Major Abhilasha Barak Conferred UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

Context

• Prime Minister of India recently, congratulated Major Abhilasha Barak on being conferred the prestigious 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
• Major Barak was formally presented with the honor by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during a ceremony marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

1. Profile of the Awardee

• The Trailblazer: Major Abhilasha Barak is widely recognized as the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army, breaking new ground in military aviation after being commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in 2018.
• UN Peacekeeping Role: She was deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as the Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point with the Indian Battalion in Sector East, southern Lebanon.
• Key Contributions: She conducted 539 gender-focused field activities (the highest in the mission) and led all-women patrols during periods of heightened tension. She also introduced the Lebanon Gender Initiative—an artificial intelligence-driven platform designed to enable confidential reporting of gender-based violence and access to helplines.

2. About the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

• Establishment: Created in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the UN Department for Peace Operations (DPO).
• Objective: It recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual military peacekeeper (male or female) who has best integrated a gender perspective into peacekeeping activities.
• Core Pillars: The award promotes the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on Women, Peace, and Security.

 3. About UNSCR 1325

• Passed in 2000, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is a landmark international framework that addresses how women are inordinately impacted by conflict. The resolution forms the foundation of the UN’s Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda and is built upon four core pillars: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief & Recovery.

4. India’s Track Record with the Award

India is historically one of the largest troop and police-contributing countries to UN Peacekeeping missions. Major Barak is the third Indian recipient of this elite award:

1. Major Suman Gawani (2019): Served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
2. Major Radhika Sen (2023): Served with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
3. Major Abhilasha Barak (2025): Served with UNIFIL in Lebanon.

5. About UNIFIL

• Establishment: Originally created by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area.
• The Blue Line: Following the 2006 war, UNIFIL’s mandate was enhanced to monitor the cessation of hostilities and support the Lebanese Armed Forces along the Blue Line (the border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel).
• India’s Presence: India is one of the top troop contributors to UNIFIL, maintaining hundreds of personnel to secure peace in the highly volatile West Asian theatre.

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award:
1. The award was established in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs under the UN Department for Peace Operations. 
2. It recognizes military peacekeepers who effectively integrate a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations. 
3. The award promotes the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. 
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation:
•  Statement 1 is Correct: The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was established in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the United Nations Department of Peace Operations. 
•  Statement 2 is Correct: The award recognizes military peacekeepers who have successfully integrated a gender perspective into peacekeeping activities. 
•  Statement 3 is Correct: The award supports the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).