Boots, Rifles, & Diamonds
Hidden in the secluded south-western Lebanese town of Naqoura – just a few miles from the nearest Israeli town – lies the united nations interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). established in 1978, the goal was to restore international peace and security, confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and help maintain authority in the area. since then, thousands of people have joined to maintain and further peace, but when you look at the current numbers of both military and civilian peacekeepers combined, only about 6.7% of these are women.
the roles of women peacekeepers vary from doctors, physical trainers, infantry leaders, and more. despite the role of females being low in the military, when asked if they had faced any discrimination the answer was always a no. even though there is no difference between men and women in the work atmosphere, female peacekeepers possess many qualities that men don’t. commanders and colleagues alike made it clear that women provide compassion, empathy, and a perspective unique to the work they do. in a male dominated environment, most women say that it is essential to find ways to maintain their femininity by wearing earrings and lipstick.
If there has been anything discovered in recent years, it is that women come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and that’s okay. this project is intended to highlight all those diversities in order to bring unity and a common understanding to women’s roles in the military.
Photos and text by Emma Hall
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- May 4 2018, UNIFIL- Second SGT Venny Greace, poses while on patrol with her unit.
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- Captain Ishwori (32) fixes the UN flag in the dining room of the Nepalese base camp in Lebanon.
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- May 4 2018, UNIFIL- Second SGT. Venny Greace shows her room filled with stuffed animals and pictures of her boyfriend.
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- Second SGT. Venny Greace presents her military stuffed bear that her boyfriend gifted to her.
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- SFC Ariska (24), puts her hijab on before the day begins in her bunker.
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- Three Indonesian women put on their prayer clothes in the makeshift mosque at their base.
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- Nepalese women are on a training patrol.
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- May 3, 2018, UNIFIL- Beatrice (33) is a Ghanaian peacekeeper.
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- A Lebanese citizen gets a free check up by Captain Kamala (33).
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- Captain and Dr. Kamala (33), checks a Lebanese citizen’s pulse. Free healthcare is provided inside the UN base 5 times a week by the Nepalese.
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- May 3, 2018, UNIFIL- Elma (53), a Filipino pediatric surgeon cries as she tells the story of a 9 year old boy dying during surgery.
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- May 3, 2018, UNIFIL-Elma (53), a Filipino pediatric surgeon dresses in official wear in the surgery theatre.
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- Tanzanian guards stop a car to run a check on it before it leaves the base.
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- Taekwondo class in South Korean base camp in Lebanon. Taught by SFC Kung Ah Park (30).
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- May 4, 2018, UNIFIL- SFC Kung Ah Park (30) demonstrates a taekwando kick for her class.
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- Captain Ishwori (32), poses for a portrait inside the Nepalese base camp in her uniform.
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- May 6, 2018, UNIFIL- Captain Ishwori (32), poses for a portrait in her traditional sari.
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- May 5, 2018, UNIFIL- Second SGT. Devla on a training for patrol inside their base camp.
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- May 3, 2018, UNIFIL- The Ghana base camp in Lebanon.
