1st Indian Army Major honored with UN award for Peacekeeping

Highlight:

•  Major Suman Gawani awarded United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019)

• Awarded for her outstanding contribution to peacekeeping efforts in the UNMISS

• Significantly powerful role in the organization’s anti-sexual violence campaign

• Receive the award during an online ceremony due to COVID-19 pandemic

Indian Army Major Suman Gawani selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019) for her outstanding contribution in anti-sexual violence campaign with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

 

Major Suman Gawani called a "Powerful Role Model" by combating sexual violence in conflict situations through her "support, mentoring, guidance and leadership, to create enabling environment for UN Peacekeepers"- UN said on Tuesday announcing the award.

 

Major Gawani told ANI "I was supposed to go to New York at the United Nations headquarters for this award, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I will be honoured in an online ceremony on May 29. I am the first Indian to get this award”.  

 

Know More About Major Suman Gawani

 

On Professional Front

Major Gawani, who is with the Army Signal Corps while deployed as a military observer with the UN Mission in South Sudan, Gawani mentored over 230 UN Military Observers on conflict-related sexual violence and ensured the presence of women military observers in each of the Mission''s team sites.

 

On Academic Front

She completed her schooling in Uttarkashi and holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the Government Post Graduate College in Dehradun.

 

Belongs to

She hails from Pokhar village in Tehri Garwhal. While her father is a retired government officer, two of her three siblings are serving in the Indian Armed forces.

 

Know More About United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

Created in 2016, the award honours the 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.

 

Gawani shares the award with Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo, a Brazilian Naval officer working in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. They will receive the award at a ceremony presided over by Guterres on Friday 29th May,2020, which is observed as International Day of UN Peacekeepers.