US Mission signs charter for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Council
February 14, 2023
Staff at the US Embassy and Consulate General in the Netherlands, led by Ambassador Razdan Duggal and Deputy Chief of Mission Woodward, signed a charter to formalize the US Mission’s Advice on Diversity, Justice, Inclusion and Accessibility. The worker-led council will uphold the U.S. Mission in the Netherlands’ commitment to an inclusive, empowering environment where an equal, diverse workforce thrives, is treated with dignity and respect, and successfully contributes to advancing the Mission’s goals.
Ambassador Razdan Duggal called the signing of the Council’s charter on February 14, 2023 “a historic milestone for this staff-led initiative that continues to ensure our duties are aligned with our principles.”
The charter gives a clear structure to a grassroots democratic organization: the DEIA Council. Membership is open to all members of the US Embassy and Consulate General community, and the Council is governed by a six-member board of staff elected by their senior peers. Committees with elected chairs organize the Council’s activities within the Embassy, the Consulate General and externally in partnership with outside agencies. The US Department of State officially supports the establishment of DEIA councils in its diplomatic missions abroad.
During her remarks at the signing of the DEIA Council charter, Chair Samantha Macin Mengual said: “Community is so much more than just a label; it embodies the strength of being part of something bigger than yourself, and being part of something is meaningful, powerful and empowering. Community is the foundation on which DEIA rests and for the DEIA Council, community is at the core of everything we do.”
The Council provides a forum for all employees to set the agenda for DEIA promotion, promotion and acceptance. Under the charter, the council will advise leadership on new approaches to promoting, increasing and maintaining a diverse workforce. The Council is responsible for reviewing and proposing projects, policies, practices and procedures that foster an organizational climate that promotes DEIA. The Council also promotes DEIA through education and awareness programs that reach Mission staff.
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