Major Steplyne Nyaboga, a Kenyan Peacekeeper has won the 2020 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. The 32-year-old, who served in the recently ended United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), is scheduled to receive the award on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers during a virtual ceremony to be presided over by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
In recognizing Major Nyaboga’s work, the UN chief applauded her for introducing perspectives that increased awareness of significant gender dimensions across the mission and boosted the engagement of troops with women in Darfur. In that, he noted that equal opportunities lead to sustained peace in society.
“Peace and security can only be achieved and sustained if all members of society have equal opportunities, protection, access to resources and services, and can participate in decision-making,” he said
The award given to Major Nyaboga recognizes the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in a peace operation context, and in receiving the award, Major Nyaboga pointed out that peacekeeping is a human enterprise. She began her military career in 2009 as a Signal Radio Troop Commander, and in the present mission, she encouraged gender-sensitive outreach to local communities to enhance the protection of civilians.
“Placing women and girls at the centre of our efforts and concerns will help us better protect civilians and build a more sustainable peace,” she said.
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