ONU, women peacekeepers a "powerful image for girls"

Martina Sandoval, UNPOL officer from El Salvador, serving at UNMISS, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan:“This is my first post in the United Nations police force, UNPOL. I arrived in South Sudan in December 2019 to work in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, UNMISS. I am part of the assessment team's office, collecting and analyzing information on any serious incidents occurring in the IDP (internally displaced) camp in Juba, the country's capital. We are here to protect them and ensure that the security situation inside the camp remains stable. I think the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest challenge we face. When the virus first spread to South Sudan, knowledge of our safety and that of the communities we serve was limited.

Women inspire peace - Keeping peace can be difficult: you will learn to live in distant lands with people you don't know, you will have to overcome many obstacles and take risks, but it will change your life in a way you never imagined. I think the biggest impact we have as women of peace is that we inspire young women and girls to think they are like us. They see us lead a life of service, of commitment to a cause that is greater than the individual. What a peacemaking woman represents to a girl in a remote village is very powerful, it shows that they can follow their dreams and don't need to limit themselves. (Italy News Press Agency - Media Partner United Nations - www.italianews.org)