New Police Commissioner of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan Unaisi Vuniwaqa aims to boost the number of female officers in UN peacekeeping missions.

Vuniwaqa is actively engaging with Police Contributing Countries to make them commit to lifting the proportion of serving policewomen from its current level of 20 per cent.

She says they’re engaging with mostly the vulnerable people that are protected within the Protection of Civilians sites adding that most of them are women and children.

Vuniwaqa adds the role of women police in UNPOL is very important so they’re able to bridge the gap with the community they’re serving within the PoC site.

Her appointment to the top policing job at the UN in South Sudan has been welcomed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the Mission, David Shearer.

The primary responsibility of the 1,500 police officers serving in South Sudan is to ensure the safety and security of internally displaced people who have sought sanctuary from ongoing violence in UN protection sites.

Currently, police officers from 42 countries contribute to this important service.