Updated May 5, 2022
Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts
For several decades, Congress has considered or enacted
U.S. Policy
legislation aimed at improving the rights and status of
U.S. efforts to address global women’s issues have shifted
women and girls worldwide. These efforts, which may
over time, often reflecting world events, domestic political
address a range of issues globally, including women’s
conditions, and the priorities of individual policymakers.
health, education, and security, are often grouped under the
During the past two decades, many Members of Congress
broad policy umbrella of “global women’s issues.”
and the executive branch have increasingly recognized a
growing body of research linking gender equality to the
Background
overall stability, prosperity, and security of societies.
Many U.S. and international policymakers have
increasingly recognized gender inequality as a human rights
Selected Legislation and Trends. U.S. policymakers have
and development issue caused by long-standing unequal
considered women’s issues from global, regional, and
power relationships between men and women. This
country-specific perspectives, ranging from issuing high-
imbalance is reflected in pervasive stereotypes, attitudes,
level policy statements to providing assistance to other
and behaviors that perpetuate a cycle of discrimination in
governments, civil society, and international organizations.
many societies, with significant consequences for women’s
Some have also sought to incorporate women’s issues into
socio-economic status and security. Often women do not
foreign policy on a broad level. In Congress, for example,
have equal decisionmaking power with men and cannot
the “Percy Amendment,” enacted as part of the Foreign
independently make choices that affect their overall well-
Assistance Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-189), requires that foreign
being, including household decisions, marital status, health,
assistance funds work to integrate women into the national
education, livelihood, and civic participation.
economies of developing countries. Since FY2014 State-
Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Acts have
These inequalities often negatively affect the rights and
required that funds from such acts promote gender equality
status of women in many parts of the world. In the global
in diplomatic and development efforts. (Most recently, see
workforce, women hold fewer paid positions and earn less
Section 7059 of the FY2022 SFOPS Appropriations Act
for similar work than men. Many women also lack basic
(Division K of P.L. 117-103).)
legal protections. For example, in over 70 countries women
hold no property or inheritance rights, and in more than 40
In the executive branch, successive Presidents have
countries women have no legal protection against domestic
supported different aspects of global women’s issues, in
violence. Globally, 60% of food insecure populations are
some cases issuing executive orders or memoranda. Most
women and girls. The emergence of Coronavirus Disease
recently, in March 2021 the Biden Administration issued an
2019 (COVID-19) further exacerbated these issues; some
executive order creating the White House Gender Policy
experts suggest that recent gains in gender equality may be
Council to address gender issues in domestic and foreign
lost due to the secondary impacts of the pandemic.
policy. In October 2021, the Administration published a
National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, which
Selected International Efforts
aims to elevate and promote gender issues in strategic
Governments, including the United States, have sought to
planning, budgeting, and policy development at both
address gender equality in international fora. For example,
domestic and global levels.
the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), ratified
Legislation on global women’s issues has at times reached
by 189 countries, specifically addresses the rights of
an impasse due to long-standing abortion and family
women. (The United States has not ratified the treaty due to
planning-related debates. Some policymakers contend that
sovereignty concerns.) At the Fourth U.N. World
previously enacted abortion and family planning restrictions
Conference on Women (1995), governments, including the
should be included in certain gender-related legislation to
United States, committed to eliminating discrimination
ensure the restrictions apply to those bills. Others argue that
against women and affirmed “women’s rights are human
the restrictions do not need to be included because they are
rights.” In addition, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325
already law or because the bills are unrelated to abortion or
on Women, Peace, and Security (2000) urged governments
family planning.
to ensure the increased representation of women at all
decisionmaking levels for conflict prevention, management,
Agency Roles. The Department of State and U.S. Agency
and resolution. (The Council has since adopted nine follow-
for International Development (USAID) play key roles in
up resolutions.)
coordinating U.S. efforts to address women’s issues, with
the names and priorities of relevant offices often changing
between Administrations. The State Department’s Office of
Global Women’s Issues is led by an Ambassador-at-Large
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Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts
who reports to the Secretary of State and is tasked with
Women’s Health. Inadequate access to basic health care is
coordinating and raising awareness of women’s issues.
a key cause of more than 800 daily deaths from pregnancy-
(President Obama created the Ambassador position in
related causes worldwide, with 94% of these deaths in low-
2009.) The origin of the office dates back to 1994, when
and middle-income countries (LMICs). Many girls and
Congress declared that the department should designate a
women in LMICs suffer from malnourishment, which can
senior advisor to promote international women’s human
raise the risk of disease, stunting, eclampsia, and obstetric
rights (P.L. 103-236). The USAID Gender Equality and
fistula. They are also more susceptible to HIV, and women
Women’s Empowerment Hub was established in 1974 as
represent the majority of new HIV infections in many
the Office of Women in Development. Led by a senior
LMICs. Appropriations for USAID maternal and child
coordinator, it provides gender expertise, training, and
health programs rose from $295 million in FY2001 to $890
technical assistance. Over time, some policymakers have
million in FY2022. The State Department reports that by
proposed codifying these offices and leadership positions.
the end of 2021, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief (PEPFAR) had reached more than 2.9 million girls
Key Policy Issues
and young women with HIV prevention programs.
Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). Research has found
that when women participate in peace processes they are
Gender-Based Violence (GBV). GBV includes random
more likely to build coalitions, support marginalized
acts of violence as well as sustained abuse over time. Often
groups, and promote national reconciliation. The Women,
underreported, it occurs in all regions and economic classes,
Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-68) promotes
with higher rates in some developing countries. The United
women’s participation in conflict prevention, management,
States supports a range of anti-GBV activities in more than
and resolution; calls for a U.S. WPS strategy; and requires
40 countries. In 2016, the Obama Administration issued a
gender training. Presidents Obama and Trump issued WPS
U.S. GBV strategy, which the Biden Administration states
strategies in 2016 and 2019, respectively. For FY2022,
it plans to update. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $175
Congress appropriated $135 million for WPS programs.
million to implement the multiyear GBV strategy.
Women’s Leadership. Women remain underrepresented at
Women in Humanitarian and Conflict Settings.
all levels of decisionmaking, despite representing more than
Humanitarian crises and conflict situations often
half the global population. Causes include discriminatory
disproportionately affect women and girls, who may be
laws and practices, gender stereotypes, low education
displaced and require life-saving assistance and protection.
levels, lack of health care access, and the disproportionate
In these contexts, women are particularly vulnerable to
effects of poverty. The United States supports programs to
exploitation. Congress has long supported vulnerable
improve women’s leadership through training, advocacy,
populations, including women, through global humanitarian
and capacity building. For FY2022, Congress appropriated
appropriations. In recent years, Members sought to prevent
$50 million for activities to promote women’s leadership,
child marriage in displaced populations (P.L. 116-94) and
including political participation.
considered legislation addressing GBV in humanitarian
situations (S. 765, 117th Congress).
Women’s Economic Empowerment. Evidence suggests
that gender inequality is a barrier to economic growth and
Congressional Considerations
that economic contributions from women are not fully
Integration into U.S. Foreign Assistance and Policy.
realized worldwide. The United States has long supported
Some Members may consider whether women’s issues can
programs to increase such opportunities for women. Most
be more effectively addressed as discrete subjects, or as
recently, the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic
considerations within broader development assistance and
Empowerment Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-428) aims to reduce
strategies. In the policy context, there is some debate as to
gender disparity in economic opportunity and codify gender
whether specific types of women’s issues can be isolated
analysis in USAID programs. In 2019, President Trump
from each other or whether they are inextricably linked.
created the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity
Initiative, which President Biden expanded and renamed the
Ongoing Oversight of Existing Legislation and Policies.
Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. Congress
Congress may continue to monitor executive branch
appropriated up to $200 million to the fund in FY2022.
implementation of gender-related legislation, as well as the
status of multiple government-wide policies and strategies
Girls’ Education. Over 132 million girls are out of school
addressing women’s issues, including how, if at all, they are
worldwide, while those who attend school often have lower
adjusting to recent global events such as COVID-19.
completion rates and learning levels than boys. Barriers to
education include poverty, child marriage, conflict, and
Funding and Program Coordination. The State
violence. U.S. activities support safe and quality education
Department and USAID track some gender programming
for both girls and boys, while recognizing the importance of
broadly; however, the U.S. government does not
gender parity in education for girls. In 2017, Congress
comprehensively monitor funding for specific types of
passed the Reinforcing Education Accountability in
women’s issues. Some policymakers contend that current
Development Act (P.L. 115-56), which aims to strengthen
efforts are adequate, while others argue that they may
educational systems, including by removing education
hinder U.S. efforts to assess its global gender programs.
barriers for girls. For FY2022, Congress appropriated $150
million for the education of girls in conflict areas.
Luisa Blanchfield, Coordinator, Specialist in
International Relations
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Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts

Tiaji Salaam-Blyther, Acting Section Research Manager
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
IF11804
Humanitarian Policy


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11804 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED

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