Captain Shichan Moktan from Nepal: “Inspiring other women to pursue their dreams makes my work worthwhile”

“I want my son to be proud of me. Every time I am faced with a difficult situation, I think of him, and that it is important that he makes a difference here, to show him that a woman can be whatever she wants to be and that he should think of other women that way,” says Captain Shichan Moktan from Nepal.

On this particular day, she and her 699 fellow peacekeepers and compatriots serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan have certainly made their mountainous home country proud. They are all based in Rumbek and all have received UN medals for their outstanding work on behalf of peace.

Shichan may have started her adult life studying environmental science, but perhaps it was always written in the stars, or at least etched in her family tree, that Captain Moktan would be one of 30 Nepalese women to receive the coveted sparkly piece. metal his father not only served in the national army but also enjoys the privilege of having a pioneering sister to look up to.

”I was lucky to have an amazing role model in my family. My older sister was the first female officer in the Nepal Army. Even today, there are not that many women in our military, but she always wanted to be one of the ones to increase that percentage,” she says.

At 32, Captain Moktan is young, but having joined the Nepalese Army in 2012, she fills her uniform with a significant amount of experience. This has been recognized by her Commander in Rumbek, who appointed her to lead the contingent’s women’s engagement team on South Sudanese soil.

Leaving her family, friends, husband, and 3-year-old son wasn’t an easy decision to make, but when the world’s best-known peacekeeper called, Shichan knew she had to seize the opportunity. She did so, with both hands.

“These Blue Helmets represent the hope for a better future, and to be one of them, contributing to world peace and security, is a dream come true, as much as it sounds cliché,” he says with a beaming smile.

As we speak, Captain Moktan often returns to her desire to inspire others. She believes that anything is possible if one believes in oneself and that an encouraging “tap on the back” will make even the seemingly impossible possible.

“I really want to be that ‘touch on the back’ that empowers girls and women in South Sudan and to be honest I think we are exactly that,” she says, referring to her women’s engagement team, which often is observed and approached by these girls and women when they are on patrol or performing their other duties.

“Our sisters from South Sudan seem fascinated with us. I think they think we’re brave because we don’t live up to traditional stereotypes,” Captain Moktan reflects as she recalls a transformative moment in her budding peacekeeping career.

“We were teaching a class on feminine hygiene topics for women at Maper when I noticed a girl looking at me with an incredible sparkle in her eyes. When I spoke with her, I realized that she was impressed by the existence of women in peacekeeping, and it was then that I understood that if I can inspire even one girl to pursue her dreams, my time in South Sudan will be worth it”.

One aspect of Captain Moktan’s outreach activities with the Women’s Engagement Team, which will soon be completing their mission and returning to Nepal, has been raising awareness among women in the host community of the UN’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation. and sexual abuse.

“That’s one of the reasons we need more uniformed female peacekeepers: local women are much more likely to trust and open up to us about their struggles. With us they dare to talk about gender violence, which is unfortunately very common here, ”she says.

Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative for UNMISS to the UN Secretary-General and a participant in the medal ceremony, praised this particular part of his job but concluded his speech with the words all peacemakers had been waiting for.

”These medals serve as recognition of their personal sacrifices for peace. Carry them with pride and dignity wherever you go, as worthy ambassadors of the United Nations.”

Source: 

https://unmiss.unmissions.org/captain-shichan-moktan-nepal-%E2%80%9Cinspiring-ot…