Shoko Ishikawa

Ms. Shoko Ishikawa took up the position of UN Women Country Representative in India in April 2026. She brings more than 20 years of experience advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the United Nations system.

Prior to this appointment, Ms. Ishikawa served as Deputy Director of UN Women’s Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division in New York, where she guided global policy and programme work, strengthened coherence across UN Women’s work to serve women and girls in all their diversity worldwide, and co-led the development of the organization’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029.

She previously served as UN Women Country Representative in Bangladesh and Viet Nam, where she led country programmes spanning women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women, gender-responsive governance, women, peace and security, and humanitarian response. She also served as Acting Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia.

Ms. Ishikawa began her UN career with the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), supporting implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and advancing women’s access to justice across Southeast Asia.

She holds a master’s degree in international development from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations and political science from Keio University.