Adela Raz was born in 1986 in Paktika Province, eastern Afghanistan. As the eldest child and only daughter in a family with three younger brothers, her childhood coincided with Afghanistan's civil war and the first Taliban regime (1996-2001). During the Taliban's five-year rule, like millions of Afghan girls, she was banned from formal education but secretly attended underground English classes in private homes while wearing the mandatory burqa.

Following the Taliban's ouster in 2001, the 16-year-old Raz resumed formal schooling. In 2004, she earned a scholarship to study in the United States, where she obtained a bachelor's degree with triple majors in International Relations, Political Science, and Economics from Simmons University, followed by a master's degree in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University's Fletcher School.

Political and Diplomatic Career: Raz began her professional journey in 2010 with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Her breakthrough came in 2013 when she was appointed as Deputy Spokesperson for President Hamid Karzai and Director of Presidential Communications - becoming the first woman to hold these positions in Afghan history.

In 2016, she ascended to the role of Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation. The pinnacle of her career was reached in December 2018 when she made history as Afghanistan's first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations, serving until June 2021. Just weeks before Kabul's fall to the Taliban in August 2021, she was appointed Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United States.

Post-Taliban Takeover: Following the Taliban's return to power, Raz categorically rejected any cooperation with the regime. Since April 2022, she has led the Afghanistan Policy Lab at Princeton University, a research initiative providing policy recommendations to the U.S. government and international community on Afghan affairs.

Personal Life: Raz is married to Mateen Bek, former Chief of Staff to President Ashraf Ghani, and is mother to two daughters. Her journey from Taliban-era underground student to top diplomat embodies the resilience of Afghan women against extraordinary odds.

Key Milestones:

• First female presidential spokesperson (2013)

• First female Deputy Foreign Minister (2016)

• First female UN Ambassador (2018-2021)

• First female U.S. Ambassador (2021-2022)

• Current director of Princeton's Afghanistan Policy Lab (2022-present)

Raz's career represents a groundbreaking trajectory for Afghan women in international diplomacy, particularly notable given Afghanistan's conservative social norms and turbulent political landscape. Her story continues to inspire a new generation of Afghan women pursuing leadership roles despite ongoing challenges.