UN Military Gender Advocate Award: Major Abhilasha Barak
Why in the news
The Prime Minister congratulated Major Abhilasha Barak after the UN honoured her work as a gender advocate in peacekeeping. She is posted with the UN force on the Lebanon-Israel border.
Key facts
- Awardee: Major Abhilasha Barak, Indian Army.
- Posting: UNIFIL, on the Blue Line that separates Lebanon from Israel.
- Roles: Gender Focal Point and engagement team commander.
- About the award: yearly honour begun in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the UN’s Department for Peace Operations; Force Commanders and Heads of Mission send in nominations.
| Year | Indian winner | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Major Suman Gawani | UNMISS (South Sudan) |
| 2023 | Major Radhika Sen | MONUSCO (DR Congo) |
| 2025/26 | Major Abhilasha Barak | UNIFIL (Lebanon) |
UNSC Resolution 1325
- Adopted in October 2000; first UNSC resolution to tie women’s experience of conflict to international peace and security.
- Four pillars: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief and recovery.
- Base document of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda; later resolutions numbered 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106, 2122 and 2242 add to it.
About UNIFIL
- Peacekeeping mission set up in March 1978 under UNSC Resolutions 425 and 426, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
- Mandate widened under Resolution 1701 after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
- Watches the Blue Line, assists the Lebanese Armed Forces and provides humanitarian aid.
- India is among its largest troop contributors.
Exam angle
- Award start year: 2016; set up by the Office of Military Affairs, UN DPO.
- UNIFIL headquarters: Naqoura.
- Resolution behind WPS: UNSC 1325 (2000).