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Since 1995, the number of women permanent representatives to the UN has grown from 7 to 38. "There is still slow progress," said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Aksoltan Atayeva, who has represented Turkmenistan at the UN for 28 years and is the doyen of the diplomatic corps in New York. UN News Service published an interview with Aksoltan Torayevna on the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, which is celebrated on June 24:
— You have been heading Turkmenistan's mission to the UN for many years. Has there been more women among ambassadors and diplomats during this time?
— During my time at the UN, the situation regarding women in diplomacy is gradually changing. We are seeing an increase in the number of women serving as ambassadors and diplomats. If in 1995 there were only seven of us, now there are 38. A small progress in 28 years, but still we are not standing at the same point. The international community and Governments recognize the importance of women's participation in decision-making, in particular by promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and support gender equality. Personally, I feel this change and am happy to see the growing number of women influencing international politics.
Of course, the position of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on achieving gender equality has a great influence on the process of women's representation in diplomacy.
I am particularly pleased that some countries of the Muslim world, including those from Central Asia, have become more represented by women.
— What difficulties, due to the fact that you were one of the few women in this mostly men's club, have you had to face over a long career?
— Being one of the few women in the diplomatic community causes certain difficulties. It is necessary to overcome the opinion that women promote this or that agenda because they are women. In fact, this is not the case. It is necessary to prove that women have good training, education, experience and work no worse than men. Women are good leaders, they are more flexible, able to convince, convey their thoughts and ideas and implement them. Prejudices and stereotypes are inherent in the male majority, and they can be overcome only by proving their competence, professionalism, through their work, their activities, their behavior and attitude to colleagues. This is the only way to gain respect and recognition.
— When you were appointed, how did your family react to this? Is it difficult to combine the duties of a mother, grandmother and ambassador?
— My family has always supported me in my professional aspirations, throughout my career, including appointment to the post of Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN. They understand that my work is important and requires full dedication and attention. Of course, it is not always easy to combine the duties of a mother, grandmother and ambassador, but I try to find a balance between family and work. It is important to be confident in the support of loved ones and be ready to compromise in order to successfully cope with professional and family responsibilities.
— A recent UNDP survey showed that the majority of men and women in the world believe that men have the ability to lead a country, business, organization to a greater extent than women. Do you think such a popular opinion can change in the near future, and what should be done for this?
— The popular opinion about the advantage of men in leadership is the result of long-term cultural and social attitudes that correlate with the role of women in society. However, modern reality excludes any predisposition of gender to leadership. Women show superiority in many areas and successfully occupy high positions in politics, business and various organizations. To change such beliefs, it is necessary to continue education, enlightenment, support women's leadership and guide a new generation of girls to achieve goals without gender restrictions.
— At the same time, statistics persistently prove that women are excellent negotiators and have the ability to diplomatically settle many issues. Do you agree with this, based on your practice?
— I absolutely agree. Women have a special talent in the field of negotiations and diplomacy. Thanks to our empathy, patience and ability to find compromises, we are able to effectively resolve disputes and make constructive decisions. I have witnessed this many times in my practice and am convinced that women play an important role in achieving peace and stability in international relations. To add, this is confirmed in UN General Assembly resolution 76/269 of June 20, 2022, which proclaimed the International Day of Women in Diplomacy.
— What would you like to say to girls who choose a career in diplomacy?
— Addressing young diplomats, I would first of all like to emphasize that an international career is, first of all, an exciting and very responsible way of serving your country. However, it should be remembered that diplomacy requires a lot from a person: education, outlook, high intelligence, diligence, flexibility, ability to work in multinational teams and solve complex problems, as well as good health.
Dear girls, be ready for challenges, but don't let them stop you. Use your talents and strive to achieve your goals. The world needs your abilities, and I am sure that you will be able to make a significant contribution to achieving peace and trust between peoples, sustainable development of your country, the region and the world as a whole. Go ahead!
