Clifton Cortez joined the World Bank Group in November 2016 as the first Global Advisor on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI). Clif leads on supporting client governments incorporating SOGI inclusion and non-discrimination in Bank-financed development projects. He also leads the Bank’s SOGI-specific data generation efforts.
Prior to joining the Bank, Clif served as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Deputy Director for the HIV, Health and Development Global Practice and UNDP’s Global LGBTI Lead (2014-16). Based at UN headquarters in New York City, Clif led UN efforts to ensure inclusion for LGBTI people in global development, in particular as related to the Sustainable Development Goals. He moved to UN headquarters from Bangkok, where he was the UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Practice Leader for HIV, Health and Development (2010-2014). Prior to UNDP, he was part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) HIV response, in the Regional Development Mission Asia in Bangkok (2005-2010) and as part of the Office of HIV in Washington, DC, (1997-2005). His earliest development work focused on international development policy as well as refugees, including as a legal consultant with UNHCR.
Over 30 years, his work has enabled him to be part of responding to sensitive development challenges in countries throughout Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. Clif holds a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and is married to Owen.