Peacekeeping not routine act; requires creativity, inclusion to make a difference: Maj Swathi

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) Indian Army officer Major Swathi Shanthakumar, who has been recognised by the UN for her work to address gender-based violence in South Sudan's Malakal, says peacekeeping is "not a singular or routine act", rather it requires creativity and inclusion to make a real difference.

She had led an all-women Military Engagement Team in Malakal, for 18 months, as part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

On the occasion of the International Women's Day, Major Swathi interacting with PTI Videos, shared her experience of being part of the peacekeeping operation in strife-torn South Sudan.

She described how her team's work under the 'Equal Partners, Lasting Peace' initiative helped build trust, create safer spaces and address critical issues faced by local women.

"As trust grew, women began sharing deeper issues, including about conflict-related sexual violence affecting women, men and even children," the Army officer said. "We reported these to the Child Protection Unit and gender cell for follow-up assistance." To sustain safe communication, the team distributed protection contact cards with emergency numbers and created a WhatsApp group connecting village women leaders directly with peacekeepers, she said.

Dedicated safe spaces were also facilitated for women to gather, discuss concerns and seek support, Maj Swathi said.

South Sudan is home to one of its largest UN peacekeeping operations, UNMISS, with a strength of nearly 20,000 staff - military, police and civilian personnel - from about 75 countries, according to the UN website.

Countries like Rwanda, India, Nepal and Bangladesh provide the most number of troops to help South Sudan’s fragile transition from a deep-seated and complex legacy of war, it said.

Major Swathi from Bengaluru, who has been serving in the Indian Army since 2018 and belongs to the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, believes that empowering women in conflict-affected areas, directly strengthens the wider community and contributes to sustainable peace.

She recently won the UN Secretary-General's Award 2025 in the gender category for her contributions made during her peacekeeping deployment in South Sudan.

"This award will motivate other peacekeepers to adopt innovative approaches," she said.

"Peacekeeping is not a singular or routine act. it requires creativity and inclusion to make a real difference," Maj Swathi said.

During the 18-month period of deployment she proved that leadership isn't just about command, but also fostering a connection.

"Empowering women means empowering the entire community in a conflict zone," Major Swathi said.

"When women feel secure and economically independent, they become voices for stability and dialogue in their families and villages." She explained that the core of the engagement project was built around the principle of "observe, engage and report".

Upon arrival in the mission area in South Sudan, where women peacekeepers were rarely seen in operational duties, she said, her team began regular patrols which included foot patrols, riverine and air patrols and direct interactions with local women.

The team faced challenges such as community's hesitation towards UN personnel, and language barriers, involving Arabic and local dialects.

These were addressed through persistent outreach to build trust, deployment alongside their battalion for operational strength, use of language assistants, translation apps and pre-translated question sets to record accurate responses, she said.

Major Swathi said the initiative reached a larger number of women through self-empowerment camps offering tailoring, sewing and beading classes, enabling many to achieve economic independence and gain confidence. PTI RK KND NB NB