south sudan
ARMED GUARDIANS
Of the 19,500 United Nations peacekeepers helping protect civilians in the
conflict-roiled new nation of South Sudan, about 1,600 are women, from
many countries. The women’s presence is part of a newly intensified effort
to bring more gender balance to forces the UN deploys internationally. “This
is not just a question of numbers but also of our effectiveness,” UN Secretary-
General António Guterres told Security Council members recently. Adding
more women peacekeepers, he said, truly does seem to help keep the peace.
150 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC