Do Women in Diplomacy Make a Difference?
Becoming ambassador, I felt a double burden. I had to succeed, to break the persistent stereotypes that women and Asians are not equipped to handle foreign affairs. I also did not want to become another excuse for denying women and Asians future ambassadorial appointments. I found that success did not turn on making a difference as a woman ambassador, but on establishing credibility with my Nepali interlocuters, the Embassy staff, my State Department handlers, and the foreign policy community. To be taken seriously, women ambassadors have to establish their credibility. In my case, credibility turned on how well I managed the totality of the bilateral relationship–from revolution to trade to aid–as well as how well I ran the Embassy. Only after establishing my credentials, could I turn to integrating womens needs and rights into the Embassys agenda. I brought my experience in foreign aid and economic development to bear in overseeing US assistance to Nepal, integrating issues of conc
