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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS June 7, 2024 India’s Radhika Sen Wins 2023 United Nations’ Military Gender Advocate of Year Peacekeeping Award M ajor Radhika Sen, Indian mili- tary peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Peacekeep- ing, was presented the 2023 United Nations Military Gen- der Advocate of the Year award by the U.N. Secretary General António Guterres in a special ceremony Thursday, May 30, 2023, which was part of the celebrations of the International Day of UN Peace- keepers at the UN headquarters in New York. Sen served fromMarch 2023 to April 2024, as the Commander of the Engage- ment Platoon of Indian Rapid Deploy- ment Battalion to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The United Nations “Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award” was created by the Office of Military Affairs in 2016 to recognize 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. The award recipient is selected from candidates nominated by the Force Commanders and Heads of Mis- sion from all peace operations. UN’s ongoing Peacekeeping efforts be- gan 76 years ago with contributions from member countries. UN peacekeepers have helped countries to transition from war to peace, and saved and changed lives in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. Sen received many congratulatory mes- sages when the awards were announced. Chief among them were the ones from In- dia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj and UN Secretary-Gener- al Guterres, praising Sen and appreciating her hard work. Sen had joined the army eight years ago when she decided to leave her master’s degree from IIT Bombay halfway to be a UN Peacekeeper. Born in Himachal Pradesh in 1993, Sen already had a biotech engineering degree at the time. In North Kivu, Sen worked with a team of mixed-gender engage- ment patrols in the midst of women and children fleeing from the conflict-ridden area. Sen helped them stabilize, creating a Community Alert Networks for voicing their humanitarian concerns locally, and working to address them with help of her team. Sen also facili- tated English classes for children and health, gender and vocational training for displaced and marginalized adults. Sen’s work as a gender advocate in- volved encouraging women in the village of Kashlira to address issues collectively, advocate for their rights and amplify their voices within the community and in local security and peace discussions. Sen is the second Indian woman peacekeeper to re- ceive this prestigious award. Major Suman Gawani, who served in the UN Mission to South Sudan, was a co-recipient of the 2019 award. India is cur- rently the eleventh largest contributor of women military peacekeepers to the United Nations with 124 now deployed, according to UN Peacekeeping. Its first all women contin- gent in peacekeeping missions, a Formed Police Unit, was deployed in 2007 to the UN Operation in Liberia. India has been contributing to UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding from the 1950s. Over the years, India has contrib- uted more than 253,000 troops, partici- pated in more than 49 missions, and lost 175 Indian peacekeepers while serving in UN missions, according to information on the Permanent Mission of India (PMI)’s website (https://pminewyork.gov.in ). Today, India is the fifth largest troop contributor with 5,323 personnel de- ployed in 8 out of 13 active UN Peace- keeping Missions. Of these 166 are police personnel, according to PMI website. However, the contributions of India’s think tanks also should be noted along- side, Kamboj said in a video message posted on X. India’s think tanks have a valuable wealth of experience and con- tribute innovative and effective ideas and strategic thinking to UN Peacekeeping, according to the message. UN observes the International Day of UN Peacekeepers every year to pay tribute to its uniformed and civilian Peacekeep- ers. This year’s theme ‘Fit for the future, building better together’ symbolizes creat- ing an equitable, just, and sustainable world for all. By Archana Adalja Photo:X @SenSchumer Photo:CourtesyUN Photo:CourtesyUN Winner of 2023 United Nations’ Military Gender Advocate of Year Peacekeeping Award, Major Radhika Sen. Major Radhika Sen working with children in North Kivu during her 2023-2024 UN mission to the Republic of the Congo. International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2024 posterfeaturing Major Radhika Sen. India’s Envoy Ruchira Kamboj Lauds India’s Contributions On UN Peacekeepers Day I ndia’s Permanent Representative to the United Na- tions, Ruchira Kamboj lauded the country’s excep- tional contributions to global peace and security on the occasion of International Day of UN Peacekeep- ers. In a video message onWednesday, May 29, Kamboj remembered those who laid their lives as part of UN peacekeeping forces over the years. “Today, on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, we come together to honor India’s excep- tional contributions to global peace and security. Our brave peacekeepers have shown unwavering courage, steadfast dedication, and an unyielding commitment to protecting vulnerable communities around the world,” the top diplomat said in a video posted on X. She also expressed happiness at the honor for Indian peacekeeper Major Radhika Sen who was bestowed with the UN Gender Military Advocate Award for her exem- plary service in Congo and leadership during her deploy- ment there. “Countless indian peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice under the blue flag, laying down their lives in the pursuit of peace. Their deep commitment to bringing solace to those devastated by conflict stands as a pillar of hope and humanity. This year, we are particularly honoured to receive the UN Gender Military Advocate Award…a powerful testament to India’s steadfast dedica- tion to gender equality and the invaluable role of women in peacekeeping,” she said in the video. “We hence proudly celebrate Major Radhika Sen, whose exemplary service and leadership have earned her this distinguished award. Congratulations, Rad- hika. India’s contributions, however, extend far beyond operational deployments. Our think tanks, enriched with a wealth of experience, contribute to the latest ideation and strategic thinking in peacekeeping, ensuring our ap- proaches are both innovative and effective,” Kamboj said extending her wishes to the Indian peacekeeper. The UN announced on Tuesday that she will receive the award from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony on Thursday (May 30). Guterres congratulated Major Sen for her service, describing her service as “a true credit to the United Nations as a whole.” Kamboj further underlined that pre-deployment train- ing at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in New Delhi not only prepares the peacekeepers but also many international counterparts to face the challenges ahead with resilience and empathy. “We are indeed profoundly proud of our peacekeepers and their noble mission. Their sacrifices and achieve- ments challenge us should challenge us to rise to the occasion to build a world where peace is not just a distant dream, but a tangible reality,” Kamboj said. According to the UN, the International Day pays trib- ute to the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers and the resilience of the communities that they serve. It honors the more than 4,000 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving for peace. It honors the vital contributions that civilian, military, and law enforcement peacekeepers have made over the last 70 years. This year’s International Day, is observed under the theme “Fit for the future, building better together.” -ANI