India (Commonwealth Union)_ The United Nations has honored Indian Army officer Major Abhilasha Barak with the 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her outstanding work in promoting gender awareness and supporting women and girls during her peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. Major Barak, who is currently serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), received the recognition for her active outreach programs and community engagement efforts aimed at empowering local women and adolescent girls. She was also praised for conducting gender sensitization training sessions for fellow peacekeepers during her deployment.
India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations announced the achievement and described it as a proud moment for the country. According to the mission, Major Barak’s efforts have made a meaningful impact both within the peacekeeping force and among local communities in Lebanon. The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was introduced in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs under the Department of Peace Operations. The award recognizes peacekeepers who successfully promote the goals of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. It is presented to military personnel who actively integrate gender perspectives into peacekeeping work and help create safer and more inclusive environments during missions.
Major Barak has now become the third Indian woman officer to receive this prestigious honor. Earlier, Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen were also recognized by the United Nations for their contributions during peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, respectively. At present, Major Barak serves as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team within the Indian Battalion deployed in Lebanon. The formal award ceremony will take place on May 29, observed globally as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
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Apart from her peacekeeping achievements, Major Barak has already made history in the Indian Army. She became the first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as a combat aviator, a milestone that was widely celebrated within the armed forces. After completing her demanding training, she received the prestigious aviation wings alongside several other army pilots. The 30-year-old officer comes from Haryana and is the daughter of retired Colonel S Om Singh. She studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, before earning a B.Tech. degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Delhi Technological University in 2016.
Before joining the army, she had secured a placement opportunity with Deloitte in the United States. But she decided to take up a military career and was commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in September 2018. Major Barak has done several professional military courses over the years and has been entrusted with important responsibilities within the army. Her recent recognition at the United Nations further highlights India’s increasing contribution to global peacekeeping efforts and the growing role of women in leadership positions in international missions.
