female soldiers are the same as male soldiers in other aspects."

She also introduced to us, In Spain, if you want to become a female soldier, you must undergo two months of basic military training, learn knowledge about military institutions and the military's legal framework, and undergo physical and military training to pave the way for adapting to military life as soon as possible. Also because of equality, if Spanish female soldiers want to perform well in the army, they must work harder and harder than male soldiers and fully demonstrate their talents in order to be recognized by people.

Lebanese peacekeepers from Asia, Europe, the United States, and Africa (data map)

Belgian female peacekeepers: men are not allowed to clear mines and explosives

The "Blue Line" between Lebanon and Israel "When carrying out mine clearance operations, every step forward will put your life in danger. Mine clearance and explosive disposal operations are jokingly called "more careful work than walking a tightrope" in UNIFIL. Among the seven demining teams of UNIFIL, the Belgian female demining team members of the Belgian-Luxembourg Battalion (composed of soldiers from Belgium and Luxembourg) are unique. No less than a male minesweeper.

During mine clearance operations, these female soldiers ignored the hot weather and quickly put on protective clothing, debugged mine clearance equipment, tested mine detectors, carefully made preparations, and then calmly walked to the operation site .

Sometimes they bent over and used mine detectors to detect back and forth, marking them with spray paint or planting small red flags. Sometimes they knelt on the ground and dug with special mine-clearing tools, advancing almost in centimeters. Lieutenant Colonel Debra Barmore, the female battalion commander of the Belgian-Luxembourg Battalion, said proudly: "On the minefield, they are all warriors. They complete their tasks very well and never shrink back because of fear!"

Information Picture: Belgian female soldiers

Kenyan female peacekeepers: thin but determined "black pearls"

In the Kenyan protection camp of the UNSoviet Mission World War II area in Wau, Sudan, regardless of Whether it is organizing the camp area, performing sentry duty, conducting military training, or going out to perform protection tasks, male and female soldiers are all together.

Once, the Chinese peacekeeping transportation detachment went to Rumbek to perform a long-distance transportation mission. On the way, they had to pass through several sensitive areas and checkpoints. Local vehicles jumped out of the dust and were within sight. The number of gunmen made the journey full of danger and tension. In the convertible, the Kenyan peacekeepers who were responsible for the protection mission were covered with dust. A thin "black pearl" had turned into a "yellow pearl", but like the male team members, she held the steel gun tightly and did not bother to dust it off. clothing.

When we got off the bus to have lunch at noon, the female soldier was covered in dust and standing under a big tree 10 meters away with a gun, looking around constantly. She was already very slender and looked increasingly frail in the vast and empty jungle. However, she had firm eyes and a calm demeanor. She was alert and sensitive to the surrounding situation and did not miss any slightest disturbance. She appeared to be very professional and dedicated.

Data map: Kenyan female soldiers

Nigerian female peacekeepers: The allowances are quite attractive

On the outskirts of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, a group of Nigerian peacekeepers. Nigeria began sending peacekeepers to Liberia in 2003, including female soldiers.

There are 59 Nigerian female peacekeepers*** stationed in Liberia, accounting for approximately 5% of the total number of Nigerian peacekeepers. According to Joseph Ogbonna, the top commander of the force, the female soldiers worked in various jobs before coming to Liberia, including cooks, nurses, police officers, teachers and refugee workers. Ogbonna pointed out that female peacekeepers are more disciplined.

Some male soldiers joke that female soldiers are quite influential here. Soldier Abiowe Avala said he noticed a change in himself, which was that he would unintentionally lower his voice and speak softly when female soldiers were present.

The cramped dormitories of Nigerian female soldiers are covered with photos of smiling children. While they were on assignment in Liberia, the children were left in the care of their father and relatives.

There are various reasons why female peacekeepers are willing to stay away from home and station in Liberia. Some are to aid a war-torn country, while others are attracted by generous subsidies.

Data map: Nigerian peacekeepers march into Monrovia

50-year-old Olayiwola Olanike said: "I came here to give this The country brings peace." Oranik is a mother of two and a former nurse. She came to Liberia five months ago to receive patients at a free clinic. It was difficult when he first arrived in Liberia. Olanik missed his family and was worried about contracting malaria.

Charity Charamba from Zimbabwe said she almost gave up before traveling to Liberia because her husband and two sons were in so much pain. "Leaving your family is a difficult decision to make," she said. "That's why most female soldiers find it difficult to perform peacekeeping missions." Charamba said that her son once called her at two in the morning and asked her to Mediate family disputes. The son said: "Mom, Dad doesn't listen to me."

For many soldiers from poor countries, the subsidies issued by the United Nations to peacekeepers are very attractive and are part of their participation in peacekeeping operations. Big power. According to regulations, peacekeepers can receive a monthly allowance of approximately US$1,000. For some peacekeepers from poor countries, this amount is equivalent to five times their usual salary.

Indian female peacekeepers: dual identities during the day and night

As night falls, you can still see female UN peacekeepers patrolling on the streets of Congo Town, Liberia. They wore neat uniforms, carried Kalashnikov rifles, and had long black hair tied into blue hats.

This special peacekeeping force is composed entirely of Indian female soldiers. These female soldiers have a dual identity: they patrol under the scorching sun during the day, and when they return to the camp at night, they return to their roles as mothers and wives, telling stories to children far away from home through video calls in the camp.

In the past five years, the number of female UN peacekeepers has doubled to 833. Nigeria and India are the countries that send the largest number of female peacekeepers. In the Darfur region of Sudan and Liberia, female soldiers account for a higher proportion of peacekeeping soldiers. For example, the Liberian Army has 1,354 peacekeepers, of which 14% are female.

Gerard J. DeGroot, a professor of history at the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom, has written a monograph about female soldiers. He believes that stationing female soldiers in war-torn areas will have a "more civilized effect."

In 2004, the United Nations condemned in a report a number of illegal activities by peacekeeping soldiers stationed in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti, including soliciting prostitution and sexual assault. According to statistics released by the United Nations, 47 Liberian peacekeepers were prosecuted for sexual crimes in 2005, and the number was 18 in 2009.

UN officials hope that the arrival of female soldiers can play a role in rectifying the reputation of peacekeeping forces. In Liberia, peacekeeping forces from different countries have been looking for the best way to make female soldiers effective.

Indian female peacekeepers