When I was in Liberia I was fascinated each time I passed the parliament building in the capital city, Monrovia, where I lived. I really liked that Liberia had the first female president in Africa, Ellen Johnston Sirleaf, who was transforming the country. I was even more fascinated with who was guarding the building.
It is well known in the area that the best body guards come from Nigeria, and the president herself makes use of them. But to guard the presidential building she chose the only all female UN unit in the world: the Indian Women's Unit.
I have to admit that of all the UN country units left in Liberia (the western countries pulled out much earlier perhaps due to lack of media in the area) these women appear the most attentive and fierce. I found this very attractive and was fascinated that such a unit derived from what I considered a very traditional culture.
From what I can understand, some of the other UN units from similar West African countries took advantage of their position and there were reported cases of abuse of power involving peacekeepers and Liberian women. To nip it in the butt, President Sirleaf had the women brought in.
On an official visit that some of the higher ranking ship members made to see the president, I hitched along and hung out outside with these women. They were shy and giggly, but loved to chat.
They told me they were career soldiers who had committed to the Liberia post for 6 months. While there, they either lived in their army base or they were on duty. All of them had husbands, families and children and immediately brought out pictures to proudly show me. When asked if they felt their families were missing them and unable to cope without their mother, I was met with confusion. It became evidently clear that in a culture with extended families all under one roof they were more free to easily go off on a tour of duty. Besides, they said, they all loved getting away and being somewhere completely different.
BBC links on these women:
Indian Women to Keep Liberia Peace
Liberia gets All-Female Peacekeeping Force
All Female UN Squad a Success
It is well known in the area that the best body guards come from Nigeria, and the president herself makes use of them. But to guard the presidential building she chose the only all female UN unit in the world: the Indian Women's Unit.
I have to admit that of all the UN country units left in Liberia (the western countries pulled out much earlier perhaps due to lack of media in the area) these women appear the most attentive and fierce. I found this very attractive and was fascinated that such a unit derived from what I considered a very traditional culture.
From what I can understand, some of the other UN units from similar West African countries took advantage of their position and there were reported cases of abuse of power involving peacekeepers and Liberian women. To nip it in the butt, President Sirleaf had the women brought in.
On an official visit that some of the higher ranking ship members made to see the president, I hitched along and hung out outside with these women. They were shy and giggly, but loved to chat.
They told me they were career soldiers who had committed to the Liberia post for 6 months. While there, they either lived in their army base or they were on duty. All of them had husbands, families and children and immediately brought out pictures to proudly show me. When asked if they felt their families were missing them and unable to cope without their mother, I was met with confusion. It became evidently clear that in a culture with extended families all under one roof they were more free to easily go off on a tour of duty. Besides, they said, they all loved getting away and being somewhere completely different.
BBC links on these women:
Indian Women to Keep Liberia Peace
Liberia gets All-Female Peacekeeping Force
All Female UN Squad a Success
2 comments:
I love this! Woman president, women guards as solution to corrupt guard problem, extended families taking care of children etc. It's all very good.
I would have visited these women more if the ship I was living on had been closer.
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