Seoul, June 24: On the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy (IDWD), India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar extended his best wishes to the female officials of the ‘Team MEA.’ During his two-day official visit to South Korea, he praised their efforts.
On the social media platform X, Jaishankar shared a collage of the women members of the team, stating, “Warm wishes to all the female officials of Team MEA on the International Day of Women in Diplomacy.”
He emphasized the significance of their contributions, saying, “I consider their role in advancing India’s diplomatic interests and strengthening the country’s global outreach to be extremely important and commendable.”
The International Day of Women in Diplomacy is celebrated annually on June 24. This observance was unanimously decided during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing the work of female diplomats and providing an opportunity to appreciate their contributions.
According to the official UN website, this day serves as a way to thank women who have transformed diplomatic roles. Each year, a specific theme is designated, and this year’s theme is ‘Women’s Leadership in Multilateral Diplomacy.’
Recent statistics from the UN and global diplomacy indicate that only 22.5% of ambassadors and permanent representatives worldwide are women. In the UN, this figure stands at just 21%. Since 1947, the share of women among the total ambassadors appointed globally has been a mere 7%.
According to the Women in Diplomacy Index, only New Zealand, Liechtenstein, and Belize have achieved a 50% representation of female ambassadors in their top diplomatic positions, which is significant for gender equality.
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