United Nations: Major Radhika Sen of India stands as a beacon of leadership and inspiration, with her exemplary service bringing great honor to the United Nations, stated Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as he bestowed a distinguished accolade upon the Indian woman peacekeeper.

Major Sen, associated with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), was honored with the 2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award by Guterres during a ceremony at the UN headquarters on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

“Major Sen exemplifies leadership and is an inspiring role model. Her service is a tremendous asset to the entire United Nations. Let us all extend our congratulations to Major Radhika Sen of India. It is with immense pride that I present her with the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award,” Guterres expressed during the Dag Hammarskjold medal and Military Gender Advocate of the Year ceremony.

From March 2023 to April 2024, Major Sen served in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as the Commander of MONUSCO’s Engagement Platoon within the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion (INDRDB).

Guterres expressed gratitude to Major Sen and all peacekeepers for their dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. He highlighted that Major Sen, as commander of the Indian contingent’s engagement platoon, led her unit through numerous patrols.

In a volatile conflict environment in North Kivu, her troops engaged actively with affected communities, especially women and girls, earning their trust through humility, compassion, and dedication.

The UN Secretary-General noted that Major Sen created a safe and inclusive platform for women to voice their ideas and concerns, enabling the Mission to respond more effectively to their needs.

Throughout her one-year deployment, Major Sen also served as a gender focal point, undertaking civil-military tasks such as vocational training for women and youth. Additionally, she was the battalion’s focal point for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, undertaking significant efforts to prevent misconduct.

Hailing from Himachal Pradesh and born in 1993, Major Sen joined the Indian Army eight years ago. She graduated as a biotech engineer and was pursuing a Master’s degree at IIT Bombay when she decided to join the armed forces. She was deployed to MONUSCO in March 2023 as the Engagement Platoon Commander with the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion, completing her tenure in April 2024.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix lauded Major Sen for receiving the award, stating that throughout her service in MONUSCO, she consistently prioritized women, aligning with the vision of resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. She protected civilians and supported initiatives to end sexual exploitation and abuse.

“We are immensely proud of you. Your contributions make us and your country proud,” he said. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, praised her dedication and courage, highlighting the crucial role of women peacekeepers in fostering a better world. “Her achievements and commitment to peace and equality inspire us all,” Kamboj stated.

In her remarks at the ceremony, Major Sen expressed profound honor and humility in accepting the award on behalf of her colleagues in MONUSCO and her homeland, India. She urged the UN and member states to leverage the rich network created by the award, hoping that peacekeepers of all genders will one day be recognized with this prestigious accolade. “Gender-sensitive peacekeeping is a collective responsibility. Peace begins with all of us in our vibrant diversity,” she declared.

Serving as an engagement platoon commander in MONUSCO has been a privilege beyond measure, she said. The award recognizes the hard work of all peacekeepers operating in MONUSCO’s challenging environment. The engagement team represents the contingent within the community, tirelessly striving to connect with every segment of the DRC population.

Her team engaged with communities on issues ranging from women’s health, education, childcare, gender equality, women’s employment, and combating sexual violence in conflict, alongside various skill development programs fostering self-reliance.

“A gender perspective in UN peacekeeping is vital for an effective, inclusive, and sustainable peace process. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by conflict, facing increased risks and abuses. The imperative is to mainstream women in nation-building, particularly in security and governance sectors,” she emphasized.

Major Sen stressed that peacekeepers must continue to address the needs of all those affected by conflict and serve as role models, implementing a gender-sensitive approach for lasting peace. Major Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this prestigious award, following Major Suman Gawani, who was honored in 2019 for her service with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Established in 2016, the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award honors the dedication and efforts of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

India is currently the 11th largest contributor of women military peacekeepers to the United Nations, with 124 now deployed. India has traditionally been one of the largest contributors of troops and police to UN peacekeeping missions.

On this occasion, 64 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers were posthumously honored with the Dag Hammarskjold Medals for their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. Naik Dhananjay Kumar Singh, who served with MONUSCO and lost his life serving under the UN flag, was honored with the medal, which was received by Kamboj.

India stands as the second-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, deploying over 6,000 military and police personnel to UN operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara. Nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, the highest number from any troop-contributing country.