Major Abhilasha Barak To Receive 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate Award

NEW YORK, May 23: Major Abhilasha Barak has been selected for the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award in recognition of her contribution towards community engagement, women empowerment and gender sensitisation in peacekeeping operations.

The announcement was made by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, which said Major Barak is currently serving with the Indian Battalion as Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

According to the mission, she has been recognised for her outreach and community engagement activities for women and adolescent girls, besides conducting gender sensitisation training for peacekeepers.

Major Barak is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army. She becomes the third Indian recipient of the prestigious award after Major Suman Gawani in 2019 and Major Radhika Sen in 2024.

The Embassy of India in Beirut also congratulated Major Barak, stating that she served with distinction as the Female Engagement Team Commander of INDBATT-XXVI.

The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award has been presented annually since 2016 to a military peacekeeper who demonstrates exceptional leadership and commitment towards promoting the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

The resolution calls for integrating gender perspectives into peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, ensuring women’s participation in peace and political processes, and preventing conflict-related sexual violence. It also seeks to enhance the role of women in United Nations operations, including as uniformed peacekeepers. (Agencies)