Major Aichatou Ousmane Issaka, deputy director of social work at the military hospital in

Niamey Niamey () is the capital and largest city of Niger. As the Niamey Urban Community (, CUN), it is a Regions of Niger, first-level division of Niger, surrounded by the Tillabéri Region, in the western part of the country. Niamey lies on the Nige ...

, is one of the first military women in

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

. In 2016, she received the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her service in Gao, Mali, with the

United Nations Peacekeeping Peacekeeping by the United Nations is a role of the United Nations's Department of Peace Operations and an "instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace". It is ...

Force,

MINUSMA The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (, MINUSMA) was a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. MINUSMA was established on 25 April 2013 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2100 to stabilise ...

, during 2014–2015. She served as a captain in the civilian-military cooperation cell, training fellow officers and reaching out to local women, in accordance with the principles of

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (S/RES/1325), on women, peace, and security, was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council, UN Security Council on 31 October 2000, after recalling resolutions United Nations Secur ...

(2000) to increase the participation of women and to integrate gender perspectives in peacekeeping efforts. Issaka also accompanied otherwise all-male patrols, making them more accessible to women and children. She was the first recipient of this award. On March 29, 2017, Issaka received the

International Women of Courage Award The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...

for her peacekeeping contributions in Niger and Mali from the First Lady of the United States,

Melania Trump Melania Knauss Trump (born Melanija Knavs, April26, 1970) is a Slovenian and American former model who is married to U.S. President Donald Trump. Since 2025, Melania Trump has served as the first lady of the United States, a role she previous ...

, and Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas A. Shannon.

References

21st-century Nigerien women 21st-century Nigerien people Peacekeeping Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Female military personnel Courage awards Nigerien military personnel Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award {{Africa-mil-bio-stub