USA (Commonwealth Union)_ Geeta Rao Gupta, an Indian-American, has been officially appointed as the Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of Global Women’s Issues in the US State Department, making her the first woman of color to assume this esteemed position. Vice President Kamala Harris administered the oath of office to Gupta, following her confirmation by a senate vote of 51 to 47 back in May. In announcing Gupta’s appointment, the State Department expressed anticipation for Gupta’s efforts to advance women’s and girls’ rights through US foreign policy.
During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Gupta, a proud American citizen and first-generation immigrant from a family of professional women who have devoted their careers to serving their communities, highlighted the increasing gender inequality and the need for women to overcome the numerous inequalities and indignities that hinder their full participation in the economy. She said, “If you look at the world today, the situation of women, if you look at the gender inequality indicators, they show that the inequality has increased”.
Gupta, born in Mumbai, has an extensive background in gender and development. She previously held notable positions such as Senior Fellow at the United Nations Foundation and senior advisor to Co-impact, a global collaborative philanthropy organization focused on driving systems change. During her tenure at the UN Foundation, she founded and served as the Executive Director and later as Senior Advisor of the 3D Program for Girls and Women. Gupta’s distinguished career also includes serving on an oversight committee for the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Program and co-chairing the World Bank’s Global Gender-Based Violence Task Force. Further, her other notable roles include Deputy Executive Director of Programs at UNICEF and Senior Fellow at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gupta’s contributions to promoting gender equality have earned her numerous awards, including InterAction’s Julia Taft Award for Outstanding Leadership, Harvard University’s Anne Roe Award, and the Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” Award. Further, she graduated from Bangalore University with a Ph.D. in Psychology and an M.Phil and M.A. from the University of Delhi. Overall, with her wealth of experience and expertise, Gupta assumes a critical role in advancing the rights and well-being of women and girls on a global scale through her position as Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of Global Women’s Issues.
