The United Nations Department of Peace Operations has announced that Major Ahlem Douzi, who serves as a justice officer with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) will receive the second United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers.
The award will be presented on Tuesday, 7 May at UNHQ in New York by the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, Courtenay Rattray. Speakers will also include Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Major Ahlem Douzi currently serves as a Military Armament and Ammunition Expert within MONUSCO’s Prosecution Support Cell. As one of the first peacekeepers deployed to the Mission with forensic analysis and ballistic expertise, she provides expert guidance to Congolese and UN investigators for collecting, safeguarding and preparing trial evidence.
Expressing her gratitude, Major Ahlem Douzi said: “As a Tunisian Military Officer, I am deeply honored and grateful to be recognized with this Award for women justice and correction officers in peace operations. Working as a woman in a male-dominated field certainly presents its challenges. However, I see it as an opportunity to break down gender barriers and pave the way for other women who aspire to pursue careers in similar professions.”
Major Douzi deployed to MONUSCO in May 2021 and is based in Goma, North Kivu province. She has spearheaded a series of unprecedented technical investigations into serious crimes and attacks against civilians and peacekeepers that have laid the foundation for holding perpetrators accountable.
Her technical support, expert advice and capacity-building and awareness-raising activities contribute to the Mission’s mandate to support the military justice authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“Major Douzi has indeed blazed a trail. She continues to supervise many technical investigations that have never been carried out in the mission before. Her service and dedication demonstrate how United Nations personnel can successfully serve local communities and provide specialized expertise and support to national authorities when requested,” said the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
“Women justice and corrections officers are living examples of the importance of women serving visibly and capably in male-dominated spheres,” said Ms. Bahous. “Thanks to the incredible work of women like Major Douzi women and girls worldwide can see that the United Nations both represents and serves them, and they understand that they, too, can aspire to a career that contributes to peace and justice.”
The Trailblazer Award is an initiative established in 2022 by the Justice and Corrections Service of the Office for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions. It recognizes the outstanding contributions of women justice and corrections officers deployed as government-provided personnel to United Nations peace operations and challenges gender stereotypes and gender-related barriers by showcasing their achievements.
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