In conflict zones marked by insecurity and loss, Zambian women police officers are redefining what it means to serve on the frontlines of peace. Through the Women in Peacekeeping Operations Project, funded by the Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations and implemented by UNDP and the Zambia Police Service (ZPS), women officers are gaining the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to take on UN peacekeeping roles. With USD 932,072 invested in Zambia, the project is breaking long-standing barriers and advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Although Zambia has committed to women’s empowerment, female officers have historically faced limited access to deployment information, heavy domestic responsibilities, and cultural perceptions that discourage international service. Institutional gaps—such as the absence of a clear Anti-SEA policy—further hindered progress. The project is helping change this by creating fairer, more supportive pathways for women to deploy.

The experience of Assistant Superintendent Memory Neba, who served in Liberia, shows the profound impact women can make. Working closely with women and children, she helped raise awareness on education and security while 32 distributing vegetable seeds in partnership with FAO. “Families were able to grow food, earn income, and send their children to school,” she recalls—small actions that helped communities rebuild.

In South Sudan, Inspector Lilian Lishomwa led an initiative called My Police My Teacher, teaching basic English to South Sudanese women officers. “By the time I left, 35 women could speak and write in English,” she says. “It made a huge difference in their confidence and ability to serve.”

To date, 29 Zambian women officers have been trained in essential peacekeeping skills—from report writing and computer literacy to interviews and firearm handling. For Assistant Superintendent Ruth Nawila, this preparation made her transition into the mission area easier. While deployed, she helped local women develop business skills. “Many had no income of their own,” she explains. “Our programs gave them confidence and direction.”

Women peacekeepers have also strengthened responses to gender-based violence. Assistant Superintendent Vincent Riggy Chibesa notes that female officers make it easier to gather sensitive information and support survivors respectfully.

For the women who serve, peacekeeping is transformative. “I was shy and hesitant before,” Lilian reflects. “But peacekeeping gave me the courage to fight for my goals.” Ruth adds, “When you come back, you’re not the same—you understand the world differently.”

Their message is clear: more women are needed in peace operations. As Lilian puts it, “We are not just peacekeepers—we are pioneers shaping a more peaceful future for all.