UN Best Women Gender Advocate of the Year
Award 2025
¨
Indian Army officer Major
Abhilasha Barak received the United Nations’ Best Women Gender Advocate Award
for the year 2025 on 22–23 May 2026.
¨
She is serving in Lebanon
with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as the Commander of
the Women Engagement Team of the Indian Battalion.
¨
The United Nations
Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was established in 2016.
¨
It is presented by the
Office of Military Affairs under the UN Department of Peace Operations.
¨
The award is given
annually to a military peacekeeper for outstanding work in promoting gender
equality and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
¨
United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1325 was adopted in 2000.
¨
It focuses on women,
peace, and security.
¨
It emphasizes increasing
women’s participation in peace processes.
¨
It ensures protection of
women and girls during armed conflict.
¨
It promotes integrating a
gender perspective into peacekeeping operations.
¨
During her deployment in
Lebanon, Major Abhilasha Barak led several key initiatives.
¨ She conducted awareness and community engagement activities for women and adolescent girls
¨ She also organized gender-sensitization training for fellow peacekeepers in the mission area.
