The all-female members of the Central Reserve Police Force are Indian, and they are being deployed to Liberia. BBC coverage is here. The BBC article notes several times that many of the women in the unit are married, and that the leader is a “39-year-old mother of two.” A competing account by “DNA India” focuses instead on how tough and prepared the women are, and also notes:
India is a longtime contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and has sent women as part of earlier units. But the UN this month described India’s move to deploy female officers in policing as “unprecedented.”
“We applaud it and think it is extremely timely and relevant to the policing needs in the years ahead,” UN police advisor Mark Krocker said.
Female peacekeepers are seen as bringing a different style to international policing by appearing less threatening and more approachable for women and children.
“Since the (Liberian) president is a woman, we think we would be able to send a message to the Liberian women to come forward to help rebuild their nation,” added [battalion commander Sunita] Dhundia.
Via Eileen Kane.
