NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Indian Army Major Abhilasha Barak, India’s first woman combat helicopter pilot, has received the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her efforts to empower women and girls and strengthen community engagement during a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented the award during ceremonies marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The honor recognizes peacekeepers who promote gender equality and improve the participation of women in peace and security efforts. Barak currently serves as the Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point with the Indian Battalion deployed under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL.
During the ceremony, Guterres praised Barak’s leadership and commitment to helping local communities affected by conflict. He described her as a role model who has improved the lives of women and girls despite difficult conditions on the ground. He said she engaged thousands of women and girls through vocational training, education initiatives, and health awareness programs. Guterres also highlighted her efforts to build trust with local communities. He said those relationships helped create early-warning networks that improved the mission’s ability to protect civilians and respond to security concerns.
The Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award is one of the United Nations’ highest honors for peacekeepers who advance gender equality in conflict zones. While accepting the award, Barak emphasized the importance of equal opportunities and inclusive leadership.
“Dreams do not have a gender, and neither does leadership, courage, or the will to serve humanity,” she said.
Barak said the recognition reflects the importance of ensuring that every person has a voice in building lasting peace. She added that communities become stronger when women and girls have access to education, skills training, and leadership opportunities.
Speaking about the situation in Lebanon, Barak expressed hope for continued stability through dialogue and diplomacy. She said talks between parties should continue and that diplomacy remains essential for maintaining the ceasefire and supporting recovery efforts. She also stressed that rebuilding after conflict should focus not only on damaged infrastructure but also on helping people recover from trauma and hardship.
During her deployment, Barak has worked closely with women and adolescent girls in local communities. Her programs have focused on vocational training, education, health awareness, and self-reliance.
These initiatives aim to help women develop skills, improve economic opportunities, and strengthen their role within their communities. Her work has become an example of how peacekeepers can support long-term development while maintaining security. The United Nations has increasingly encouraged greater participation by women in peacekeeping operations. Officials say female peacekeepers often help build trust with local populations and improve outreach efforts in conflict-affected regions.
Barak is the third Indian woman officer to receive the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen previously earned the honor for their contributions to UN peacekeeping missions. India remains one of the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations. Nearly 650 Indian peacekeepers currently serve with UNIFIL in Lebanon. More than 4,200 Indian military and police personnel are deployed across UN peacekeeping missions worldwide. India has a long history of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts and has contributed thousands of personnel to missions across Africa, the Middle East, and other regions.
The ceremony also honored peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the United Nations flag. Guterres posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medals to 68 peacekeepers from 33 countries. Among them were two Indian peacekeepers: Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh, who served in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan, who served in South Sudan.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador P. Harish, accepted the medals on behalf of their families. Guterres noted that nearly 4,500 UN peacekeepers have died in the line of duty over the past 78 years. Today, more than 51,000 civilian, military, and police personnel serve in 11 UN peacekeeping missions around the world, helping protect civilians and support peace in conflict-affected regions.
