PC Tevita Gave, W/Sgt Makitala Masira, WPC Shiwani Sital and W/PC Sainimere Tagayawa departed the country on Saturday. Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho [middle]. [Source: Fiji Police]

The Fiji Police Force have almost doubled its quota of the number of female officers to serve under the UN banner.

This is after the latest deployment of three female police officers for a tour of duty with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan

Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho says close to 40% of the officers currently on missions are women.

Qiliho says the opportunity to serve under the UN banner is one sought after by many comrades and with an increasing demand for female officers, they hope to send more women as new UN mission areas open up.

He says Fiji continues to be regarded highly for their roles as trusted and friendly peacekeepers, and it’s a reputation that they need to maintain for the sake of their comrades as all reports of ill-discipline will not only reflect negatively on the institution but the nation.

Currently, 12 of 27 police female officers serve under UNMISS, UNAMID and with the RFMF sanctioned mission, while two senior women officers are on secondment with UNMISS.

Meanwhile, the three female officers departed the country on Saturday.