Indian woman peacekeeper Major Abhilasha Barak was honored on Friday with the prestigious 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate Award by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who praised her as a "trailblazing" role model. The award ceremony took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, observed annually on May 29.
Role in UNIFIL
Major Barak serves with the Indian Battalion as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army. In her role, she works as a Gender Focal Point within the Indian Battalion, ensuring that all operational aspects respect and address the needs of women and vulnerable groups.
As a frontline commander, Barak has engaged thousands of women and girls through vocational training programs and initiatives focused on education and health. Secretary-General Guterres highlighted that she has "built trust with local communities" and "created space for dialogue." Additionally, she has contributed to developing early-warning networks that enhance the mission's capacity to protect civilians.
Secretary-General's Remarks
"Major Barak, you are a role model to those you serve and those you serve with. Congratulations, and thank you for your service," Guterres said during the ceremony. He emphasized that her work demonstrates the critical role UNIFIL plays for local communities and how its presence is transforming the lives of women and girls, even under the most challenging circumstances. Guterres also noted that Barak is deployed in UNIFIL, where several peacekeepers have recently been injured or killed.
A video showcased Barak's efforts with local communities, including women and children, during her deployment. Guterres, accompanied by UN Peacekeeping Chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, presented the award to Barak.
India's Recognition
Barak is the third Indian recipient of the UN Military Gender Advocate Award, following Major Suman Gawani (2019) and Major Radhika Sen (2023), who were recognized for their exemplary service in UN peacekeeping missions. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, stated on X that Barak's "dedicated service" at UNIFIL is a "testament to India's enduring commitment" to UN Peacekeeping and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
About the Award
The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was established in 2016 to recognize the dedication and efforts of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Other Awards at the Ceremony
During the same event, Guterres also presented the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award to Stephanie Konigs of Germany, who served in the UN Mission in South Sudan. Additionally, he awarded the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage to Corporal Matias Reyes of Uruguay for his actions in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during the height of the crisis in early 2025, and posthumously to the late Sergii Prykodko of Ukraine, a private contractor in UNMISS who was killed during a mission to extract besieged soldiers in March 2024.
