Major Radhika Sen receives prestigious UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

Major Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this award.

Major Radhika Sen serves in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. / UN

The United Nations on May.30 observed the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, honoring the over two million peacekeepers from 125 countries who have served in 71 operations around the world since 1948.

Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath to honor the more than 4,300 women and men who have lost their lives while serving under the United Nations flag since 1948.

The Secretary-General also presided over a ceremony at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals have been awarded posthumously to the 61 peacekeepers from 33 countries who paid the ultimate price for the cause of peace last year.

He said, “The memory of all fallen Blue Helmets reminds us of the tragic human costs of conflict. Each loss underscores the urgent need to prevent violence, protect the most vulnerable, and spare no efforts to end these deadly conflicts."

Major Radhika Sen, an Indian peacekeeper deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), received the 2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

Guterres said: "Many of our peacekeepers have set themselves apart by their efforts in embodying gender-responsive peacekeeping, making sure no one is left behind, those within our teams and among those we serve. Today, we honor one of them with the Military Gender Advocate of the Year award. Major Radhika Sen, of India has served in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since March 2023.”

Major Sen worked in the DRC from March 2023 through April 2024, where she amplified women’s voices, created safe spaces for men and women to work together, and promoted gender-sensitive peacekeeping.

She said, “This award is special to me, as it recognizes the hard work put in by all the peacekeepers working in MONUSCO’s challenging environment. The engagement teams serve as the face of our contingent within the community, tirelessly striving to reach out to every segment of the DRC population.”

Major Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this award.