India's Major Radhika Sen to get UN award, Antonio Guterres hails her "service to UN"

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will confer the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year award upon Indian Army officer Major Radhika Sen, on May 30 in an event at the world body's headquarters.

The UN chief hailed Major Radhika Sen as a "true leader and role model".

Major Sen worked with the UN mission in Congo as an Indian woman peacekeeper and had troops speak to conflict-struck communities, especially women and girls under her leadership. Her humility, compassion and dedication allowed the conflict-hit women and girls to trust the peacekeeping force.

As per agencies, Major Sen will be awarded the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year award, celebrating the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

According to press release, Major Sen was in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of MONUSCO’s Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion (INDRDB).

Major Sen was born in the hilly terrain of Himachal Pradesh in 1993 and she joined the army in 2016. She was posted to MONUSCO in March 2023 as the Engagement Platoon Commander with the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion and completed her tenure in April 2024.

Major Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this prestigious UN honour.

The first person to receive the award was Major Suman Gawani, who had worked with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was given the 2019 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

Guterres wished her for her award and called her a “true leader and role model. Her service was a true credit to the United Nations as a whole".

Guterres also talked in this statement about the increasing conflict in North Kivu in Congo.

Major Radhika Sen said, “This award is special to me as it gives recognition to the hard work put in by all the peacekeepers working in the challenging environment of DRC and giving their best to bring a positive change in society.” 

“Gender-sensitive peacekeeping is everybody’s business – not just us, women. Peace begins with all of us in our beautiful diversity!” she said.

Major Sen carried out patrols where she spoke to people of all genders. This is necessary in a sensitive situation such as the conflict in the Congo, according to PTI.

The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year award acknowledges and appreciates the tremendous work of military peacekeepers and how they carry forward the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

The award is the brainchild of the Office of Military Affairs within the Department for Peace Operations (DPO). 

India is the 11th largest country that sends women military peacekeepers to the United Nations. There are 124 women military personnel currently serving in the UN's peacekeeping missions.