NEW YORK, June 6 (ANI) — Indian peacekeeper Major Abhilasha Barak, the country’s first woman combat helicopter pilot, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate Award.
Barak, who is serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), received the honor from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony in New York on Friday.
“Congratulations to our UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who is serving for peace with UN Peacekeeping in Lebanon. Her work shows the critical role that UNIFIL plays and how its presence is transforming the lives of women and girls, even under the most challenging circumstances. Major Barak, you are a role model to those you serve and those you serve with. Thank you for your service,” Guterres said in a post on X.
The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award has been presented annually since 2016 to a military peacekeeper—male or female—who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership in promoting the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
The resolution calls for integrating a gender perspective into all aspects of peacekeeping and peacebuilding and ensuring women’s participation in peace and political processes.
It also calls for the prevention of and protection from conflict-related sexual violence, while encouraging the expanded role and contribution of women in UN operations, including uniformed women peacekeepers. (ANI)
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