October 17, 2007
Female peacekeepers



Watch the program: Part 1 | Part 2

When I heard about the decision to send an entirely female peacekeeping unit to Liberia, my first reaction was -- why didn’t anyone think of that before? It’s obviously a good idea.

For so many years the woman of Liberia had paid a very high price for the cruel civil wars of this country, and this might be a very important step in the right direction, why not let the woman take the lead in a country where 73 percent of all women have been raped.

For me, as a director of documentary films, it was also obvious that it would be interesting to do a film about the world's first female U.N. peacekeeping unit.

Millions of people have met or seen television footage of soldiers at war, almost all of them, men. The image of men killing each other in ugly wars comes very easy, but the picture of a female soldier doesn’t readily appear when we think of war.

Can women fight a war at all? And will they be better at making peace than men? They are for me two very interesting questions. For many years we have discussed if women are better leaders than men, and here was the chance to make a debate of an equivalent topic, are women better to make peace than men?

I went to Liberia this spring -- a fragile and war torn country. At peace, yes, but where tensions were lurking under the surface. The scars of war are everywhere.

Everyone I met told me the most horrible stories of what happened during the 13 years of civil war. Very little is working, and the people are desperately poor. Walking around the capital Monrovia, would very quickly leave you sad, but for me that picture changed when I met the women that are trying to change it.

It was fantastic to meet the Indian contingent commander, the Liberian female police students and not least of all the chief of police, Beatrice Mona Sieh. They were all so dedicated to their task, and worked with such an enthusiasm, professionalism with a female touch, and confidence that convinced me this will work out, even though it's going to take a long time.

The question of whether women are better to make peace than men is probably not one to be answered yet, but I doubt that this will be the last time we see an entirely female peace keeping unit.

-- From Søren Bendixen, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
I did not get the identity of this female UN Peacekeeping unit. How many of them, from which country etc. Hope you can elucidate.
Why can't we watch this program from North America
The contingent is from India, and at the time I was there, they were about 125

Søren Bendixen, director
YES, LET the FEMALES make and keep the peace, the country, the world and most of all the family!
Edddy





















ess
I need help here in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, America. Help!
Gerianne
Yes woman can fight and if they want to I don't think....I know they should!

If only the stupid U.S. woke up and realized we are at war! but Noooooooooooo. they are too busy crying about having to go thru security at the airports. and even worse about having to be re-screened after leaving the steril areas of an airport to go to another terminal! I for one can't wait until you all die from the next terrorist attack.and your kids are the ones left to do the crying!
I am person with a wide and broad spectrum of opinions and views that don't stop at what is. I look at events and occurances as what can be done, like the blog on female peacekeepers. There is no taboo or any oddity as to women doing any job as a man would, could, or even should. Believe it or not, men can take a couple of pointers from women on how to assess and resolve most of the situations that can occur in any occupation. I myself am not a women, but throughout my life I have been surrounded by the views and ideas that the women I were in contact with made great strides to accomplish a goal. Maybe men need to include women more in everyu activity that is offered instead of saying, 'Oh, how would you know, your just a girl'. That kind of narrow-minded thinking is why some women not all, take revenge by totally screwing up some things that the descent and gifted attempt at. What I'm trying to say is men shouldn't close the doors of opportunity to a woman just because and the same goes for the feminists who they in their minds feel that all men should be castrated at birth. The real question remains though no one has answered it, IS ANYONE AS WELL AS EVERYONE READY FOR A HUGE CHANGE?
A woman cannot make peace with another woman, but they want a greater responsibility.

This is the way how feminists want to show the things.
1. They dont want to talk about what a man does better. This they call it discrimination.
2. They want to show the small inconsequential things that a woman does better than a man as equivalent to an noble prize achievements.
3. They also want and make people believe what a man does better can be best done by a best woman - even though it is otherwise.

I don't understand why American men don't find guts to oppose feminists and to show their place.
The question is: why is this an "UNTOLD" story? Such a relevant issue, should be on the news foreground. It is a wonderful documentary, because it opens up the question more than judging or deciding whether women are better than men to keep peace. The media could have such an important role in pushing that what is positive forward. Thank you very much,
Silvia Pavani
I think women are able to finish what men can finish! Even better!
A danish peacekeeper?
Peace comes from a peaceful heart, every heart is a home to peace. Male and Female both can bring about peace when one listens to their heart.

Kennedy Samuel
Pune, India
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World’s Untold Stories showcases courageous correspondents telling intimate stories of society's most vulnerable people. Often gritty, always powerful tales that open our eyes to a world that is at times disturbing and captivating. Storytelling that is raw and unyielding in its impact. World’s Untold Stories will bring the viewer tales from all corners of the world, and shine light on activities almost never exposed.

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