Indian woman peacekeeper, Major Radhika Sen has recently been conferred with the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2023. This honour was given for her outstanding contributions to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in UN peacekeeping operations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave this award to Major Radhika on May 30, which is celebrated as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
Key highlights
- Major Radhika was associated with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) between March 2023 to April 2024.
- She was handling the responsibility of the Engagement Platoon Commander of the Indian Rapidly Deployed Battalion, leading a team of 20 women and 10 male soldiers. She was primarily involved in improving interaction with civilians, resolving security issues, and supporting the voices of women, girls and children in the war zones.
- She is the second Indian to win this award. Major Suman Gawani was the first to receive this award in 2019 for her contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
- Major Radhika belongs to Sunder Nagar, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. She is an engineering graduate who joined the Indian Army in 2016 while pursuing M Tech from IIT Bombay.
About the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award
- It was created in 2016 with the aim of recognizing the service and dedication of an individual military peacekeeper.
- This was set up by the Office of Military Affairs within the Department of Peace Operations (DPO).
- Force commanders and Heads of Mission from all peace operations nominate candidates for the award every year. And awardee is selected from them based on their services and achievements.
- India has always supported UN missions and sent women military peacekeepers, making it the 11th largest contributor to such missions globally.
- Presently, 124 women military peacekeepers are offering their services in the UN peacekeeping missions across the world.
- India has always actively contributed to the UN peacekeeping missions.
