Adela Raz

Adela Raz (born 1986) is an Afghan politician who currently serves as the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations. She was appointed in December 2018 as the first female to hold the office.

Her Excellency

Adela Raz
Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Nations
Assumed office
December 31, 2018
PresidentAshraf Ghani
Preceded byMahmoud Saikal
Personal details
EducationTufts University

Early life and education

Raz's father was killed by the Taliban because he was perceived as too progressive.[1]

Raz has a BA with majors in International Relations, Political Science and Economics from Simmons University in Boston, and an MA in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University.[2][3][1] She was the first Afghan to gain a H-1B1 visa.[1]

Career

Raz worked from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.[2] From 2010 until 2013, she worked with an international development organization in the US.[2] She is an advocate for gender equality, women's education and human rights.[1] She has worked to assist women develop sustainable work and participate in society.[1]

In 2013, she was appointed Deputy Spokesperson and Director of Communications to President Hamid Karzai, the first woman to hold the positions.[2][4][5] She became Chief of Staff in November 2014 and was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation in March 2016 at age 30.[2][6][7] In March 2018, she was part of a delegation of Afghan women to visit Washington DC, where she spoke about the need for more women in Afghan political life and the need for the rest of the world to consider them partners, not merely victims or recipients of aid.[8]

On 31 December 2018, President Ashraf Ghani appointed Raz as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, replacing Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal. She is the first woman to hold the position.[3][9][10][11] In March 2019, she was unanimously selected as vice president of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.[12]

References
  1. Elam-Thomas, Harriet Lee; Robison, Jim (2017). Diversifying Diplomacy: My Journey from Roxbury to Dakar. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 172–177. ISBN 9781612349503.
  2. "Biography of Mrs. H.E. Adela RazDeputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
  3. Khan Saif, Shadi (31 December 2018). "Afghanistan appoints first female permanent UN envoy". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. Harwooni, Mirwais; Shalizi, Hamid (25 June 2013). "Afghan Taliban attack in Kabul throws peace talks into further doubt". Reuters. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  5. Graham-Harrison, Emma (18 February 2014). "Hamid Karzai orders changes to draft law amid fears for Afghan women". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  6. "Adela Raz appointed deputy foreign minister for economic affairs". Khaama Press. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  7. Mashal, Mujib (9 January 2018). "Cutting Into Afghan Patronage: A Struggle to Make Government Younger". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  8. Mizener, Sara (8 March 2018). "Adela Raz and The New Generation of Afghan Women Leaders Delegation". The Initiative to Educate Afghan Women. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  9. "Adela Raz new Afghan ambassador to UN". Pajhwok Afghan News. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  10. Ashrafi, Nabila (1 January 2019). "Govt Appoints New Representative To UN". TOLO News. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  11. "Adela Raz becomes Afghanistan's first female envoy to UN". The Frontier Post. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  12. Farooq, Umar (29 March 2019). "UN picks Afghan envoy as VP of Palestinian committee". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
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