Distinguished guests,
As the patron of the IAWP’s 51st training conference, it is indeed a privilege to be able to say a few words at the launch of your web site for the International Network of Female Police Peacekeepers.
The launch of this website is important in many ways and deserves recognition both within the law enforcement environment and among the citizens of the global internet community.
It would appear that the role played by women in international peacekeeping initiatives is under-reported and down-played in the international arena. Speaking from the South African perspective, I can confirm that our women police officers and soldiers play a pivotal role in peacekeeping initiatives.
Policewomen from the South African Police Service have been deployed on peacekeeping missions for several years. The role that we have played in Dafur and South Sudan cannot be under estimated.
Our women are performing vital duties and their services are both welcomed and applauded. Both domestically and abroad, it is accepted that most women who are the victims of crime, especially gender-based crimes or sexual offences, relate and respond better to female law enforcement officers.
During the IAWP’s 51st training conference, specific attention will be paid to this topic and the following speakers will address different aspects of the topic:
- Catherine Innocent Abalo of Uganda will present on “Gender issues within the peacekeeping mission”;
- Mrinalini Shirivastava of India will speak about “The motivation of women in support of demobilization of armed forces for peace building in Guinea Bassau”;
- Charity Angeline Charamba of Zimbabwe and Loveness Kakeme Kayunga of Zambia will address us on “Women in peacekeeping missions”;
- Captain Thulile Lukhele of the host country South Africa will give her first-hand experience of peace keeping in Sudan;
- Brigadier Thobeka Jozi, also from the SAPS, will open a debate on “Whether police contributing countries training for peacekeeping missions sufficiently addresses the special needs of women and children during conflict” and
- Brigadier Hester Adriana Paneras of South Africa will address us about the “protection of civilians with special emphasis on the role of the police”.
Interestingly, Brigadier Paneras is a member of the South African Police Service and is the first female to hold the position of the Police Commissioner of the UNAMID mission in Darfur. We applaud Brigadier Paneras for having attained this post.
It is not an easy post and to be the first woman appointed to this position is a testimony to her outstanding qualities as an international peacekeeper. I am sure that everyone attending this session of the IAWP Training Conference was empowered and enlightened.
I am confident that you will find that the South African Police Service will be your role model in the achievement of your targets as in our peacekeeping deployments, we actually have an almost 50/50 ratio of women to men.
I will always actively support the establishment of a women’s network in a policing environment. The SAPS Women’s Network is the driving force behind this conference being held in South Africa. There is a definite need for women operating in a previously male-dominated environment to gather, to interact, to share experiences and information and to support one another.
Women police officers in peacekeeping positions can only benefit by being part of such a network. The mentoring and training that they will obtain through informal interactions could very well be the deciding factor in whether or not they will thrive in their challenging environments.
I again thank you for the kind invitation to interact with you and the privilege of becoming an honorary member of your network.
