Samiha Mnasser
United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers Nominee
Samiha Mnasser specialises in operational prison security and led a rapid intervention team at the Ngaragba Central Prison in Bangui. Leading a team within this prison is no small feat as it is the largest prison in the Central African Republic (CAR) with a predominantly male and high-risk prison population.
During her time in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Samiha supported prison reform, provided advice on prison management in accordance with international human rights standards and contributed to the capacity-building of corrections officers. She has been devoted to the improvement of the condition of prisoners by helping to improve their nourishment, hygiene, access to justice, healthcare and protection against COVID-19.
Her leadership, problem-solving and communications skills have been widely recognized by her colleagues and leadership of the MINUSCA justice and corrections component, national prison personnel. The Ngaragba Prison Director has personally honoured her for her immense contribution to the security of the prison.
Samiha’s nomination to the position of Team Leader of one of the GPP teams at the largest prison in CAR is a testament to her excellence and outstanding performance.
Samiha has become a role model for other women GPPs and has blazed the trail for more woman officers to achieve leadership roles.
Government-Provided Personnel
GPP are individuals like Samiha who are nominated by their government to serve with United Nations peace operations. Justice and corrections GPP provide expertise that is generally only found in national government services, such as national prison services, the judiciary and the prosecution. Samiha is one of 108 GPP in MINUSCA who provide advisory, capacity-building and operational prison security support to national counterparts.
United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic
MINUSCA is one of the twelve current United Nations peacekeeping operations. Established by the Security Council in April 2014, MINUSCA is mandated to protect civilians and create conditions conducive to national reconciliation and durable peace in the Central African Republic (CAR), where over 63 per cent of the population (more than 3.1 million Central Africans) require protection and humanitarian assistance.
The MINUSCA corrections component supports CAR authorities in the fight against impunity and the establishment and reinforcement of a new national prison service. This includes the recruitment, training and capacity-building of national corrections officers, as well as the improvement of prison management, security, and conditions in accordance with international norms and standards.
United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers
The first United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers recognizes the outstanding contribution of government-provided personnel in United Nations peace operations by highlighting women who blaze the trail in areas and roles traditionally reserved for men.
You can follow the entire campaign on the United Nations Office of Rule of Law Facebook page or the Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law Alexandre Zouev’s Twitter page.
To learn more about the award, click here.
