More to Her Story sits down with Ambassador Geeta Rao Gupta before she leaves office

A relentless advocate for women’s rights and global gender equity, Ambassador Geeta Rao Gupta has led the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues since May 18, 2023. During her tenure, she has addressed critical challenges affecting women and girls worldwide. Her leadership has reinforced the integration of women’s rights into U.S. foreign policy, ensuring that gender considerations remain central to international diplomatic efforts.

In one of her last interviews before leaving office, More to Her Story’s Sarah Little and Kelly Kimball sit down with Ambassador Gupta to discuss the U.S.’s recent recognition of the genocide in Sudan and its impact on women and girls.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

MTHS: As you know, the U.S. recently declared the war in Sudan a genocide. It’s a rare designation. How does this shift in language translate into meaningful accountability, particularly for the systematic targeting of women and girls?

Ambassador Gupta: You’re well aware, as we all are, that since April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have launched a brutal conflict against the Sudanese people. I joined this position a month after the conflict began, and it's been a top priority for me. Witnessing this catastrophe—thousands affected, the worst famine in recent Sudanese history, and millions displaced—has been deeply troubling.

The recent designation of genocide is one of many actions the U.S. government has taken. In 2023, the Secretary of State concluded that RSF members had committed war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Declaring genocide involves a higher bar—intentional killing—and we've determined that RSF members and allied militias are responsible. We've sanctioned RSF leader Hemedti for these atrocities, particularly for genocide and gender-based violence. Economic sanctions have also been placed on companies they own in the UAE to target them financially. Additionally, due to gross human rights violations in Darfur, including mass rape of civilians, Hemedti is now ineligible for travel to the U.S.

MTHS: That’s good to hear. We are working on a piece about the RSF deliberately targeting female medical staff and hospitals. We’ve heard reports of women being gang-raped inside hospitals and later committing suicide. Have you heard of these reports, and what is the U.S. doing to address this specific targeting?

Ambassador Gupta: I know that we’re tracking all of the atrocities that are happening and documenting that. My office, in particular, is concerned with all the gender-based violence and sexual slavery and acts of conflict-related sexual violence. The U.S. remains committed to preventing and responding to GBV in all its forms, especially in conflict-related sexual violence, by providing the necessary supports. We’ve done that in Ukraine as well. The atrocities that we’re seeing unfold in Sudan are the most horrific—the psychological trauma. It’s a way to terrorize. The U.S. holds a position that sexual violence is not an inevitable part of war and should never be. I don't specifically have all of the details on the hospitals; I read about it in the newspaper every morning—but it's not surprising given the number of atrocities that they have committed already. They do not follow international humanitarian law. They do not follow any conventions in the conduct of this conflict. So I'm not surprised, and I'm glad that you're tracking it.

MTHS: When it comes to gathering evidence for sanctions and genocide declarations, what challenges has the U.S. faced? Specifically, have you found evidence of targeted attacks on hospitals and medical professionals?

Ambassador Gupta: My office doesn’t directly collect evidence. That responsibility lies with the Office of Global Criminal Justice, the Africa Bureau, and the Sudan Desk. They gather reports from the ground. However, Sudanese women we engage with have shared horrific accounts—civilian homes seized as military outposts, emergency care blocked, and starvation used as a weapon of war. While legal evidence requires rigorous documentation, these firsthand accounts drive our advocacy.

MTHS: Are there any developing U.S. strategies under your guidance to hold perpetrators accountable?

Ambassador Gupta: Yes. Since joining, I’ve focused on implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, which mandates women’s participation in peacebuilding. We’ve worked closely with Special Envoy Tom Perriello to include women in peace negotiations. Notably, in August, we brought 14 Sudanese women to Switzerland for peace talks. This was made possible by our She Wins program, which has a rapid response fund to support women’s involvement. Their contributions significantly impacted discussions on ceasefires, humanitarian aid, and accountability.

MTHS: Was there anything specific a woman from your advisory board shared that stuck with you?

Ambassador Gupta: Yes. One poignant point was their insistence that starvation as a weapon of war and conflict-related sexual violence be explicitly included in the RSF's code of conduct. Their definition of “cessation of hostilities” wasn’t just about laying down arms—it was about stopping rape and gender-based violence.

MTHS: As you transition out of your role, are there strategies or policies you hope the incoming administration will prioritize?

Ambassador Gupta: I hope the Women, Peace, and Security agenda remains a top priority. We’ve expanded global capacity-building through regional Centers of Excellence in Colombia, the Philippines, and Kosovo. Additionally, bipartisan support through the Women, Peace, and Security Caucus in Congress ensures accountability. I hope future administrations continue to prioritize women’s voices in conflict resolution, as we did in Sudan and Syria with women’s advisory boards.

MTHS: Thank you so much for your time, Ambassador.

Ambassador Gupta: Thank you, Sarah. And thank you, Kelly.