Rita Reddy is a Gender Expert Consultant to UNFPA Malaysia and Gender Lead for Malaysia for the UK-ASEAN Future Cities and Low Carbon Energy project. She is an Advocate and Solicitor in Malaysia and Singapore, a Barrister at Law of Gray's Inn London, and holds a Master's degree in International Business Law and Economics from London.
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She served the United Nations for 27 years in senior leadership roles including Director of the UN Human Rights Programme in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Director of Civil Affairs in UN Peacekeeping Operations in Sudan, Director of the UN Cambodia Office for Human Rights, and Special Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Trafficking of Women and Children in the Asia Pacific Region.
 
She has contributed to the drafting of foundational international instruments including the Rome Statute, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, and the Palermo Protocol.