The UN Secretary-General António Guterres awarded Indian peacekeeper, Major Radhika Sen, with the annual military gender advocate of the year award on 30 May during a ceremony for the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The award, first created in 2016, recognizes the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.

Maj. Sen served in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of MONUSCO’s Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion.

Praising Maj. Sen, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Major Sen is a true leader and role model. Her service was a true credit to the United Nations as a whole,” he said. “In an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu, her troops actively engaged with conflict-affected communities, including women and girls,” he explained. “She earned their trust (…) doing so with humility, compassion and dedication.”

“This award is special to me as it gives a recognition to the hard work put in by all the peacekeepers working in the challenging environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and giving their best to bring a positive change in the society,” said Maj. Sen upon receiving news of the Award. “Gender-sensitive peacekeeping is everybody’s business — not just us, women. Peace begins with all of us in our beautiful diversity!”

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