Two Pakistani Peacekeepers Receive UN Gender Advocacy Award

Two Pakistani military officers, Major Sania Safdar and Major Komal Masood, have been honoured with the United Nations Gender Advocacy Award for their peacekeeping work. Major Safdar, who worked as a part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus, and Major Masood, who served in the Central African Republic,  are being awarded “for their outstanding performance and commitment in promoting the ideals of UN," the Inter-Services Public Relations reported.

Major Sania Safdar, Major Komal Masood

Major Safdar and Major Masood were presented their awards by the under-secretary-general on September 19 in the UN’s Department for Peace Operations at its New York headquarters, the ISPR reported. "While serving in [an] international environment, both officers demonstrated exceptional professionalism [and] dedication," the Pakistani armed forces' media wing added.

The report added that Major Safdar and Major Masood “made [a] significant contribution to Mission’s Peace and Stability efforts, especially with regards to advancing women’s meaningful participation in Peacekeeping Operations within the mission." The ISPR added that their profound roles in peacekeeping have been acknowledged by respective Mission force commanders.

In August 2024, Major Safdar became the first peacekeeper to rec­e­ive the 2023 ‘Certificate of Recognition’ for advocating gender equality. The ISPR noted the commitment of military women to playing a “pivotal role as a responsible member of the international community to help realise the ideals of global peace and security through active support in UN Peacekeeping Missions”.

Gender Advocate Of The Year 2023: India's Major Radhika Sen

In May 2024, India's Major Radhika Sen was honoured with the prestigious ‘2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award'. She was deployed to the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) till April 2024. Major Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive the award. The IIT-Bombay alumna decided to join the armed forces in 2016.

Indian Force Commander In South Sudan Lauds The Pakistani Peacekeepers

According to ISPR, the peacekeeping efforts by the Pakistani peacekeepers in South Sudan were also lauded by the force commander of the UN Mission, Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian from India. Chief of Pakistan's Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir said that the Indian general officer commended the peacekeepers' professionalism, dedication and commitment.

“Pakistani blue helmets have undertaken daunting engineers’ tasks in [a] complex and challenging operational environment to ensure the Protection of Civilians which has always remained the top priority for Pakistani peacekeepers,” the ISPR said. “Pakistani contingent worked day and night”, protecting over 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the worst flood-affected areas."