EVER SINCE THE FIRST TWO decades of the 1900s when a penetrating bit of advice was first printed, we have been hearing how a “picture is worth more than 1 000 words”.
And as long as we can remember, people everywhere have been trying to find out if the sentiment is real. Well, if in doubt, look no further than last weekend’s SATURDAY SUN, which provided solid evidence that may have sealed the deal once and for all. That happened when the paper published a picture of Barbados’ “GI Jane”.
Lance Corporal Christine Clarke of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) was photographed in action, leading a squad of well armed soldiers in an exhibition section attack at Paragon in Christ Church.
What the picture showed was a serious-minded, bespectacled female soldier and her male colleagues on the ball, much to the delight of Colonel Alvin Quintyne, the BDF’s chief of staff, and other senior officers.
The scene in Barbados put in perspective the recent assessments expressed by senior diplomats sitting around the United Nations Security Council table in New York during an Open Debate. The representatives from around the world were focusing international attention on the The Role Of Women In Conflict Prevention And Resolution In Africa and what they said flashed a bright light on women in the military.
The thousands of words spoken at the UN painted a heart-warming picture of African women engaged in UN peacekeeping operations, helping to usher in a climate of stability and safety in foreign lands.
It was refreshing to hear Wilfred I. Emvulu, Namibia’s UN Ambassador, assert that the “conventional impression of women as helpless victims of war” had been “replaced by the important role women play in fostering peace and security”.
By their presence, often in tough terrain, women soldiers and other peacekeepers have been sensitising communities in Africa, the Caribbean and other places where the UN has a presence about the pervasiveness and evil of domestic violence; are engaged in the delivery of health care; are expanding educational opportunities to children and adults; and are making families feel safe in their homes and villages.
Lance Corporal Clarke and the GI Joes she led recently may be excellent candidates for UN peacekeeping duties in far-flung corners of Europe, Caribbean, Asia and Africa. As a member of the international community, Barbados can contribute once again to the process of bringing safety and stability to people who want to live in harmony next door to their neighbours.
Barbados should consider non-combat international missions. If chosen, the Bajan peacekeepers would gain valuable foreign experience, with the UN picking up the tab.
It can consult Dr Christopher Hackett, a former Ambassador at the world body who served as administrator of a UN peacekeeping unit in the Middle East, and Tony Marshall, the new UN Ambassador, about getting the job done.