Context: Prime Minister of India congratulated Major Abhilasha Barak on being conferred the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
About the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award:
What It Is?
- The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award is an international honor that recognizes the dedication and frontline efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting and implementing the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on Women, Peace, and Security.
Established In: The annual award was created in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the UN Department for Peace Operations (DPO).
Aim:
- The objective of the award is to incentivize and honor military personnel who successfully integrate gender dynamics and perspectives into field-level peacekeeping activities, ensuring that the unique protection, security, and humanitarian needs of local women and girls are met.
Key Features of the Award:
- Rigorous Selection Pool: Awardees are chosen from a highly competitive pool of candidates nominated directly by Force Commanders and Heads of Mission from all active UN peace operations worldwide.
- Focus on Inclusivity: The evaluation places heavy emphasis on practical field innovations, such as launching mixed-gender patrols, conducting local gender-responsiveness training, and building trusted networks with localized women’s groups.
- Platform for Advocacy: Winning the award provides the recipient with a global platform to share their field methodologies, helping mainstream gender-sensitive strategic planning across all UN military components.
Indian Winners So Far
| Year | Awardee | Mission |
| 2019 | Major Suman Gawani | UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) |
| 2023 | Major Radhika Sen | UN Stabilization Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) |
| 2025/26 | Major Abhilasha Barak | UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) |
About Major Abhilasha Barak:
Who She Is and Her Assignment?
- Major Abhilasha Barak is a distinguished officer of the Indian Army currently deployed on an international tour of duty in the Middle East.
- She operates within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a highly volatile operational zone tasked with maintaining stability along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel.
Her Work and Contributions:
- Engagement Team Commander: She serves as the operational commander for tactical engagement teams, leading ground-level community interactions to gather critical civilian security data.
- Gender Focal Point: In her capacity as a Gender Focal Point, Major Barak acts as the primary link between the UN military command and local Lebanese women’s organizations. Her work focuses on addressing gender-based vulnerabilities, improving humanitarian resource distribution, and ensuring that community safety frameworks are inclusive and responsive to women and children.
