Pakistan Army’s Major Sania Safdar, serving with the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), has made history as the first peacekeeper from the mission to receive the 2023 ‘Certificate of Recognition’ for her advocacy of gender equality. The prestigious award, issued by the UN Department for Peace Operations in New York, was presented to her by Colin Stewart, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus.
Maj Safdar expressed her gratitude, stating, “Receiving this certificate as the first peacekeeper from UNFICYP is deeply meaningful to me and significant for our mission in Cyprus. It serves as a testament to our commitment to gender equality.”
The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, established in 2016, honors the dedication and efforts of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Since her deployment last year, Maj Safdar has been actively involved in overseeing communication systems and championing gender equality within the military component. She has led several initiatives aimed at integrating women into the mission’s work, which significantly contributed to her recognition.
