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Uzra Zeya

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Uzra Zeya
Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 14, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byNathan Sales
Personal details
BornChapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
EducationGeorgetown University (BA)

Uzra Zeya is an American diplomat who has served as the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights in the Biden Administration since July 2021.[1]

Early life and education

Zeya was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to immigrants from Bihar, India.[2][3][4] Zeya's sister, Rena Golden (née Rena Shaheen Zeya), died in 2013 due to lymphoma. Zeya graduated from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.[5]

Career

Uzra Zeya worked as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service for 27 years. During the Obama administration, Zeya served as the acting assistant Secretary and principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. She also worked in the Embassy of the United States, Paris from 2014 to 2017.[6] In 2013, Zeya was suspected to have been involved in the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.[7][8] Zeya was accused of helping evacuate the domestic help's kin out of India,[clarification needed] just two days prior to Khobragade's arrest.[9]

In 2018, Zeya wrote in Politico wrote that she left the State Department after not being promoted because she did not pass the Trump administration's "Breitbart test" due to her race and gender.[10]

From 2019 through 2021, Zeya served as the President and CEO of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, a network of organizations working to end violent conflict worldwide.[11]

Zeya was confirmed on July 13, 2021 to serve as Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. The vote was 73 to 24, with 3 Senators not voting.[12] She was sworn into office by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on July 14, 2021.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Biden nominates Indian-American Uzra Zeya to key State Department position". Hindustan Times. January 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Uzra Zeya". ISD. March 15, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "'Desi' diplomats don't have it easy".
  4. ^ Chidan; Sep 25, Rajghatta / TNN / Updated; 2018; Ist, 09:23. "Indian-American diplomat Uzra Zeya quits state department, calling out racist and gender bias in Trump administration - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved January 17, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last3= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Uzra Zeya". ISD. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  6. ^ "Alumni Profile: Uzra Zeya". Master of Science in Foreign Service. Georgetown University. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  7. ^ Krishnankutty, Pia (January 19, 2021). "Biden's pick Uzra Zeya had 'helped' Indian diplomat Khobragade's maid during 2013 row". ThePrint. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  8. ^ Service, Tribune News. "Joe Biden keeps Dems with RSS-BJP links out". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  9. ^ "US official 'assisted' in maid's kin evacuation". Deccan Chronicle. December 22, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  10. ^ Zeya, Uzra (September 17, 2018). "Trump Is Making American Diplomacy White Again". Politico Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Alliance for Peacebuilding's Board of Directors Endorses Uzra Zeya for Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights in the U.S. Department of State". Alliance for Peacebuilding. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  12. ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  13. ^ @DepSecState. ""Uzra Zeya is a brilliant diplomat and we are so lucky to have her back at the @StateDept"..." Twitter.com. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
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