Major Radhika Sen, who served in the eastern Demoratic Republic of Congo with the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, will be honoured with the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award on May 30, the UN aanounced on Tuesday.
She will receive the award from UN Secretary- Genral Antonio Guterres during a ceremony at the world body's headquarters scheduled to be held on Thursday, marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
Sen helped in establishing networks for local people to voice their security and humanitarian concerns during the peacekeeping mission. She served as the Commander of the Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion in the eastern DRC from March 2023 to April 2024, a UN press release said.
Announcing the news, Permanent Ambassador of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj wrote on X: "Major Radhika Sen will be honored with the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award on May 30th for her outstanding service in DR Congo. Her dedication and bravery highlight the invaluable role of women peacekeepers in building a better world."
"We are incredibly proud of her achievements and inspired by her commitment to peace and equality," she added.
UN Secretary General Calls Major Sen 'True Leader And Role Model'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described her as a “true leader and role model.”
Congratulating Major Sen for her service, Guterres said she is a “true leader and role model. Her service was a true credit to the United Nations as a whole.”
In a statement, he further stated that during an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu, Sen's troops actively engaged with conflict-affected communities, including women and girls.
"She earned their trust, doing so with humility, compassion, and dedication," Guterres said.
The statement also mentioned that Major Sen expressed her gratitude for being selected and also reflected on her peacekeeping role.
Major Sen Expresses Gratitude For Being Recognised Awarded By UN
“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 the society,” she said.
“Gender-sensitive peacekeeping is everybody’s business – not just us, women. Peace begins with all of us in our beautiful diversity!” she said in the statement, as reported by news agency PTI.
Major Sen led mixed-gender engagement patrols and activities in a volatile environment, where many people, including women and children, were leaving everything behind to flee the conflict, the statement said.
The United Nations 'Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award' was created in 2016 for recognising the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
The Award, created by the Office of Military Affairs within the Department for Peace Operations (DPO), recognises a military peacekeeper who has the best integrated gender perspective into peacekeeping activities.