Nepali Army Maj. Sabitri Gharti Chhetri is a native of Kathmandu Nepal and has dreamt of being an independent and successful woman. After she had finished college, Gharti Chhetri was looking an honorable and prestigious job that would allow her to pursue her dreams. Gharti Chhetri found her opportunity in the Nepalese Army and joined as an officer candidate in 2005. She is now an infantry officer with the Nepali Army Welfare and Planning Directorate and is participating in Khaan Quest 2019 from June 14-28.
Q&A
Q: How do you like serving in the military?
A: “I feel so proud to be in the military. I really enjoy it and I’ve been serving for 13 years now. It’s a very different and prestigious job and I wish to serve as long as I possibly can.”
Q: Why do you think peacekeeping operations like Khaan Quest are important?
A: “Peacekeeping is important because it helps us help those who are in need. Peacekeeping operations like Khaan Quest lets us train and prepare for real world scenarios. Khaan Quest prepares us for peacekeeping missions by making us understand what those missions involve along with training with other nations’ peacekeepers.”
Q: Why do you think women are important to have in peacekeeping?
A: “I think women are important to have in peacekeeping missions because there is sexual violence. Women, children and even men are victims of this kind of violence. I believe women play an essential role to reaching out to these kinds of victims and helping them. Men can’t always solve all the problems, so women can step in to help.”
Q: What role do you think women play in peacekeeping?
A: “I believe women play the role of bridging the gap when it comes to communicating with other women. Women may not always trust men, even if they have good intentions. So having that women’s presence there can help the accomplishment of peacekeeping missions.”