New Delhi: In a first, an Indian Army officer and woman peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019).
Indian Army officer Major Suman Gawani has been entitled for the award. The award will also be shared by a Brazilian woman Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo.
The woman peacekeeper were described as “powerful role models” by the UN Chief Antonio Guterres.
The prestigious award was created in 2016 that honours dedication and effort of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the UN principles on Women, Peace and Security in peace operations as nominated by Heads and Force Commanders of peace operations.
Major Suman Gawani is the first Indian peacekeeper to win the award. She is a Military Observer, formerly deployed to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and had mentored over 230 UN Military Observers on conflict-related to sexual violence, and ensured the presence of women military observers in each of the Mission’s team sites.
Gawani will receive the award during an online ceremony on May 29, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The ceremony will be presided over by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Appreciating both women achievers for their excellent work UN Chief Antonio, said, ”Through their work, they have brought new perspectives and have helped to build trust and confidence among the communities we serve”.
