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who reports to the Secretary of State and is tasked with coordinating and raising awareness of women’s issues. (President Obama created the Ambassador position in 2009.) The origin of the office dates back to 1994, when Congress declared that the department should designate a senior advisor to promote international women’s human rights (P.L. 103-236). The USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub was established in 1974 as the Office of Women in Development. Led by a senior coordinator, it provides gender expertise, training, and technical assistance. Over time, some policymakers have proposed codifying these offices and leadership positions.

Key Policy Issues
Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). Research has found that when women participate in peace processes they are more likely to build coalitions, support marginalized groups, and promote national reconciliation. The Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-68) promotes women’s participation in conflict prevention, management, and resolution; calls for a U.S. WPS strategy; and requires gender training. Presidents Obama and Trump issued WPS strategies in 2016 and 2019, respectively. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $135 million for WPS programs.

Women’s Leadership. Women remain underrepresented at all levels of decisionmaking, despite representing more than half the global population. Causes include discriminatory laws and practices, gender stereotypes, low education levels, lack of health care access, and the disproportionate effects of poverty. The United States supports programs to improve women’s leadership through training, advocacy, and capacity building. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $50 million for activities to promote women’s leadership, including political participation.

Women’s Economic Empowerment. Evidence suggests that gender inequality is a barrier to economic growth and that economic contributions from women are not fully realized worldwide. The United States has long supported programs to increase such opportunities for women. Most recently, the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-428) aims to reduce gender disparity in economic opportunity and codify gender analysis in USAID programs. In 2019, President Trump created the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, which President Biden expanded and renamed the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. Congress appropriated up to $200 million to the fund in FY2022.

Girls’ Education. Over 132 million girls are out of school worldwide, while those who attend school often have lower completion rates and learning levels than boys. Barriers to education include poverty, child marriage, conflict, and violence. U.S. activities support safe and quality education for both girls and boys, while recognizing the importance of gender parity in education for girls. In 2017, Congress passed the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act (P.L. 115-56), which aims to strengthen educational systems, including by removing education barriers for girls. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $150 million for the education of girls in conflict areas.

Women’s Health. Inadequate access to basic health care is a key cause of more than 800 daily deaths from pregnancyrelated causes worldwide, with 94% of these deaths in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs). Many girls and women in LMICs suffer from malnourishment, which can raise the risk of disease, stunting, eclampsia, and obstetric fistula. They are also more susceptible to HIV, and women represent the majority of new HIV infections in many LMICs. Appropriations for USAID maternal and child health programs rose from $295 million in FY2001 to $890 million in FY2022. The State Department reports that by the end of 2021, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) had reached more than 2.9 million girls and young women with HIV prevention programs.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV). GBV includes random acts of violence as well as sustained abuse over time. Often underreported, it occurs in all regions and economic classes, with higher rates in some developing countries. The United States supports a range of anti-GBV activities in more than 40 countries. In 2016, the Obama Administration issued a U.S. GBV strategy, which the Biden Administration states it plans to update. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $175 million to implement the multiyear GBV strategy.

Women in Humanitarian and Conflict Settings. Humanitarian crises and conflict situations often disproportionately affect women and girls, who may be displaced and require life-saving assistance and protection. In these contexts, women are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Congress has long supported vulnerable populations, including women, through global humanitarian appropriations. In recent years, Members sought to prevent child marriage in displaced populations (P.L. 116-94) and considered legislation addressing GBV in humanitarian situations (S. 765, 117th Congress).

Congressional Considerations
Integration into U.S. Foreign Assistance and Policy. Some Members may consider whether women’s issues can be more effectively addressed as discrete subjects, or as considerations within broader development assistance and strategies. In the policy context, there is some debate as to whether specific types of women’s issues can be isolated from each other or whether they are inextricably linked.

Ongoing Oversight of Existing Legislation and Policies. Congress may continue to monitor executive branch implementation of gender-related legislation, as well as the status of multiple government-wide policies and strategies addressing women’s issues, including how, if at all, they are adjusting to recent global events such as COVID-19.

Funding and Program Coordination. The State Department and USAID track some gender programming broadly; however, the U.S. government does not comprehensively monitor funding for specific types of women’s issues. Some policymakers contend that current efforts are adequate, while others argue that they may hinder U.S. efforts to assess its global gender programs.

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Luisa Blanchfield, Coordinator, Specialist in International Relations

https://crsreports.congress.gov