Indian Army Major Abhilasha Barak Wins 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

Key Facts

• Major Abhilasha Barak was awarded the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2025 on 22-23 May 2026.
• She serves as Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) with the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
• She is the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army, having achieved this milestone in May 2022.
• Major Barak led outreach and community engagement activities focused on women and adolescent girls, and conducted gender sensitisation training for fellow peacekeepers in Lebanon.
• She is the third Indian recipient of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, following Major Suman Gawani in 2019 and Major Radhika Sen in 2023.
• The award was established in 2016 by the UN Office of Military Affairs within the Department of Peace Operations to recognize military peacekeepers advancing gender equality and implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
• The formal award ceremony is expected to be held around 29 May 2026 at the United Nations headquarters, coinciding with the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
• The award aligns with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 adopted in 2000, which emphasizes the participation, protection, and empowerment of women and girls in conflict and peace processes.

Background & Context

UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, is a landmark resolution highlighting the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls and the necessity of their full participation in peace and security efforts. It calls for protection of women from sexual violence in conflict zones and stresses incorporating gender perspectives in peacekeeping operations.

The Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was created to honor individual military peacekeepers who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to promoting women’s meaningful participation and protection in peace operations, consistent with Resolution 1325’s goals.

India has a significant presence in UN peacekeeping missions and has increasingly prioritized gender-sensitive approaches, including deploying all-women contingents and supporting women leaders. Major Barak’s leadership in UNIFIL’s Female Engagement Team exemplifies this commitment.

Her achievement as the first female combat helicopter pilot in India’s Army further breaks traditional gender barriers in the military, symbolizing progress in women’s roles both nationally and in international peacekeeping.

Why This Matters for Exams / Exam Relevance

This event is pertinent for current affairs and international relations sections in competitive exams, particularly those covering India’s contributions to UN peacekeeping, global gender equality initiatives, and military achievements of Indian women. It connects to important UN policies like Security Council Resolution 1325 and highlights India’s evolving role in promoting Women, Peace and Security.

Relevant exam questions may focus on the award’s significance, details about Major Barak’s career and contributions, the history and objectives of Resolution 1325, and India’s previous recipients of this UN award.

Points to Remember

• Major Abhilasha Barak received the 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award in May 2026.
• She leads the Female Engagement Team in UNIFIL, Lebanon.
• She was the first Indian woman combat helicopter pilot as of May 2022.
• She is the third Indian to win this award after Majors Suman Gawani (2019) and Radhika Sen (2023).
• The award was instituted in 2016 by the UN Department of Peace Operations.
• The award promotes the objectives of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted in 2000.
• Ceremony scheduled near International Day of UN Peacekeepers, 29 May 2026.