The month of March has the world celebrating women’s achievements and reflecting on the women’s rights movement, with March 8 marking International Women’s Day.

Nevertheless, hundreds of thousands of women in wartime and armed conflicts increasingly bear the burden of armed conflict, being the targets of specific forms of violence and abuse, including rape and other forms of gender-based violence.

This attracted the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, which mandates member states to expand women’s participation at all decision-making levels—national and international—in the field of peace and security.

The resolution’s operational clauses urge for more women to engage in peace process negotiations, conflict settlement, and UN peacekeeping operations, and call for more women to fill senior UN leadership positions.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, formally adopted in 2000, is arguably the first effort at the global level to address the impact of war on women, by recognising the role women play in conflict management, conflict resolution, and sustainable peace. And it is binding to all member states.

Sixty-nine countries, including Rwanda, have taken action to affirm Resolution 1325, incorporating it into their own laws and action plans.

For more information on how Rwanda is faring on this resolution, The New Times’ Jade Natacha Iriza interviewed the Director of Individual Police Officers (IPO) in the Department of Peace and Support Operations at Rwanda National Police, RNP, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Alphonsine Murekatete.

How is Rwanda faring in light of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325?

First off, it is well known that Rwanda has a significantly higher proportion of women in positions of leadership.

The country has also been deploying female Individual Police Officers since 2006. Rwanda National Police has now ranked first in the contribution of female police officers to UN peacekeeping. While Rwanda, as a member nation, comes second in terms of female peacekeepers' contribution.

Rwanda rotates female-dominated police contingents from time to time. What does it look like on the ground?

I serve as one of RNP’s police trainers, preparing those who take part in peacekeeping missions. You receive training on your duties as a peacekeeper in an area of conflict regardless of your gender.

They do it all, from raising awareness about societal problems like gender-based abuse, and giving vulnerable people development and economic recovery advice, to actual protection.

The four central engagement pillars of the resolution for women in conflict settings include; prevention, participation, protection, relief, and recovery. How is that done in simple terms?

First of all, these apply to all peacekeepers in general. In simple terms, it could be explained in four categories:

The first one is a Formed Police Unit, whose specific mandate is the protection of civilians. They go there to protect UN personnel, UN equipment, and the local people.

The second is Individual Police Officers, who serve as advisors and experts in policy-making. Their mission is to engage in capacity-building and raise awareness on different issues particular to the area, including community policing and the prevention of crimes.

Another category includes Professional Officers, who are at the strategic level. These are the people who set laws and help the local government to organise their country and adopt international laws. They help to cease fire, mediate negotiation, and so on.

Another category is the civilian component, whose mandate is to provide relief. This includes the likes of UNICEF and human rights organisations. They provide food, water, and medical assistance. But something particular to Rwanda is what we call ‘quick impact projects’, which help them to know how they can generate an income to cater for themselves.

So when women are deployed, they take part in all the prevention, participation, protection, relief, and recovery operations.

Why is gender equality in peacekeeping important in situations of armed conflict?

Despite the reality that no one is doing well during a war, it is still vital to address the specific needs of girls and women. The reason is that conflicts and situations of instability worsen pre-existing patterns of discrimination and specific forms of violence and abuse against women and girls, making them even more vulnerable.

The ideal assumption in putting other women in charge is that they would be able to empathise and comprehend better how we can care for them.

Women still make up a small portion of peace operations and processes. What do you think should be done moving forward?

Most importantly, stereotypes that portray women primarily as victims and not as agents in fighting for peace should be left behind. Because such beliefs make it harder to view them as equal partners in key decision-making bodies when negotiating peace.