Indonesian Peacekeeper Serving in the Central African Republic Named UN Woman Police Officer of the Year

New York, 13 November 2023 – 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 16 November 2023.

The award will be presented at a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters on 16 November.

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 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.”

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.”

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

Boosting the number of women peacekeepers is one of the main subject to be discussed at the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial that will be held in Accra on 5-6 December 2023.