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STORY: UN / TRAILBLAZERS AWARDS WOMEN
TRT: 3:37
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 AND 08 OCTOBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
08 OCTOBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Conference room
3. Med shot, Deputy Secretary-General speaking at the podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Her work reminds us that when justice delivers dignity, when institutions serve people, we move closer to the promise of the 2030 Agenda and sustainable development. A world of peace, of equality and opportunity for all. Olukemi’s story reminds us that peace is not only in the silencing of guns, it is in the presence of justice. It is the everyday work of people who turn broken systems into places of healing. It is the courage to carve hope where others see none.”
5. Various shots, Deputy Secretary-General presenting Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers to Olukemi Ibikunle
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Olukemi Ibikunle, Nigerian Corrections Officer, Trailblazer Award Winner:
“I am proud to stand today as proof that women have a voice. We can dream boldly and contribute meaningfully to peace and security.”
7. Wide shot, Olukemi Ibikunle speaking
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Olukemi Ibikunle, Nigerian Corrections Officer, Trailblazer Award Winner:
“The faces of the children living with their mothers in detention and the children in conflicts with the law in the DRC prisons, which remind me daily of the profound responsibility I and indeed all of us, carry for the future generations. The reminder that I'm not doing this for myself alone, but for other girls and women who we follow. For my daughter, showing them true example that it can be done.”
9. Wide shot, Olukemi Ibikunle speaking
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Olukemi Ibikunle, Nigerian Corrections Officer, Trailblazer Award Winner:
“This is why I urge Member States to nominate and deploy more women to justice and corrections roles in peace operations. Representation matters. It matters for the effectiveness of our missions, and it also matters for the message it sends to communities around the world that women belong at the heart of peace.”
11. Wide shot, press briefing room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Olukemi Ibikunle, Nigerian Corrections Officer, Trailblazer Award Winner:
“My presence in the DRC has been in collaboration with other colleagues. We bring our expertise from different countries to reform and move forward the prison administration in the DRC because there cannot be lasting peace without a functional justice system. And there cannot be a functional justice system without a robust corrections service.”
13. Wide shot, press briefing room
06 OCTOBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Olukemi Ibikunle, Nigerian Corrections Officer, Trailblazer Award Winner:
“I would say to the young girls to first of all develop competence because when you are competent in any field, it gives you confidence. You are able to step out and be counted. So always remember that competence does not have gender, even if there are gender biases, there are stereotypes, when you are competent, people will not have a choice but to give you a chance to prove yourself. And once you prove yourself, you get bigger opportunities, you'll get roles. So I will tell young girls to develop competence and that leads to confidence. And also, just believe that women can make a difference and be bold enough to step out and make a difference.”
15. Wide shot, Olukemi at an interview
Nigerian Corrections Officer Olukemi Ibikunle is the winner of the third United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed presented Olukemi the award today (08 Oct) at a ceremony in New York.
The UN deputy chief said, “Her work reminds us that when justice delivers dignity, when institutions serve people, we move closer to the promise of the 2030 Agenda and sustainable development. A world of peace, of equality and opportunity for all.”
“Olukemi’s story reminds us that peace is not only in the silencing of guns, it is in the presence of justice. It is the everyday work of people who turn broken systems into places of healing. It is the courage to carve hope where others see none,” Amina Mohammed added.
Olukemi Ibikunle is a correctional officer from Nigeria deployed to UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
Accepting the reward, Olukemi said, “I am proud to stand today as proof that women have a voice. We can dream boldly and contribute meaningfully to peace and security.”
She added, “The faces of the children living with their mothers in detention and the children in conflicts with the law in the DRC prisons, which remind me daily of the profound responsibility I and indeed all of us, carry for the future generations. The reminder that I'm not doing this for myself alone, but for other girls and women who we follow. For my daughter, showing them true example that it can be done.”
Olukemi urged Member States to “nominate and deploy more women to justice and corrections roles in peace operations.”
“Representation matters. It matters for the effectiveness of our missions, and it also matters for the message it sends to communities around the world that women belong at the heart of peace,” she emphasized.
Later at a press briefing, Olukemi said, “My presence in the DRC has been in collaboration with other colleagues. We bring our expertise from different countries to reform and move forward the prison administration in the DRC.”
She said, “there cannot be lasting peace without a functional justice system. And there cannot be a functional justice system without a robust corrections service.”
In an interview on Monday (06 Oct), Olukemi encouraged young girls to develop competence, adding that “when you are competent in any field, it gives you confidence. You are able to step out and be counted.”
She highlighted, “competence does not have gender, even if there are gender biases, there are stereotypes, when you are competent, people will not have a choice but to give you a chance to prove yourself. And once you prove yourself, you get bigger opportunities, you'll get roles.”
The award winner also said to “believe that women can make a difference and be bold enough to step out and make a difference.”
The Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of women justice and corrections officers deployed as government-provided personnel to United Nations peace operations and challenges gender stereotypes and gender-related barriers by showcasing their achievements.
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