Indian peacekeeper Suman Gawani to be honoured with UN Gender Advocate Award

United Nations, May 25

An Indian Army officer and lady peacekeeper, who has served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and a Brazilian lady commander have been chosen for the distinguished United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019), with UN Chief António Guterres describing them as “powerful role models”.

Major Suman Gawani and Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo will obtain the award throughout a web based ceremony presided over by United Nations Secretary-General Guterres on May 29, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

Military Observer Gawani has just lately accomplished an task in South Sudan aside from her stint with the UNMISS.

Araujo is working within the United Nations’ Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission within the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Guterres counseled Gawani and Araujo.

“These peacekeepers are powerful role models. Through their work, they have brought new perspectives and have helped build trust and confidence among the communities we serve,” he mentioned.

“Through their commitment and innovative approaches, they embrace a standard of excellence that is an inspiration to all blue helmets everywhere. As we confront today’s challenges, their work has never been more important or relevant.”

This is the primary time the UN Military Gender Advocate award has gone to an Indian peacekeeper. This is the second 12 months in a row {that a} Brazilian peacekeeper has obtained this honour.

Created in 2016, the award recognises the dedication and energy of a person navy peacekeeper in selling the ideas of the UN Security Resolution 1325,, which is on girls, peace and safety in a peace operation as nominated by Heads and Force Commanders of peace operations.

For the primary time, two peacekeepers will obtain the award collectively.

Gawani expressed her gratitude for her work being recognised.

“Whatever our function, position or rank, it is our duty as peacekeepers to integrate an all-genders perspective into our daily work and own it in our interactions with colleagues as well as with communities,” she mentioned in a press release issued right here.

Gawani joined the Indian Army in 2011 the place she graduated from the Officers Training Academy, then joined the Army Signal Corps.

She holds Bachelor of Telecommunication Engineering and a Bachelor of Education levels from Military College of Telecommunication, and the Government Post Graduate College in Dehradun, respectively.

Since her deployment to the UNMISS in December 2018, Gawani mentored over 230 UN Military Observers (UNMO) on conflict-related sexual violence and ensured the presence of ladies navy observers in every of the mission’s workforce websites.

“By providing support, mentoring, guidance and leadership, she helped to create enabling environment for UN Peacekeepers,” the assertion mentioned, including that Gawani additionally educated the South Sudanese authorities forces and helped them launch their motion plan on conflict-related sexual violence.

The Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award is underpinned by the ideas outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and follow-up resolutions on girls, peace and safety.

The resolutions name on actors to mainstream a gender perspective in all facets of peacekeeping and peacebuilding and to make sure girls’s participation in peace and political processes.

They additionally name for the safety from and prevention of conflict-related sexual violence and for an growth of the function and contribution of ladies in UN operations, together with of uniformed girls peacekeepers.

The assertion mentioned that about 6.four per cent of the 85,000 uniformed peacekeepers serving presently within the UN missions are girls.

The UN is working with member states to extend the quantity and share of ladies navy, police and justice and corrections personnel.

It added that on this context selling the participation of ladies, each in peacekeeping and inside the societies during which we serve, is on the centre of the UN’s efforts. PTI