In News:

Two Indian peacekeepers—Brigadier General Amitabh Jha (UNDOF) and Havildar Sanjay Singh (MONUSCO)—are being posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal by the United Nations. Their sacrifice will be honoured at the U.N. Headquarters during the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers on May 29, 2025.

Overview:

• Instituted: 1997
• Purpose: Posthumous honour to U.N. peacekeepers who die in service under U.N. authority.
• Awarded on: Peacekeepers' Day (May 29) annually.
• Named after: Dag Hammarskjöld, the 2nd U.N. Secretary-General, who died in a 1961 plane crash during a peace mission in Congo.
• First award (1998): Dag Hammarskjöld and Commandant René de Labarrière (first peacekeeper to die in a U.N. mission, 1948).

Other UN Peacekeeping Awards

• Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage: Recognizes U.N. personnel displaying exceptional bravery.
• UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award: Recognizes peacekeepers promoting gender equality under UNSC Resolution 1325.
  • 2023 recipient: Major Radhika Sen (India, MONUSCO).
  • 2024 recipients: Sqn. Ldr. Sharon Syme (Ghana) and Superintendent Zainab Gbla (Sierra Leone), both serving in UNISFA.

India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping

• Total personnel deployed (2025): Over 5,300 Indian troops in missions in: Abyei, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
• Historical role:
  • Since 1950s, India has contributed over 290,000 personnel to 50+ peacekeeping missions.
  • India is among the top four contributors of uniformed personnel.
  • Engagement includes training, capacity building, and technology support for U.N. missions.

UN Peacekeeping: Global Overview

• Established: 1948 (First mission: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East).
• Cumulative personnel served: Over 2 million in 71 operations.
• Current strength (2025): Around 68,000 personnel from 119 countries in 11 missions across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Peacekeepers who have died since 1948: Over 4,400.

Theme 2025: ‘The Future of Peacekeeping’

• Linked to: Pact for the Future adopted in 2024 by global leaders.
• Aim: To reform peacekeeping for modern challenges.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for a peacekeeping force ready to face "increasingly complex" global situations.