Major Seynabou Diouf of the Senegal National Police has been awarded the 2019 United Nations Female Police Officer of the Year.
Police Major Seynabou Diouf has worked “tirelessly with her colleagues inside and outside the Mission to empower women, improve conduct, enhance protection, strengthen performance, and thereby build sustainable peace”, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Peace Operations chief, told the heads of UN police and police experts from 14 peacekeeping operations, gathered at the award ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York.
He also noted that in her native country, Senegal, she became the first female police officer to be honoured as a Gardien de la Paix, which was previously reserved for male officers.
“Since early in her career, she has shown her determination to make the extra effort, go the extra mile, to achieve her goals” he added.
Major Diouf is one of over 1,400 female police officers serving under the UN flag, carrying out a complex range of tasks – from capacity-building and reform, to community-oriented policing, investigations, protection of civilians, and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.
Commenting on the award, Major Diouf said “When I was young, I wanted to be a medical doctor but there was an urgent need to help support my family”, she told those assembled. “Being a police officer in the early years of female recruitment provided recognition and a decent salary, but it also allowed me to contribute to society in ways I had never thought possible”.
Source: Leadingladies Africa
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