Breaking barriers for peace: Cambodian Officer Nget Chansomphos leads the way in demining and peacekeeping

Today, she is not just an expert in one of the world’s most dangerous professions, but a two-time UN peacekeeping veteran, having served with distinction in the Central African Republic (CAR). Her journey from the mine-scarred landscapes of Cambodia to becoming a senior technical authority on the global stage is a testament to the mastery, courage and determination women bring to peace and security.

“The reason I chose the mine-clearance field is because my mother told me that Cambodia was once in the grip of war,” she explains. The shadow of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and the subsequent civil conflict left Cambodia saturated with landmines and unexploded ordnance – a constant, deadly threat to peace even decades later.

“When my daughter wanted to work in demining, as a mother, at first I was afraid,” her mother recalls. “I thought of how landmines are not normal things because I lived through the Pol Pot era, with mines exploding.” 

Despite those fears, she chose to respect and actively guide her daughter, encouraging her to learn about the country’s needs and to pursue formal training.  Chansomphos says that support gave her the strength to persevere.

After completing her basic military courses, Chansomphos entered specialized mine-clearance training. “When I started, I did not know much about ordnance or terminology,” she admits. “It was difficult at first, but through training and experience I learned to recognize and safely destroy them.” 

But her persistence turned uncertainty into confidence. “The biggest pride I have is that I can detonate ordnance with my own hands.” 

After gaining proficiency in explosive disposal, Chansomphos expanded her skills by learning to operate a disruption machine, a remotely operated robot used to destroy ordnance without risking human lives. “When I was deployed and saw it in action, I asked my commander if I could learn. I was determined to master it.” 

She soon became one of her team’s key remotely operated vehicle specialists, using the machine to enter dangerous areas, assess terrain and clear safe paths for others.

Between 2022 and 2025, Chansomphos served on two mine-clearance missions in the Central African Republic, where her technical skills and leadership proved invaluable. "Our activities included clearing mines in communities and in areas where ordnance was found," she explains. "Because some locations are very high risk, I am often on standby to operate the robot and survey the path so the demolition team can enter safely."

Initially, she worried about being treated differently as the only woman on her team. “I thought they might discriminate, but they supported me and praised me for being brave. We do not distinguish between men’s work and women’s work. We work together to get the job done.”

Despite progress, women like Chansomphos remain rare in the sector. As Kosal Malinda, Deputy Director General of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Force, Mine and ERW Clearance (NPMEC), explains: “Women still face barriers to leadership in peacekeeping, and many leave missions due to family responsibilities. We are working on a strategy to better support and retain them, recognising their vital role at home and abroad.”

Between 2022 and 2024, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) conducted a barriers assessment— in cooperation with CPCS, UN Women and supported by the Elsie Initiative Fund—to expand the deployment of uniformed women to UN peace operations. The findings are now guiding gender-responsive recruitment, planning, training and deployment.

And there has already been an uptick in uniformed women in RCAF UN deployments, rising from 16.5 per cent in 2022 to 20 per cent in 2024. 

“Chansomphos’ story shows how targeted support and policy change can remove barriers and create real opportunities for women to serve and lead in peacekeeping,” says Sophea Khun, UN Women Cambodia Country Programme Coordinator.

Now a Mine Detection Dog handler, Chansomphos supports the search and detection phase of demining operations. She reflects on her journey with quiet pride, echoed by her mother: “We gained honour, my child gained honour, and the nation also gained honour.”

Her goals are clear, a world without explosives and a security sector where gender is not a barrier to leadership. “I appeal to all leaders to empower women and avoid the discrimination that suggests women cannot do this work,” she says. “The truth is that women absolutely can.”