United Nations Military Award.

Current Context : Major Radhika Sen has won the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

• The award recognises the efforts of a military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of the 2000 Security Council resolution that calls for protecting women and girls from conflict-related sexual violence and sets gender-related responsibilities for the UN.
• This award was given to recognizing her advocacy for women and girls while serving as a peacekeeper.
• Radhika Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive the honour after Major Suman Gawani, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan and received the award in 2019.

ABOUT RADHIKA SEN :

• Major Sen is from Himachal Pradesh, graduated as a biotech engineer and was pursuing her Master’s degree from IIT Bombay.
• She served in eastern DRC with the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of the Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion.