India Condemns Conflict-Related Sexual Violence at UN Security Council
India on Thursday strongly condemned conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) at the UN Security Council, describing it as a deliberate tool used for war, terrorism, torture, and political repression to subjugate communities, suppress dissent, and inflict human suffering. Speaking at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P. Harish, underscored the urgent need for collective action in light of the UN Secretary-General's report, which documented a sharp increase in verified cases in 2025 and extreme brutality.
Sharp Rise in Verified Cases in 2025
Ambassador Harish noted that the UN Secretary-General's report corroborates a sharp increase in verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025, along with the extreme brutality involved. He emphasized that sexual violence continues to be used as a means of war, terrorism, torture, and political repression, all amid a thriving culture of impunity. "We strongly condemn such heinous acts," he stated, calling for collective deliberation by member states on the issue.
India's Transformative Peacekeeping Contributions
Highlighting India's landmark contributions to UN peacekeeping, Ambassador Harish stressed that the deployment of women peacekeepers has had a "transformative impact" in addressing conflict-related sexual violence. He cited India's deployment of the first-ever all-women formed police unit to Liberia in 2007, which was instrumental in creating an environment for addressing criminality, deterring sexual and gender-based violence, and helping to rebuild safety and confidence among the local population. "The unique perspective brought by female peacekeepers also strengthens systems to deter CRSV," he added.
Indian Peacekeepers to Receive 2026 UN Gender Advocate Award
Ambassador Harish announced that Indian peacekeepers Major Moiz Yassin and Major Sonia Devendra Navaskar will receive the 2026 UN Secretary-General's Military Gender Advocate of the Year Recognition Certificate for their outstanding efforts in preventing CRSV. Major Moiz Yassin, serving as force ombudsperson and welfare officer in UNMIS, built an accessible, confidential, and victim-centred channel for informal grievance reporting, conducted over 40 tailored sessions across troop and police-contributing countries and military observers, and established a force gender database for evidence-based gender-responsive planning. Major Sonia Devendra Navaskar, the focal point for uniformed women and a member of the UNMIS Gender Task Force, worked actively on intelligence and planning functions for CRSV prevention, built UNPOL military best practice networks, and engaged the host nation on gender issues. They follow in the footsteps of Indian peacekeepers similarly honored in 2019, 2024, and 2025.
Call for Collective Action Against Impunity
India's statement at the UN Security Council underscored the urgent need for collective action to address conflict-related sexual violence and end the culture of impunity. Ambassador Harish reiterated India's commitment to supporting victims and strengthening mechanisms to prevent such crimes, emphasizing the importance of integrating gender perspectives into peacekeeping operations.
