Arora Akanksha

2021-06-23T20:43:24Z

108.18.47.216:

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Short description|UN official and candidate for Secretary-General}}
{{family name hatnote|Arora}}
[[File:Arora Akanksha 2 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Arora Akanksha]]
'''Arora Akanksha''' (born July 31, 1986)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Agence France-Presse (AFP)|date=February 19, 2021|title=Une Canadienne aspire à devenir secrétaire générale de l'ONU|url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/02/19/une-canadienne-aspire-a-devenir-secretaire-generale-de-lonu|url-status=live|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Le Journal de Montréal|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201300/https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/02/19/une-canadienne-aspire-a-devenir-secretaire-generale-de-lonu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=UN secretary-general candidate recalls childhood memories in Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1837046/saudi-arabia |access-date=9 April 2021 |work=Arab News |date=4 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404044648/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1837046/saudi-arabia |url-status=live }}</ref> is an [[Indo-Canadians|Indo-Canadian]] auditor and [[United Nations]] staff member. She is an audit coordinator for the [[United Nations Development Programme]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Gladstone|first=Rick|date=February 26, 2021|title=Who Is Arora Akanksha, the 34-Year-Old Running for U.N. Secretary General?|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/world/americas/arora-akanksha-united-nations.html|access-date=February 27, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201241/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/world/americas/arora-akanksha-united-nations.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Indian American Arora Akanksha hindustantimes">{{Cite web|date=February 27, 2021|editor-last=Soni|editor-first=Mallika|title=Indian American Arora Akanksha, 34, running for UN chief|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/haryana-woman-under-34-arora-akanksha-indian-american-running-for-un-chief-101614412913070.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201241/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/haryana-woman-under-34-arora-akanksha-indian-american-running-for-un-chief-101614412913070.html}}</ref> In February 2021, she announced her intention to challenge incumbent UN [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]] [[António Guterres]] in the [[2021 United Nations Secretary-General selection|2021 United Nations leadership selection]]. However, she was never nominated by a member state, and so her candidacy was never considered by the [[United Nations Security Council]].

==Early life==

Arora's grandparents came to India as refugees from [[Pakistan]] after the [[Partition of India]] in 1947.<ref name=":0" /> She was born in the Indian state of [[Haryana]] and moved to [[Saudi Arabia]] at age six.<ref name="Indian American Arora Akanksha hindustantimes"/> From age 9 to 18, she attended [[boarding school]] in India.<ref name=":0" />

==Education and career==

Arora studied administrative studies at [[York University]] in [[Toronto]], [[Canada]].<ref name="Indian American Arora Akanksha hindustantimes"/> After graduating, she was an auditing manager at [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]] Canada. In December 2016, she joined the [[United Nations]].<ref name=":0" /> She is an audit coordinator at the [[United Nations Development Programme]].<ref name="Indian American Arora Akanksha hindustantimes"/>

While working at the UN, she studied public administration as a graduate student at [[Columbia University]].<ref name=":0" />

==Candidacy for UN Secretary-General==

On February 17, 2021, Arora declared her intention to run for the position of [[United Nations Secretary-General]], saying "We are not living up to our purpose or our promise. We are failing those we are here to serve."<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Arora Akanksha Submits Letter to President of the General Assembly and UN Ambassadors on her candidacy for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. |url=https://unow.org/arora-akanksha-submits-letter-to-president-of-the-general-assembly-and-un-ambassadors-on-her-candidacy-for-the-secretary-general-of-the-united-nations/ |website=UNOW |access-date=February 27, 2021 |date=February 17, 2021 |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201244/https://unow.org/arora-akanksha-submits-letter-to-president-of-the-general-assembly-and-un-ambassadors-on-her-candidacy-for-the-secretary-general-of-the-united-nations/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She believes that the UN is wasteful and paternalistic, and that the organisation is not accomplishing its mission.<ref name="Indian American Arora Akanksha hindustantimes"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Meet Arora Akanksha, 34-year-old Indian-Canadian running for UN Secretary General |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/meet-arora-akanksha-34-year-old-indian-canadian-running-for-un-secretary-general/story/432726.html |access-date=March 5, 2021 |work=www.businesstoday.in |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201242/https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/meet-arora-akanksha-34-year-old-indian-canadian-running-for-un-secretary-general/story/432726.html |url-status=live }}</ref> She has taken a leave of absence from her work as a UN auditor to work on the campaign,<ref name=":0" /> which she describes as a "[[David and Goliath]] story".<ref name="theprint.in Arora Akanksha Indian-origin woman running social media">{{cite news|last1=Krishnankutty|first1=Pia|date=February 13, 2021|title=Who is Arora Akanksha, Indian-origin woman running social media campaign to be next UN chief|work=ThePrint|url=https://theprint.in/world/who-is-arora-akanksha-indian-origin-woman-running-social-media-campaign-to-be-next-un-chief/604642/|access-date=March 11, 2021|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318201243/https://theprint.in/world/who-is-arora-akanksha-indian-origin-woman-running-social-media-campaign-to-be-next-un-chief/604642/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Former UN official [[Edward Mortimer]] said of her candidacy, "I'm sure she has no chance, and equally sure that she knows that", but that her campaign was a way to show her dissatisfaction with how the UN operates.<ref name=":0" /> Former [[UN High Commissioner for Human Rights]] [[Mary Robinson]] said she shared many of Arora's concerns.<ref name=":0" />

In order to be eligible for selection, Arora must be nominated by at least one member state.<ref>{{cite news |title=Meet the Canadian millennial running to lead the United Nations |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arora-akanksha-united-nations-antonio-guterres-1.5974605 |access-date=9 April 2021 |work=CBC |archive-date=April 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210407160141/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arora-akanksha-united-nations-antonio-guterres-1.5974605 |url-status=live }}</ref> She reached out to all 193 U.N. member states, and heard back from only 10 of them. She summarizes these responses by saying these countries were "fearful of nominating me because of retaliation from members of the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]] and the [[European Union]]". Arora met with her home country's [[Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations|permanent representative to the United Nations]], [[Bob Rae]], on March 15, 2021, but she has not heard back from him or Canada since then.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fillion|first=Stéphanie|title=Arora Akanksha Is Done 'Being Nice' In Her Quest To Become U.N. Leader|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniefillion/2021/05/07/arora-akanksha-is-done-being-nice-in-her-quest-to-become-un-leader/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>

Incumbent António Guterres was re-elected by acclamation for a second term at the helm of the United Nations in June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guterres re-elected as secretary-general of the United Nations by acclamation|url=https://www.independent.ie/world-news/guterres-re-elected-as-secretary-general-of-the-united-nations-by-acclamation-40555307.html|access-date=2021-06-18|website=independent|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
* {{official site|https://unow.org/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arora Akanksha}}
[[Category:United Nations officials]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Canadian auditors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:York University alumni]]

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Arora Akanksha