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Q: You are a trained economist     resting for me to see that the eco-  ching for common ground. It really
          and you have been very active  nomic work I did while working  gives you confidence in the value
          in bringing women into the  at the World Bank is actually very  of engaging in a multilateral sys-
          business world through your  relevant here. One of the projects I     tem with the intention of creating
          activities and achievements. Is  started here which is now an annual   a better world. It is my first time
          there something similar going      publication, Women, Business and   in a multilateral post and I was at
          on here in Geneva?                 the Law, looks at the number of  first a little reluctant to come. Now
                                             countries that still have gender ine-  that I'm here I recognize just what
          I am a very proud member of the    qualities. Out of the 143 countries  value we are able to bring as per-
          Lipstick Club, which is the Club of   in the survey this year, 123 still   manent representatives to our work
          Women Ambassadors in Geneva  have legislation that is discrimina-     in the multilateral system. We can
          that started a couple of years ago.  tory. This is a very useful input for   all contribute to a better outcome
          It is a very nice club and, of course,   the Universal Periodic Review pro-  through our attitude and collabora-
          all our male colleagues want to  cess. For me, it has been fascinating  tion. It is a very rewarding environ-
          know what we are talking about. It   to see how work carried out in pre-  ment to work in and being able to
          shows how far women have come      vious environments is also proving   deal with the heads of agencies, all
          when you can have a name like      useful here in Geneva.             of whom are of a very high quality.
          that. It shows that there is no lon-                                  It is a privilege.
          ger concern about taking ourselves  Q: Since you arrived, what has
          too seriously. I think we are roughly   given you most personal satis-  Q:  Diplomats and ambassa-
          thirty-five members now, because   faction?                           dors serving in Geneva say that
          some new members have come and                                        they acquire a very good expe-
          some old ones have gone.           Most personal satisfaction has come   rience here that serves them
                                             from my relations with other collea-  for the rest of their lives. Do
          I have written a couple of books  gues and conducting our work toge-  you share this point of view?
          on women's entrepreneurship for    ther. Given my background as an
          Random House and I have also  economist and my involvement in de-     In some ways. I think we are so fortu-
          written a couple of others for the  velopment, in particular around the   nate to be here dealing with construc-
          World Bank on women and their      post-2015 agenda, the development   tive and committed colleagues
          role as economic
          agents. One of the
          things that we found
          through World Bank
          research is that there
          is a very high cor-
                     between
          relation
          gender equality and
          economic growth. I
          think that this has
          helped to inform the
          policies of agencies
          like the World Bank
          and UNDP, who
          are really trying to
          promote long-term
          sustainable develop-
          ment. The studies
          that we carried out
          in the World Bank looked at eco-   agenda and the peace-building  that we are also living in a privile-
          nomic growth in relation to gender   agenda, my experiences, especially  ged little bubble. Socially, it is a
          equality. Of course, the work done  with my African colleagues, have   very steep learning curve because
          here through the High Commissio-   been extremely rewarding.          you have almost every country
          ner for Human Rights and the Uni-                                     represented here and it's a univer-
          versal Periodic Reviews are looking   The quality and calibre of the col-  sal agenda. You have to learn and
          at legislative frameworks to make  leagues here in Geneva is really  to respect other nation's points of
          sure that they are learning from   outstanding; the way in which we   view. But I think that people come
          one another and employing good  work together -- it is a very colle-  to the table with the right attitude
          practices. They are also improving   gial approach. We all have different   and approach, so this is a propi-
          the legislative environment with a   approaches based on our govern-  tious environment when trying to
          view to creating better outcomes  ment's perspectives and we try to  solve tough problems.
          for their citizens. It has been inte-   respect these positions, while sear-

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