(Image source from: Twitter.com/UN_News_Centre)
Radhika Sen, a former member of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is set to receive the prestigious Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award in 2023. This UN award celebrates her exceptional work in advocating for women and girls' rights during her time as a peacekeeper, as well as her contributions to the 2000 Security Council resolution that aimed to protect women and girls from sexual violence in conflict. The award ceremony will take place on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Originally from Himachal Pradesh, Sen initially pursued biotechnology engineering before joining the Indian Army while in the middle of her master's degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Assigned to the MONUSCO mission, she served as the Engagement Platoon Commander with the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion until April 2024. Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this award, following Major Suman Gawani, who was recognized for her service with the UN Mission in South Sudan.
Major Radhika Sen who served with @MONUSCO in eastern DR Congo is the 2023 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year.
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) May 28, 2024
She will receive the award from UN chief @antonioguterres during a ceremony on Thursday.https://t.co/b0xTnfrX5o
In 2019, Ms Sen was recognized for her contributions to UN peacekeeping efforts. She worked with a group of 1,954 individuals within MONUSCO, where only 32 were women, out of a total of 6,063 Indian personnel. Her efforts aimed to provide safe spaces for women to come together and discuss important issues. Ms Sen was a leader in promoting gender equality in the eastern DRC, where she organized English classes for children and provided health and vocational training for adults. Additionally, she established Community Alert Networks to support communities affected by conflict in North Kivu.
