Highest ranking female commander in the United Nations tells her story. And: Ukrainian women can now join the national police force.
Major General Kristin Lund is a pioneer for gender equality in the military. She was the first female officer in the Norwegian army to be promoted to the rank of Major General. In 2014, then-United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced her appointment as Force Commander for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, making her the highest ranking female commander in the United Nations. Major General Lund has since overseen peacekeeping missions all over the world. Today, she is the head UN military observer for the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization that monitors the ceasefire between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. She is the first woman to lead the mission since its formation in 1948. We spoke with General Lund about her career, beginning with her experience as a young woman in the military.
Later in this episode we hear from Ukrainian women who are joining the national police force to very positive results. Prior to 2015, there were more than 450 jobs that were off-limits to women in Ukraine. But when the Russian-backed government in Ukraine was toppled, many more jobs became available to women — including in public safety. In collaboration with Across Women’s Lives at Public Radio International, Reporter and Producer Allison Herrera brings us the story of new women hires in the national police force in Ukraine.
