“The administration’s initiative can only serve as an effective complement to the WEEE Act if it brings new resources to the table.”
Today, the U.S. administration is launching a long-anticipated, inter-agency “umbrella initiative” designed to advance women’s economic empowerment globally. This could be an important opportunity for advancing gender equality in U.S. foreign policy. The government has already addressed other issues seen as important for equality, such as gender-based violence, girls’ empowerment and women’s experience of war and peace. However, this will be the first time the U.S. government articulates a comprehensive approach for U.S. foreign policy and assistance to help women take control of their economic independence.
The Coalition for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equality — a D.C.-based group of international development organizations committed to this critical issue — recognizes that this interagency U.S. government commitment comes at a critical moment. CWEEE hopes that this new initiative will help address the complex needs faced by women, communities, and businesses around the world. Women’s economic empowerment requires more than just increasing their economic participation and advancement. It also includes women’s ability to make meaningful economic decisions, own and control assets, mitigate risks such as the threat of gender-based violence, and have an enabling environment — including laws, education, comprehensive health care, and child or elder care — that supports their empowerment.
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