Lieutenant Colonel Sorm Leangy made history as Cambodia's first female unit commander deployed to the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. At just 33 years old, her remarkable journey from a small Cambodian village to leading a team of 180 personnel, including 38 women, highlights the changing role of women in peacekeeping and military leadership. Since 2018, Leangy has participated in five UN missions in Mali and Lebanon, earning admiration for her resilience and leadership in traditionally male-dominated environments. Her inspiring story was featured by UN Women, an organization established in 2010 to promote gender equality and empower women globally.
Her appointment in 2024 as unit commander during Cambodia’s 14th rotation to Lebanon was a significant achievement, not only for her country but also for women in peacekeeping worldwide. According to UN Women, her leadership style, which blends empathy, patience, and decisiveness, challenges traditional stereotypes about women's roles in military operations.
“Women are fully capable of leading,” Leangy stated. “We contribute with understanding and calmness, but we can also take decisive action when needed,” she emphasized, highlighting the balanced qualities women bring to high-pressure leadership positions.
Lieutenant Colonel Leangy began her military career in 2012 and graduated from the Cadet Officer School in 2016.
She expanded her knowledge by taking several short courses at Cambodia’s Peacekeeping Training Center, which included training in UNLOG, UNSOC, demining, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). In 2018, she enhanced her international training by completing the GPOI course in Bangladesh. That same year, she was deployed to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) as a food officer. In 2021, she returned to MINUSMA as a logistics officer and advanced to the role of deputy commanding officer of the Cambodian Airfield Engineering Company in 2022.
She subsequently took on the role of commanding officer for the Cambodian Multi-role Engineering Unit within the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Leading a large and diverse team in a high-pressure conflict zone, Leangy confronted the dual challenge of demonstrating her capabilities while addressing initial skepticism. “If I didn’t succeed as a female leader, some might have argued that women aren’t fit for such positions,” she noted. “Such a failure could have dissuaded others from coming forward,” she added.
By consistently delivering strong performance and maintaining open communication, she cultivated trust and respect within her team. “Everyone contributed and observed my approach. Over time, their doubts diminished — in fact, they began to support me,” she remarked.
Leangy’s experience also highlights the significant advantages women contribute to peacekeeping efforts. Reflecting on her own missions, she emphasized women’s capacity to establish strong ties with local communities, which is crucial for effective information gathering and conflict resolution. “Women can create meaningful relationships with communities, help ease tensions, and assume vital roles in sensitive situations,” she noted.
Her leadership was part of a broader initiative within the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and the United Nations to boost women's involvement in peace operations. A barrier assessment conducted from 2022 to 2024, with support from UN Women and the Elsie Initiative Fund, identified ways to improve gender-responsive recruitment and deployment practices in Cambodia. As a result of these efforts, the percentage of uniformed women in Cambodia's peacekeeping forces has risen from 16.5 percent in 2022 to 20 percent in 2024. UN Women continues to offer technical support through regional projects that promote women's meaningful participation in peace and security throughout ASEAN. "This collaboration demonstrates a growing global recognition that having women in leadership roles is not only a matter of fairness but also contributes to the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions," the organization stated.
Back in Cambodia, Leangy works as an administrative officer at the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, Mine and Explosive Remnants of War Clearance (NPMEC), where she mentors and prepares the next generation of peacekeepers. Her leadership has earned her a Gold Medal from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and a UN medal.
To young women pursuing similar careers, she shares straightforward yet impactful advice: “Believe in your potential. Be brave enough to confront challenges. And always remember — women are just as capable as men in accomplishing the task at hand.”
Leangy’s journey illustrates that women’s leadership in peacekeeping is not merely a symbol of progress; it is a vital force for fostering peace and trust in conflict-affected areas.
According to UN Women, enhancing women's representation in peace and security roles boosts the effectiveness and sustainability of peacekeeping operations globally. "When women participate," Leangy states, "we create peace." Dominic Williams, the British ambassador to Cambodia, expressed his satisfaction on social media regarding the UK's support for the UN Women Asia and the Pacific project. Lieutenant Colonel Sorm Leangy, who led the Cambodian Multi-role Engineering Unit in UNIFIL, made history as Cambodia's first female unit commander deployed to the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.
