Major Abhilasha Barak honoured with UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2025

Abhilasha Barak, an officer of the Indian Army serving in Lebanon under a United Nations peacekeeping mission, has been awarded the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2025. 

Key Highlights

• Major Abhilasha Barak is currently serving with the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
• She is serving as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team.
• She is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army.

About the Award

• The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was instituted in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs under the UN Department of Peace Operations.
• The award recognises military peacekeepers who demonstrate exceptional commitment towards:
  • Promoting gender equality, and
  • Implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
• The recipient is selected annually from nominations submitted by Force Commanders and Heads of Mission across UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.

India’s Contribution

With this honour, Major Abhilasha Barak becomes the third Indian peacekeeper to receive the award.

Earlier recipients from India include:

• Suman Gawani in 2019 for service in South Sudan.
• Radhika Sen in 2023 for service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.