News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 29th October 2024
Major Radhika Sen received the esteemed 2023 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her service with the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her outstanding work and support of women’s and girls’ rights during her time as a peacekeeper was recognized by the UN award. Her efforts in accordance with the 2000 Security Council resolution to safeguard women and girls from sexual violence associated to conflicts are also acknowledged by the prize.
“Major Sen is a true leader and role model. Her service is a true credit to the United Nations as a whole. Please join me in congratulating Major Radhika Sen of India. I could not be prouder to confer her with the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award,” Guterres had said, as he conferred the award.
Radhika Sen, who was born in Himachal Pradesh, first sought a profession in biotechnology engineering. When she made the decision to enlist in the Indian Army, she was halfway through her master’s degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO, was Ms. Sen’s designated organization in 2023. Up to April 2024, she was the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion’s Engagement Platoon Commander.
The second Indian peacekeeper to win the Military Gender Advocate of the Year honor is Radhika Sen. Major Suman Gawani received recognition for her work with the UN Mission in South Sudan prior to Ms. Sen. In 2019, she received recognition. Ms. Sen worked with 1,954 people in MONUSCO, including 32 women, out of 6,063 Indians who were assigned to UN peacekeeping missions. Because of her efforts, women now have secure places to gather and talk about problems.
Major Sen had emphasised that “we as peacekeepers should continue to address the needs of all those affected in the conflict and act as role models for the society to implement a gender-sensitive approach for lasting peace.”
According to the UN, Ms. Sen oversaw gender equality-focused peacekeeping missions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She planned health and career training programs for adults as well as English sessions for children. In order to assist communities in North Kivu devastated by conflict, Ms. Sen also founded Community Alert Networks.
