From Libya to Liberia, guarding lives under fire

ACCRA — "Working for long periods in conflict zones gives you a clearer sense of the weight of security," says Shen Lihong. "It's not an abstract concept; it's the prerequisite for people to live their lives in peace."

Shen is a security adviser and representative for the United Nations Department of Safety and Security in Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the first Chinese national and the first Chinese woman to hold the post.

She joined the UN system in 2007, after a rigorous selection process, relying on strong professional training and fluent English.

Shen has since served in more than 10 countries and regions, including Sudan and Lebanon, safeguarding the security of UN personnel in some of the most challenging and dangerous environments.

Years in conflict zones have convinced her of one simple truth: without security, development cannot take root.

As part of her daily routine, she carries out risk assessments, monitors political situations and social trends, and identifies early warning signs that could threaten UN staff members.

Shen was among China's first batch of UN police officers and was deployed to Liberia in 2005.

"I wanted to see a different world and also hoped to do something for the people in countries affected by poverty and conflict," she says.

Security work means constantly facing danger, Shen says.

In April 2019, as conflict escalated in Libya, Shen experienced a daunting evacuation mission. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had just concluded a visit to Libya when forces aligned with the "Libyan National Army" based in the east approached the capital.

A bomb landed just 50 meters from the UN compound. That night, Shen received an urgent order: lead the evacuation of 80 international personnel.

The next morning, she led a convoy of 23 armored vehicles, escorted by armed UN security colleagues, through active conflict zones toward Tunisia.

"It was a completely unpredictable road," Shen says. "Every decision was a matter of life and death." She only breathed a sigh of relief after everyone arrived safely.

Her other colleagues were not so fortunate.

In early August 2019, just a week after she was transferred from Libya to Ethiopia, three UN security officers were killed in an attack in Benghazi.

"The feeling of losing comrades stays with you forever. It reminds you that security work is never abstract," Shen says.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ethiopia faced a severe shortage of masks. Shen helped coordinate the delivery of medical supplies, including masks. The Chinese Mission to the African Union and the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia donated epidemic prevention supplies to UN hospitals in Ethiopia, helping safeguard the health of UN personnel there.

"Having worked in peacekeeping missions in extremely poor and dangerous places, I've become adaptable to working anywhere. You learn to endure loneliness, remain resilient, and find solutions under challenging circumstances," she says. "Those experiences have greatly strengthened my mindset and resilience."

But working in the international security field as a Chinese woman also carries added meaning. "I am aware that I shoulder a special responsibility," she says.

"This is not just a personal career choice. It also demonstrates that Chinese women are fully capable of participating in global security governance. It also reflects China's positive contribution within the UN system," she says.

Across the world, more than 1,200 Chinese female peacekeepers serve in areas such as medical support, liaison and coordination, mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal, and patrol and observation, as well as promoting gender equality and protecting women.