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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / UNPOL PEACEBUILDING
TRT: 04:30
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 27 NOVEMBER 2025, BOR, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, Kumari contacting training
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Shalemi Kumari, Capacity Building and Development Team, United Nations Police (UNPOL):
“So, what I have seen is a context where, basically, the vulnerable people are affected during criminal incidents, even when prosecuting and doing the investigation, doing community outreach, is that we normally outreach on the vulnerable groups and the gender-based violence, which basically the women and children are affected. This particularly motivates me more to be the gender focal point, and whilst I was given opportunity, I never said no. So, let my job experience and expertise which I have carried at home be used here internationally.”
3. Various shots, Shalemi talking to women
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Shalemi Kumari, Capacity Building and Development Team, United Nations Police (UNPOL):
“We focus mainly on the girls and the women, not only girls and the women, and also the younger generations, and make them aware of what basically gender-based violence is about, and also not even just gender-based violence, we also look into the conflict-related gender-based violence. We go out to the community and we let them to be aware of how things happen and what is right, what is wrong, which needs to be reported regarding their rights, which they have to be, their daily human rights not to be violated, and, also, we conduct training for the NPS [South Sudan National Police Service] officers, we advise them, we mentor them, and we build their capacity on gender-based violence.”
5. Various shots, Kamari, Community police
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Shalemi Kumari, Capacity Building and Development Team, United Nations Police (UNPOL):
“For my family who are back at home, I talk to them daily through phone and video calls. But I don't feel lonely here, to tell you the truth. I have got my colleagues, and I have created that bonding within my colleagues, within my friends, even from various countries, various regions. I have a good team bonding with them, and we socialize with them. In the afternoon, we take a walk and then weekends, we sit together and for me, I don't see any difference, it's like I'm also serving in my country as I serve here.”
7. Various shots, Kumari, community members
At United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the United Nations Police (UNPOL) is working by strengthening community policing and supporting preparations for the country’s first democratic elections.
Police officers also support efforts to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and to promote human rights by engaging directly with the communities they serve.
Serving far from her home in Fiji, police officer Shalemi Kumari is working with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Jonglei, a region of South Sudan plagued by intercommunal conflict and severe climate shocks, including flooding which has affected 625,000 people this year.
Many displaced are sheltered in overcrowded public facilities or relocating to higher ground. Impassable roads are impacting humanitarian assistance, the already dire economic situation, and peacebuilding efforts.
Kumari said, “So, what I have seen is a context where, basically, the vulnerable people are affected during criminal incidents, even when prosecuting and doing the investigation, doing community outreach, is that we normally outreach on the vulnerable groups and the gender-based violence, which basically the women and children are affected. This particularly motivates me more to be the gender focal point, and whilst I was given opportunity, I never said no. So, let my job experience and expertise which I have carried at home be used here internationally.”
Utilizing her 22 years of experience as a criminal investigator, community policing officer and police prosecutor in her home country, Shalemi Kumari is particularly focused on supporting and girls, who are disproportionately impacted by conflict and often excluded from participating in political and peacebuilding activities.
Kumari said, “We focus mainly on the girls and the women, not only girls and the women, and also the younger generations, and make them aware of what basically gender-based violence is about, and also not even just gender-based violence, we also look into the conflict-related gender-based violence. We go out to the community and we let them to be aware of how things happen and what is right, what is wrong, which needs to be reported regarding their rights, which they have to be, their daily human rights not to be violated, and, also, we conduct training for the NPS [South Sudan National Police Service] officers, we advise them, we mentor them, and we build their capacity on gender-based violence.”
Every day, she helps build stability, protect communities, and foster a safer future for the people of South Sudan by empowering local officers with essential knowledge and skills.
For Shalemi, her work is a professional duty but also a personal commitment
She said, “For my family who are back at home, I talk to them daily through phone and video calls. But I don't feel lonely here, to tell you the truth. I have got my colleagues, and I have created that bonding within my colleagues, within my friends, even from various countries, various regions. I have a good team bonding with them, and we socialize with them. In the afternoon, we take a walk and then weekends, we sit together and for me, I don't see any difference, it's like I'm also serving in my country as I serve here.”
