UN honors Military Gender Advocate and Women Police Officer of the Year awards

On May 30, 2025, a significant government meeting highlighted the achievements of women in peacekeeping roles, particularly through the recognition of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year and the UN Women Police Officer of the Year awards. These awards are pivotal in promoting gender equality and the principles outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which emphasizes prevention, protection, participation, and gender equality in peace and security efforts.

The Military Gender Advocate of the Year award, established in February 2016, honors an individual military peacekeeper who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to these principles within peace operations. This year, 17 military peacekeepers from eight field missions were nominated, with a nominee from the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) being selected. This individual served as the military gender advisor at the force headquarters in Abay Town, going above and beyond her responsibilities to integrate gender considerations into military planning and operations.

In addition to the military award, the meeting also celebrated the UN Women Police Officer of the Year award, which has been presented since February 2011. This award recognizes the vital contributions of women police officers to UN peace operations and aims to empower women in policing roles. This year, the award was given to a police officer from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for her innovative community engagement initiatives. Her efforts have fostered stronger police-community relations and created new avenues for reporting crimes in areas lacking a national police service.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, approved by the United Nations Security Council in July 1997, serves as a tribute to the sacrifices made by military, police, and civilian personnel in UN peacekeeping missions. The recognition of these awards not only highlights individual achievements but also underscores the ongoing commitment to enhancing the role of women in peacekeeping and promoting gender equality globally.

As the meeting concluded, the discussions reinforced the importance of these initiatives in fostering a more inclusive and effective approach to peacekeeping, paving the way for future advancements in gender representation within the United Nations' operations.