Major Abhilasha Barak
The United Nations has announced the 2025 recipients of its Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award and Woman Police Officer of the Year Award. Major Abhilasha Barak of Indian Army will receive the Military Gender Advocate Award 2025.
Major Abhilasha Barak of India has been named the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year in recognition of her outstanding leadership in promoting gender-responsive peacekeeping and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda during her deployment with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since June 2025.
Serving as Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point within the Indian Battalion, in Sector East, southern Lebanon, Major Barak integrates gender perspectives into military operations, patrols and civil-military activities, ensuring that operational decisions reflect the realities and needs of women and vulnerable groups.
As a frontline commander, she has led extensive outreach efforts, engaging over 5000 women and girls through vocational training, education and health programmes that support empowerment and postconflict recovery. Within six months, she conducted 539 gender-focused field activities, the highest within the mission, while leading all-women patrols amid repeated hostilities.
Major Abhilasha Barak has served as Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since June 2025. As the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army, she broke new ground in military aviation after being commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in 2018, following her graduation from Delhi Technological University and training at the Officers Training Academy Chennai. Prior to her deployment, she served in frontline aviation roles, gaining extensive experience in complex and high-risk operational environments.
