Working on global issues for women, refugees and the LGBT community

Call it an internal think tank, the policy planning office at the State Department that helps inform Secretary Hillary Clinton about long-range and strategic issues.

Within that office, Mira D. Patel works on issues affecting women, refugees and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and played a key role in two current global initiatives on gay rights and women in public service.

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Photo credit: Mira Patel

Who is Mira D. Patel?

POSITION: Special Advisor, Secretary's Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State

RESIDENCE: Washington, D.C.

AGE: 28

EDUCATION: Wellesley College, B.A. in political science

HOBBIES: Playing sports and board games, painting and still photography

VOLUNTEER WORK: Volunteer work at CentroNia, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., helping low-income children develop their literacy skills.

“I’m lucky to be in a unique position to bridge the work of human rights advocates on the ground with policies and programs that address areas of injustice and inequity,” Patel said.

It has been a busy month for the 28-year-old policy advisor, as projects in her specialty areas have come to fruition.

While Patel watched from the third row seat at the Palais des Nations’ Assembly Hall in Geneva last week, Clinton delivered a rousing speech to an audience of diplomats and activists, addressing the human rights of the worldwide LGBT community. “It should never be a crime to be gay,” Clinton said, calling on people in all countries to support human rights.

The State Department is launching a $3 million Equality Fund to leverage public and private resources globally to advance the human rights of LGBT people. It’s a large contribution, Patel said, considering that less than $30 million annually now goes to support non-governmental organizations’ work in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Clinton’s speech was a major highlight for Patel, who has worked for years on the issue.

“In terms of policy planning, it was one of the most amazing things sitting in that hall. You have a kernel of an idea that I thought was a pipe dream,” she said. “To watch the secretary announcing the fund and seeing that reality was the culmination of two years of work.”

Another “big idea” Patel has worked on will launch Thursday, when the State Department kicks off the Women in Public Service Project with a colloquium bringing together policy makers, academic experts and global women leaders at the agency. The initiative’s aim is to identify, educate and inspire a new generation of women committed to public service and to advance women’s leadership in politics and governance around the world.

The agency is partnering with five women’s colleges — Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith and Wellesley — and 40 participants from 37 countries are expected to attend.

Patel said the issue is more important than ever, citing the gap in gender equality in many countries as reported by the World Economic Forum, a group promoting women’s leadership.

Less than 20 percent of the members of national parliaments worldwide are women, according to a State Department fact sheet. Yet, women in leadership have “extra impact” on peace, health and education resources in their communities, according to Patel. “Investing in women is an investment that makes sense,” she said.

Patel got her start in international issues working on the trading floor of Lehman Brothers, analyzing foreign affairs and emerging markets, a fast-paced and fascinating experience, she said.

But internationalism was never a foreign concept for her, as the daughter of Indian parents and a father born and raised in Kenya who later moved to England. “I spent many summers visiting my family in England growing up, inherently being aware of what was going on in the world at an early age,” she said.

Finding herself more and more drawn to politics, Patel moved to Washington and started working as an intern for then-Senator Clinton. After six weeks, she became her legislative correspondent working on foreign policy issues and eventually went along with her to the State Department. Patel’s portfolio was women’s and refugee issues, but after a few months, she asked to cover LGBT issues. She recently added the area of public-private partnerships.

“We’ve been able to do a lot in the past two years,” she said, “empowering foreign service officers on the ground, engaging in multilateral forums like the Human Rights Council and issuing the first ever statement and resolution on those issues.”

Patel’s is now racing against the clock to solidify the gains the administration has made before the secretary moves on. On deck is a national action plan to address the peace and security of women globally and prevent sexual violence against women in areas of conflict. It’s expected to be announced this month and implemented next year.

This article was jointly prepared by the Partnership for Public Service, a group seeking to enhance the performance of the federal government, and washingtonpost.com. Go to www.servicetoamericamedals.org/nominate to nominate a federal employee for a Service to America Medal and http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fed-player to read about other federal workers who are making a difference.