After fighting erupted last December in Bentiu, Unity State, Kirsten Young spent long hours under the hot sun searching thousands of people seeking protection at the UNMISS gate.

“We had to ensure people had no weapons or things they could use to hurt each other, and also (ensure) security of the staff,” said the UNMISS Protection Advisor.

Two other women worked alongside Ms. Young, the only female staff left, who insisted they search any women coming through.

”One of my colleagues stood there for 12 days straight,” Ms. Young recalled. “All the time her priority was to make sure the women felt secure and their dignity was still being respected.”

In addition to gate duties, the women were faced with the onerous task of trying to meet the needs of frightened people who had left their previous lives, sustained injuries or suffered abuse.

“Of course, the people who had the most needs were women and children and the foreign population,” Ms. Young said. “We tried to create environments where people would feel safe and then also a forum for people to communicate with us.”

The female staff organized community gatherings to share information about how the mission could help with the women’s most urgent needs as well as the now lagging peace process.

Peace being a prime concern, a “women’s peacekeeping group” evolved from the gatherings, which became active in bringing communities together regardless of tribe.

“One of the things they did in the early days was a peace march into town when no one was moving in (there),” said Ms. Young. “They just walked into town. We stayed back and followed to make sure nothing happened.”

The women presented a letter to the governor and began speaking about their concerns with higher authorities. Since then, those who have left the base have set up a parallel group in town, continuing to push the peace agenda.

Another pressing need the women faced was dealing with rape and sexual violence, said Ms. Young. “The foreign community was more vocal in what had happened. We know there’s a lot happened within the South Sudanese community, but there’s a reluctance to speak out.”

One case she remembered was a woman rape survivor in town from a “country that is being targeted here in South Sudan”, who needed to be found and sent out of the country.

Security was an issue and entering town frowned upon, but a military presence would draw attention to the woman’s situation, Ms. Young said. “I didn’t want the community or the armed actors in town to know what was going on.”

She finally ventured into town with a lone Military Liaison Officer, found the woman with the help of community leaders and put her on a UN flight. The grateful woman “grabbed me at the entrance of the plane and burst into tears”, she said.

Staff also found that children had special needs, especially those separated from their families who must be kept safe – during the immediate emergency and longer term.

There were also street children in town, who were brought to the base when found. “They were living in a very difficult situation,” Ms. Young said. “They had machetes to try and protect themselves. We picked them up and brought them back.”

Vital as it is in Bentiu, Ms. Young feels more should be done to support women’s contribution to peacekeeping, beginning with basic needs like protective gear.

“We’re floating around in these enormous things that are incredibly uncomfortable and not necessarily that safe,” she said. “So small-size flak jackets and helmuts would be a start.”

She also has definite ideas about how South Sudan should move forward. ”I would like to see the politics of power put aside and politicians and leaders start focusing on what South Sudanese need … South Sudanese, not just the people in power.”