UNITED NATIONS — In a powerful address at the UN Security Council Open Debate, India strongly condemned conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), labeling it an engineered tool of war, terrorism, torture, and political repression designed to subjugate communities and suppress dissent.
Speaking at the forum, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, highlighted a disturbing global surge in these crimes, pointing to the UN Secretary-General’s latest report which corroborated a sharp increase in verified cases and extreme brutality throughout 2025.
🛑 Confronting a “Culture of Impunity”
Ambassador Harish emphasized that these heinous acts continue to thrive globally due to a pervasive culture of impunity. He called for immediate, collective deliberation and concrete action from member states to hold perpetrators accountable and dismantle the systemic frameworks that allow sexual violence to be weaponized in conflict zones.
🇮🇳 The “Transformative Impact” of Indian Women Peacekeepers
Highlighting India’s historic contributions to global stability, Harish noted that the deployment of women peacekeepers has proven to be a highly effective, transformative shield against CRSV.
“The first-ever all-women formed police unit of the UN, deployed by India to Liberia in 2007, was instrumental in creating an environment for addressing criminality, deterring sexual and gender-based violence, and helping to rebuild safety and confidence among people.” — Ambassador P Harish
🏅 Indian Officers Honored with UN Military Gender Advocate Awards
Demonstrating India’s continued leadership on this front, the Ambassador announced that two Indian peacekeepers are being awarded the prestigious 2026 UN Secretary-General’s Military Gender Advocate of the Year Recognition Certificate:
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Major Moiz Yassin: Recognized for her work as force ombudsperson and welfare officer in UNMIS. Major Yassin built an accessible, confidential, and victim-centered channel for reporting grievances, conducted over 40 tailored training sessions for troop-contributing nations, and established a force gender database for evidence-based planning.
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Major Sonia Devendra Navaskar: Honored for her role as the focal point for uniformed women and member of the UNMIS Gender Task Force. Major Navaskar actively integrated CRSV prevention into intelligence and planning functions, established military-police best practice networks, and engaged directly with the host nation on critical gender issues.
These accolades continue a proud legacy, with Indian peacekeepers previously receiving the same distinction in 2019, 2024, and 2025.
