Zimbabwe’s Emma Madziva stands at attention as a medal is
pinned on her left breast pocket, just next to her name tag.
The five-feet-three-inches-tall peacekeeper now proudly
wears her first-ever United Nations medal, honouring her peacekeeping work in
South Sudan’s Unity area.
“It shows how hard we have worked in this place [South
Sudan],” she says, referring to various tasks she has been engaged in over the
last eight months in Africa’s youngest country.
“I was working as a patrols officer before, but I now work
on the gender desk, occupied in resolving issues around domestic violence,
early and forced marriages, rapes, and everything else that is classified under
Gender and Children Vulnerable People Protection (GCVPP),” says Madziva.
According to Madziva, working in the largest protection of
civilians site and explaining to the population that various forms of violence
against women and children are not acceptable, is a monumental challenge in a
community which does not abhor the vice.
“We work explaining to the people that various forms of
violence against either gender and children does not only occur between husband
and wife, but may extend to family members, neigbours and relatives,” she
says.
“Sometimes the victims [who come to us] cannot explain
themselves. You only see them tearing up, and you know they are in some sort of
pain,” says Madziva. “I feel pity for them, but we are able to help them
resolve some of their problems,” says the 35-year-old, who is now a
front-runner in the girl-child education amongst the displaced.
She says she tells them that girls will improve the future
of the nation.
“We sensitise women to support and educate the girl child,”
says Madziva who is now encouraged to see girls attending school and able to
learn English, which they now use easily as a common language of communication.
Madziva, a mother of one, hopes that those she serves can
one day have a say that will turn their fortunes by giving opportunities to
women and girls who have not had many an opportunity.
She says she is happy to have been able to compete with men
to earn her stripes under her current role, which the United Nations globally
encourages.
In late 2017, UN Secretary-General António Guterres
launched a gender parity strategy aimed at increasing the recruitment and
advancement of women within the United Nations.
Indeed, Madziva is now among 16 women who have turned the
gender tables in peacekeeping in South Sudan.
“We should not differentiate between men and women. Women
are not often given the chance to be in the same position as men. Sometimes
they have no say,” says the new medal recipient,” who briefly tears as she
recounts a personal tragedy in which her husband died, leaving her to raise
their only child as a single parent.
The contribution of women like Madziva to changing the
image of UN peacekeeping is easily recognizable now within the UN Mission in
South Sudan (UNMISS).
“It is very gratifying to know that there is almost gender
parity. We are very proud. Female personnel are crucial to our work,” says the
UNMISS Chief of Staff, Paul Egunsola.
Of the thirty Zimbabweans from the UN Police who received
medals for their gallant efforts in South Sudan, Madziva’s group is also the
largest contingent of UN Police to have served in the country.
It is a proud moment for them and the United Nations alike.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations
Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
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