Major General Bettina Patricia Boughani joined the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in January 2021.
Leading a police component (UNPOL) of 1,920 people, she explained to “UN News” how proud she is of the work she does and the immense happiness she feels when she contributes her expertise to the implementation of the mission's mandate:
You are the Police Commissioner of MINUSMA and it has been a little over a year since you joined the mission. Is there gender parity within the police component?
We are just under 25% female personnel at the individual police level, and we are approximately 13% female personnel serving in formed police units.
We currently have a project called the Elsie Initiative to increase the number of women in formed police units through logistics, thus improving and supporting accommodation for women.
The idea is to bring in and deploy more female personnel.
How do you see the impact of women on the effectiveness of MINUSMA? Do you think the mission needs more women?
I think that the presence of female Blue Helmets makes it possible to approach the population a little more easily and I am thinking of women and young people with regard to the cultural context, with regard to certain exchanges. That's really the first point.
The second point is that female police officers, gendarmes, and soldiers, who are Blue Helmets, demonstrate that women can perform in a security mission and perhaps enable girls who may dream of being a police officer or a gendarme or a soldier.
I think that's really important.
MINUSMA continues to work tirelessly to increase the number of women.
By serving as Police Commission, who is also a woman, what do you bring to your colleagues, both men and women?
For me, it is always a difficult question because I believe that leadership is not gendered.
I think you need good professional experience. You have to be available; you have to have the will and I think you have to have common sense.
But in any case, for me, if I could inspire women to go take on this vocation, I would be delighted.
If some young people or women want or think about becoming Blue Helmets, or work in missions, what would be your suggestions?
If a woman wishes to join the Blue Helmets or join the forces of order in her country, I would say to her, quite simply, “Dare to do it.”
Prepare physically, prepare intellectually, for the hardships. Even if there are hardships, just go for it.
I would tell her: “Believe in yourself”.
