With the USAID launching a women’s leadership fund, Obama administration has reaffirmed its commitment to empower women and girls around the world.
The Obama administration is taking steps to do more to increase women’s participation.
The State Department has recently created an initiative for women in public service as well.
Last year, Secretary Clinton also signed a new Declaration on Women’s Participation.
On his address to the 2011 UN General Assembly, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to increasing women’s participation. He called upon member states to formulate steps to break down economic and political barriers for women and girls.
On her remarks at a “Strengthening Women’s Political Participation” Event at the U.S. Mission to the UN, Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama and Chair of the White House Council Valerie Jarrett reports that the United States introduced the UNGA Third Committee resolution on “Women and Political Participation,” which calls on all states to end discriminatory laws and actively promote and protect human rights for women to take a part in public life.
The resolution was adopted with over 130 co-sponsors.
Ms. Jarrett says the United States is looking forward to identifying new partners who will help them deliver on the President’s challenge.
“This is not just the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. We know women’s participation affects global stability. It affects national security.” -Ms. Jarrett
She notes that as the world pursue broader foreign-policy goals, it’s imperative that the world incorporate the perspective of women.
The President intends to lead by example in the United States, by harnessing the extraordinary talents of women and girls, as we create an America that’s built to last, according to Ms. Jarrett.
To reaffirm the Obama’s administration commitment to empowering women in the 21st century, President Obama signed the very first bill when he came to office which was was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
The Bill helps protect women and their right to equal pay for equal work so that people like Lori have a remedy to discrimination.
The President has also taken steps to increase student loan awards, and reduce repayments, in order to make college more affordable for young people like Mahala.
President Obama has also invested in science and technology and engineering and math for young girls, so that more women have the capability to compete for jobs like Jackie, the jobs of the 21st Century.
“And it’s why he’s promoted workplace flexibility so that parents can successfully balance their careers with their families. It’s why he has committed his administration to ending domestic violence and human trafficking.” -Ms. Jarrett
President Obama also signed the Affordable Care Act that provides for health insurance for all people of the United States and it prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against women and provides women with the kind of preventive care that they need.
Ms. Jarrett underlines that President Obama has placed women in many of the highest positions within his administration including the Secretary of State, the UN Ambassador, the Secretaries of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Labor.
Nearly 50 percent of his appointees to district courts are women, by far the highest percentage of any President in American history.
Recently, President Obama has already appointed two women to the Supreme Court, including one first Latina. And he has recently nominated the first woman to be a four-star general in the history of the Air Force.
“The President knows that empowering women is key to the competitiveness of our country. When women succeed, society succeeds.” -Ms. Jarrett
The United States was at the forefront in 2009 and 2010 in leading efforts at the UN to support the consolidation of the UN’s existing gender-related institutions into a single more effective women’s agency. Ms. Brimmer said it was their goal at the UN to elevate women’s issues to their rightful status.
United States is also playing a leading role, along with international partners, in supporting empowerment of women, within the UN system, through participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
