Meet Major Radhika Sen: The Indian peacekeeper championing gender equality in UN Missions
Major Radhika Sen, born in Himachal Pradesh in 1993, is set to receive the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award on May 30, coinciding with the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. She is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this award, after Major Suman Gawani, who was honored in 2019 for her service with the UN mission in South Sudan.
This prestigious award, established in 2016, recognizes the dedication of individual military peacekeepers in promoting gender equality across peacekeeping missions. It aligns with the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security. The awardee is chosen from candidates nominated by force commanders and heads of missions from all peace operations, according to UN peacekeeping.
Sen joined the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) from March 2023 to April 2024. She served as the commander of MONUSCO’s engagement platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion (INDRDB), according to a UN press release.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his admiration for Sen, describing her as “a true leader and role model”. He added, “Her service was a true credit to the United Nations as a whole.”
Sen said the award is “special to her”. “This award is special to me as it gives recognition to the hard work put in by all peacekeepers working in the challenging environment of DRC, giving their best to bring a positive change in society,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
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