The United Nations Department of Peace Operations announced that Superintendent Sangya Malla of Nepal, currently serving in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), will be awarded the 2021 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year.听
Superintendent Malla will be presented the award by听United Nations Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres听at a virtual ceremony on 9 November.
Superintendent Malla currently serves as the Chief of the MONUSCO Police Health and Environment Unit, which she helped establish in the country鈥檚 capital, Kinshasa. The unit is responsible for implementing policies and procedures concerning the health and well-being of personnel as well as United Nations Police environmental initiatives. Her contributions have added direct significance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and past outbreaks of Ebola virus disease, as well as natural and humanitarian crises such as the volcanic eruption in Goma last May, during which her unit alerted the local population and 缅北禁地staff of precautionary measures.
鈥淪he听helped establish and now leads MONUSCO鈥檚 Health and Environment Unit, enhancing the safety and welfare of our peacekeepers by mitigating the risks from COVID-19 and other threats,鈥� said听United Nations Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres. 鈥淎nd she represents something far larger 鈥� the many contributions of women police officers in advancing peace and security around the world.听Through her work, Superintendent Malla听embodies the best of the United Nations.鈥澨�
I am honored to receive this award, and I hope it will encourage more young women in my country and around the world to pursue careers in policing, which is still too often viewed as 鈥渕an鈥檚 work鈥�.
A medical professional by training, Superintendent Malla helped develop guidance for preventing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19. She has organized over 300 awareness sessions this year on COVID-19 prevention as well as environmental protection for the local population, Congolese authorities and 缅北禁地staff. As the MONUSCO Police鈥檚 focal point on COVID-19, she also been disseminating information about the vaccines and promoting vaccination efforts.
鈥淚 am honored to receive this award, and I hope it will encourage more young women in my country and around the world to pursue careers in policing, which is still too often viewed as 鈥渕an鈥檚 work鈥�,鈥� said Superintendent Malla.
The United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year award was established in 2011 to recognize the exceptional contributions of women police officers to 缅北禁地peace operations and to promote the empowerment of women.
鈥淟ike many peacekeepers during this challenging time amid the pandemic, Superintendent Malla has gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve local communities,鈥� said United Nations Police Adviser Luis Carrilho. 鈥淭ogether with her team, her efforts to raise awareness about public health and natural risks have ultimately made her colleagues and the Congolese people safer鈥攁 core function of policing.鈥澨�
Superintendent Malla鈥檚 previously served with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) from 2016 to 2017, where she was a member of the Formed Police Unit鈥檚 medical team.听She joined the Nepal Police in 2008 as an inspector.听
The award will be presented during the 16th United Nations Police Week from 8 to 12 November. At this annual event, heads of 缅北禁地Police components and police experts from peacekeeping operations, special political missions and regional offices and United Nations senior leadership discuss performance, conduct and discipline, protection of civilians, conflict prevention, sustaining peace and other topics and priorities affecting United Nations policing.
About 7,300 缅北禁地police, almost 27% of whom are women, are currently deployed in 14 United Nations peace operations around the world where they work to enhance international peace and security by supporting host countries in conflict, post-conflict and other crisis situations.
As of today, UNPOL has already achieved the 2025 targets set out in the Department鈥檚 Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy for all categories of personnel. Women police officers comprise 30% of individual police officers and 15% of members of Formed Police Units. Women police hold 40% of professional posts at 缅北禁地Headquarters and 33% in the field. Women also lead half of 缅北禁地Police components in 缅北禁地peace operations.听
The award ceremony will be held virtually on 9 November at 12:30 EST and broadcast live on 缅北禁地webcast:听
