Indonesian Peacekeeper to Receive 2023 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year Award

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations has announced that Police First Sergeant Renita Rismayanti, of Indonesia, will receive the 2023 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year Award on November 16, according to a press release received by Tempo on Monday, November 13, 2023.

The award will be presented during the annual United Nations Police Week, taking place at United Nations Headquarters from November 13 to 17.

Police First Sergeant Rismayanti serves as a Crime Database Officer with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). In this role, she has helped conceptualize and develop a criminal database that enables UN Police to map and analyse crime and disorder hotspots which, in turn, helps the country’s security forces to better plan their operations in support of the local population.

Police First Sergeant Renita Rismayanti (wearing blue beret) while serving in the Central African Republic with a colleague. (Photo: United Nations in Indonesia)

“Police First Sergeant Rismayanti’s innovation and efforts to leverage data within United Nations peacekeeping and the Central African Republic police has made a significant contribution to enhancing security for vulnerable communities, including women and girls,” said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

“She serves as a great example of how the participation and leadership of women in peacekeeping improve the effectiveness of our protection and peacebuilding work to better meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” he added.

Police First Sergeant Rismayanti says she feels fortunate to be able to use her technological skills to improve security for people across the Central African Republic. “I hope the visibility that comes from winning this award will reinforce among women and girls that all fields of expertise in policing are open to us,” she said.

At 27 years of age, she is the youngest-ever United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year.

She began her career with the Indonesian National Police as a public information officer in 2014 and has also worked in training, administration, and logistics.

“Having accomplished so much by embracing technology in a traditionally male-dominated field, Police First Sergeant Rismayanti represents the future of United Nations policing,” said United Nations Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar.

“She and her colleagues are helping to build trust and confidence between local authorities and communities, which makes the work of the United Nations Police more effective and people safer,” said Faisal.

The United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year award was established in 2011 to recognize the exceptional contributions of women police officers to UN peace operations and to promote women’s empowerment.

TEMPO.CO

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