Indian American Geeta Rao Gupta has been confirmed by the US Senate as the Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues in the State Department by 51 to 47 votes early this week.
In a tweet on Friday, the department expressed interest in her work to advance women’s and girls’ rights via US foreign policy. By a vote of 51 to 47, the US Senate approved Gupta at the beginning of this week.
Gupta asserts that there are several injustices and indignities experienced by women around the world that prevent them from fully participating in the economy.
“They are subject to threats to their safety and have a fear of violence even on a daily basis, and that determines their mobility.
“In situations of conflict, emergencies, and humanitarian crises, they are particularly vulnerable, both in terms of their safety but also in terms of their being able to look after their families and feed their families,” she said during her confirmation hearing last year.
Gupta collaborated extensively with several United Nations (UN) organizations and initiatives prior to her confirmation. She served as the Executive Director of the 3D Program for Girls and Women of the UN Foundation. She is on the boards of InterAction and the Moriah Fund and provides advice to the UNAIDS Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. As co-chair of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Education and Gender Equality, she also served in that capacity.
