Indian Police Service in 1972 ( Indian Police Service (IPS)) For the first time, a female officer, Kiran Bedi was appointed as an officer. This is one of the countless achievements in his career. Shortly after joining IPS, Kiran Bedi won the President’s Police Medal in 1979. Then in 1994, he was awarded the Raman Magsay Award for his prison reforms in Delhi in 1994.
In a conversation with UN News, Dr. Kiran Bedi said that in the year 2000, when the Security Council proposal 1325, in all peace and security efforts, a provision was made to increase the participation of women, then a phone from the Ministry of External Affairs of India changed the direction of their career.
Kiran Bedi, refreshing some sweet memories from the window of memories, says, “One day I received a call from a joint secretary from the Ministry of External Affairs. He said that under the proposal 1325 of the United Nations Security Council, a new opportunity has been opened to include women in peace. This is a very good opportunity for India, and you will be a suitable candidate from our country. ” He asked him to fill the application for this post and prepare for examination for selection.
Kiran Bedi says, “It was difficult, but there was a tremendous direction. The result of the examination was to come, not fail, had to pass for the country. “
So he worked hard with these feelings. He had an online interview from New York. Was a strict competition. There were many AI commissioners in other participants, who had already worked in peacekeeping campaigns. And all were men. “
Family responsibilities
She says that in the interview, I was asked a question that if you are selected for this post, then who will take care of your family?
He immediately replied, “My family will take care of himself.”
And perhaps this big question about women, this was the big obstacle, which she managed to break and move forward. “I was selected after about a month and a half. This was a significant turn in my career. “
Then she came to New York to work in the United Nations and started visiting many countries while working in peacekeeping missions.
She explains, “I had 16 peacekeeping missions, and more than 80 officers were from Sweden, some from Nepal, some from Germany, some from France – I had a big diverse team. It took time to understand everyone, but very soon we became a team. “
As a team, he carried out many tasks related to peace -defense – established laws somewhere, trained somewhere, started schools somewhere, and taught forensic science somewhere. “I had experience in public administration. Also worked in libraries, and the UN Shantiraksha Mission had a big role in advancing democracy. ”
“Every week I had to go somewhere. There was no time to sleep. But I got to learn a lot. I saw havoc everywhere. Children were becoming soldiers, women were insecure. Neither was there any protecting women, nor women were police, nor locally, nor globally. ”
“I saw there how strong the woman police needed. If there are no women in a community, then many problems will remain. “
Then he returned to India and raised this thing in front of the government that there are such a large number of qualified women in India, are also in CRPF, are also in the police, are also in BSF, are also in ITBP, are also in Rapid Action Force.
“Then why don’t we send them for peace. When the world needs us, why should we stay behind? “
The government obeyed them and that day is and today. Today, India remains a leader serving in important missions with more than 150 women peacekeepers, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Lebanon and Golan hills.
The path opened from the police advisor, and gradually more women started coming into peace.
Initial challenges
Kiran Bedi gives all the credit for her success to her parents. “He made me the champion of tennis, taught him well, carried forward, and in such a way that I could make my decisions myself.”
“The house is a helipad for me, from where I have been flying. I made my house the basis of my flight and always moved forward. “
At that time, in the male dominated society, seeing a female police officer, it was not easy to accept them. “But wherever I went, people accepted me.”
“People in India recognized and accepted me,” but they had to work hard to make their place at the international level. She says, “One is the youngest, thinner and then a woman from a brown skin.”
He told that it took time but gradually people started becoming confident. But once this process started, then he did not look back. “
Importance of women in peacekeeping campaigns
Kiran Bedi believes that no peaceful woman and man is possible without both men. “You also want weapons, hearts, and also want mind. So, those who can drive weapons, run weapons, and those who can give ‘healing touch’ by applying mind and heart, play this role. ”
He believes that with the arrival of women, UN peacekeepers have been completely integrated. “That is why peace construction is now moving in a new direction.”
“You want all kinds of people. People who can use power, but can listen, cooperate, and work together. This is the reason why it is important to form a balanced team. Only one point of view will not work. “
From leadership to the face of peacekeeping
Although even today, women are at the second level in peace, very few women are seen in leadership roles.
Kiran Bedi says, “If they get more opportunities under the leadership, then the thinking will change, acceptance will increase, and the reputation of UN peace will also be strong.”
She says that as the nature of struggles is changing, she is confident that women will play a very important role in restoration of peace in the coming years.