Major Suman Gawani, first Indian who received prestigious UN Award in 2020

Indian Peacekeeper Major Suman Gawani received "United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the year Award" by United Nations.

Yes, it was the cheerful and honorable moment for all of us when Indian Army Major Suman Gawani was awarded with such a renowned award by the chief of United Nations Antonio Gutteres for her contribution as a peacekeeper in United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2019. 

This year an online ceremony was organized at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, the award was given on Friday during the observation of International Day of United Nations Peacemakers. 

She has not only created history but given a proud moment to India at the time when we are going through a tough time due to Covid-19. Since 1948, it's inception it is the first time when Indian Peacekeeper received this honor.

The 2020 theme of International Day of United Nations Peacemakers was Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace. The theme is taken to celebrate the 20th anniversary of adopting he  UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security .

The women significantly proved their ability, commitment, determination at the front and contributed exceptionally. This was the motive of the theme this year. To empower women by all means &  to make decisions during and after conflicts was the focus of UN Chief. 

During Major Suman Gawani's tenure from November 2018 to December 2019 as a military observer she made many accomplishment like mentoring more than 230 military observers on Conflict-related sexual violence, ensuring female observer presence at almost every site including training of Southern Sudan Government forces on Conflict-related sexual violence.

She has become an inspiration and gets her name in the list of all those women who made India proud without worrying about situations and challenges. We are really proud of you and wishing for your future missions a good luck. 

Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo of Brazil was also awarded with Major Suman Gawani. 

Dag Hammarskjöld Medal was awarded posthumously to 83 personnel including military,police and civilians. Four Indian Peacekeepers were among those 83 brave-heart peacekeepers who sacrificed their life while serving in different UN Peacekeeping Missions.