Washington, D.C. — A new report from the Center for American Progress outlines how the Biden administration can advance gender equity at home and abroad.
President Joe Biden took a major step forward earlier this year when he issued an executive order establishing a White House Gender Policy Council that reports directly to him and requires every cabinet secretary to participate. This ensures the focus on advancing gender equality is woven throughout the Biden administration’s domestic and foreign policies and across government.
As it develops its overarching strategy to advance gender equity and equality in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, the Gender Policy Council should leverage and expand the government’s existing mandate outlined in the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Act of 2017.
“It’s time for the national security and foreign policy establishment to fully recognize, understand, and account for the relationship between gender and security and to fully leverage U.S. foreign policy to improve gender equality throughout the world,” said Carolyn Kenney, a senior policy analyst for National Security and International Policy at CAP. “The work of the Gender Policy Council can play a major role in making this happen.”
The report recommends that the council’s strategy should focus on the following:
- Reorient WPS implementation to include how the United States advances women’s empowerment and gender equality at home as well as with other nations.
- Invest more resources in WPS personnel, programs, and training sessions that institutionalize gender equality and women’s empowerment in the national security architecture beyond any one administration.
- Better integrate gender into foreign policy strategies and national security discourse.
- Ensure gender analyses inform decision-making in national security and foreign policy.
Read the report: “Advancing Gender Equality at Home and Abroad by Leveraging Women, Peace, and Security” by Carolyn Kenney
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.