Defence CS Monica Juma has congratulated Military Gender advisor Maj Steplyne Nyaboga for winning the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year 2020 Award.
Nyaboga 32, is a Kenyan peacekeeper, who recently completed her assignment in Darfur, Sudan.
This is the first time that a Kenyan peacekeeper has received this prestigious award.
“Congratulations Major Steplyne Nyaboga...This international recognition is a clear demonstration of the KDF professional acumen,” Juma said on Wednesday.
Maj Nyaboga was deployed to the UNAMID mission in February 2019.
“.. for two years, she has performed in an exemplary manner. You make all Kenyans, and particularly women, proud. Kudos!!" she added.
Created in 2016, the United Nations award recognizes the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution.
According to UNAMID, Maj Nyaboga encouraged gender-sensitive outreach to local communities, in an effort to enhance the protection of civilians.
Maj Nyaboga expressed happiness that her work in mainstreaming gender dimensions was recognized.
“I am so elated that our efforts in serving humanity have an impact and didn’t go unnoticed. Peacekeeping is a human enterprise, placing women and girls at the centre of our efforts and concerns will help us better protect civilians and build more sustainable peace,” she said.
She also focused on gender training for her fellow military peacekeepers, training nearly 95 per cent of the UNAMID’s military contingent by December 2020.
Nyaboga also advised the Force on how to better identify and integrate the needs of men, women, boys and girls groups in vulnerable contexts into UNAMID’s analysis, planning and operations, a move that greatly improved the mission’s understanding of and response to protection needs.
Working together with human rights, gender and communications colleagues, she also organized campaigns and workshops for staff and civil society activists to address issues affecting Darfuri women and girls.