Updated February 17, 2023
Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts
For several decades, Congress has considered or enacted
conditions, and the priorities of individual policymakers.
legislation aimed at improving the rights and status of
During the past two decades, many Members of Congress
women and girls worldwide. These efforts, which may
and the executive branch have increasingly recognized a
address a range of issues globally, including women’s
growing body of research linking gender equality to the
health, education, and security, are often grouped under the
overall stability, prosperity, and security of societies.
broad policy umbrella of “global women’s issues.”
Selected Legislation and Trends. U.S. policymakers have
Background
considered women’s issues from global, regional, and
Many U.S. and international policymakers have
country-specific perspectives, ranging from issuing high-
increasingly recognized gender inequality as a human rights
level policy statements to providing assistance to other
and development issue caused by long-standing unequal
governments, civil society, and international organizations.
power relationships between men and women. This
Some have also sought to incorporate women’s issues into
imbalance is reflected in pervasive stereotypes, attitudes,
foreign policy on a broad level. In Congress, for example,
and behaviors that perpetuate a cycle of discrimination in
the “Percy Amendment,” enacted as part of the Foreign
many societies, with significant consequences for women’s
Assistance Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-189), requires that foreign
socio-economic status and security. Often women do not
assistance funds work to integrate women into the national
have equal decisionmaking power with men and cannot
economies of developing countries. Since FY2014, State-
independently make choices that affect their overall well-
Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Acts have
being, including household decisions, marital status, health,
required that funds from such acts promote gender equality
education, livelihood, and civic participation.
in diplomatic and development efforts. (Most recently, see
Section 7059 of the FY2023 SFOPS Appropriations Act
These inequalities often negatively affect the rights and
(Division K of P.L. 117-328).)
status of women in many parts of the world. In the global
workforce, women hold fewer paid positions and earn less
In the executive branch, successive Presidents have
for similar work than men. Many women also lack basic
supported different aspects of global women’s issues; in
legal protections. For example, in over 70 countries women
some cases issuing executive orders or memoranda. Most
hold no property or inheritance rights, and in more than 40
recently, in March 2021 the Biden Administration issued an
countries women have no legal protection against domestic
executive order creating the White House Gender Policy
violence. Globally, 60% of food insecure populations are
Council to address gender issues in domestic and foreign
women and girls. The emergence of COVID-19 further
policy. In October 2021, the Administration published a
exacerbated these issues; some experts suggest that recent
National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, which
gains in gender equality may be lost due to the secondary
aims to elevate and promote gender issues in strategic
impacts of the pandemic.
planning, budgeting, and policy development at both
domestic and global levels.
Selected International Efforts
Governments, including the United States, have sought to
Legislation on global women’s issues has at times reached
address gender equality in international fora. For example,
an impasse due to long-standing abortion and family
the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Elimination of
planning-related debates. Some policymakers contend that
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), ratified
previously enacted abortion and family planning restrictions
by 189 countries, specifically addresses the rights of
should be included in certain gender-related legislation to
women. (The United States has not ratified the treaty due to
ensure the restrictions apply to those bills. Others argue that
sovereignty concerns.) At the Fourth U.N. World
the restrictions do not need to be included because they are
Conference on Women (1995), governments, including the
already law or because the bills are unrelated to abortion or
United States, committed to eliminating discrimination
family planning.
against women and affirmed “women’s rights are human
rights.” In addition, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325
Agency Roles. The Department of State and U.S. Agency
on Women, Peace, and Security (2000) urged governments
for International Development (USAID) play key roles in
to ensure the increased representation of women in conflict
coordinating U.S. efforts to address women’s issues, with
prevention, management, and resolution. (The Council has
the names and priorities of relevant offices often changing
since adopted several follow-up resolutions.)
between Administrations. The State Department’s Office of
Global Women’s Issues is led by an Ambassador-at-Large
U.S. Policy
who reports to the Secretary of State and is tasked with
U.S. efforts to address global women’s issues have shifted
coordinating and raising awareness of women’s issues.
over time, often reflecting world events, domestic political
(President Obama created the position in 2009.) The origin
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Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts
of the office dates back to 1994, when Congress declared
worldwide, with 94% of these deaths in low- and middle-
that the department should designate a senior advisor to
income countries (LMICs). Malnutrition—which can raise
promote international women’s human rights (P.L. 103-
the risk of stunting, eclampsia, and obstetric fistula—is
236). The USAID Gender Equality and Women’s
another driver of these deaths. Funding for USAID
Empowerment Hub was established in 1974 as the Office of
maternal and child health programs that address these issues
Women in Development. Led by a senior coordinator, it
rose from $295 million in FY2001 to $910 million in
provides gender expertise, training, and technical
FY2023. Social inequities also leave this population more
assistance. Over the years, some policymakers have
susceptible to HIV infection. For example, adolescent girls
proposed codifying these offices and leadership positions.
and young women in sub-Saharan Africa comprised 25% of
new HIV infections in 2020 but were 10% of the
Key Policy Issues
population. By the end of 2022, the President’s Emergency
Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). Research has found
Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) HIV prevention programs
that when women participate in peace processes women are
reached more than 2.9 million girls and young women.
more likely to build coalitions, support marginalized
groups, and promote national reconciliation. The Women,
Gender-Based Violence (GBV). GBV generally refers to
Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-68) promotes
any harmful threat or act directed at an individual or group
women’s participation in conflict prevention, management,
based on their gender. Women are particularly susceptible,
and resolution; calls for a U.S. WPS strategy; and requires
which affects their ability to contribute to their
gender training. Presidents Obama and Trump issued WPS
communities. Often underreported, GBV occurs in all
strategies in 2016 and 2019, respectively. For FY2023,
regions and economic classes. In 2016, the Obama
Congress appropriated $150 million for WPS programs.
Administration issued a U.S. GBV strategy, which the
Biden Administration updated in 2022. In FY2023,
Women’s Leadership. Women remain underrepresented at
Congress appropriated $250 million for GBV activities.
all levels of decisionmaking, despite representing more than
half the global population. Causes include discriminatory
Women in Humanitarian and Conflict Settings.
laws and practices, gender stereotypes, low education
Humanitarian and displacement crises, particularly in
levels, lack of health care access, and the disproportionate
conflict, often disproportionately affect women, who may
effects of poverty. The United States supports programs to
lack access to food, health care, education, and economic
improve women’s leadership through training, advocacy,
opportunities and are vulnerable to exploitation that may
and capacity building. For FY2023, Congress appropriated
exacerbate other challenges. Congress has supported
not less than $50 million for programs to promote women’s
vulnerable populations through humanitarian assistance and
leadership, including political participation.
legislation targeting specific concerns, such as preventing
child marriage in displaced populations (P.L. 116-94).
Women’s Economic Empowerment. Evidence suggests
that gender inequality is a barrier to economic growth and
Congressional Considerations
opportunities for women. The United States has long
Integration into U.S. Foreign Assistance and Policy.
supported programs to increase such opportunities for
Some Members may consider whether women’s issues can
women. The Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic
be more effectively addressed as discrete subjects, or as
Empowerment Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-428) aims to reduce
considerations within broader development assistance and
gender disparity in economic opportunity and codify gender
strategies. In the policy context, there is some debate as to
analysis in USAID programs. In January 2023, President
whether specific types of women’s issues can be isolated
Biden published the first-ever U.S. Strategy on Global
from each other or whether they are inextricably linked.
Women’s Economic Security. Previously, President Trump
created the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity
Ongoing Oversight of Existing Legislation and Policies.
Initiative in 2019, which President Biden restructured as the
Congress may continue to monitor executive branch
Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. Congress
implementation of gender-related legislation, as well as the
appropriated up to $200 million to the fund in FY2023.
status of multiple government-wide policies and strategies
addressing women’s issues, including how, if at all, they are
Girls’ Education. Over 132 million girls are out of school
adjusting to global challenges such as COVID-19.
worldwide, while those who attend school often have lower
completion rates and learning levels than boys. Barriers to
Funding and Program Coordination. The State
education include poverty, child marriage, conflict, and
Department and USAID track some gender programming
violence. U.S. activities support safe and quality education
broadly; however, the U.S. government does not
for both girls and boys, while recognizing the importance of
comprehensively monitor funding for specific types of
gender parity in education for girls. In 2017, Congress
women’s issues. Some policymakers contend that current
passed the Reinforcing Education Accountability in
efforts are adequate, while others argue that they may
Development Act (P.L. 115-56), which aims to strengthen
hinder U.S. efforts to assess its global gender programs.
educational systems, including by removing education
barriers for girls. For FY2023, Congress appropriated $150
Luisa Blanchfield, Coordinator, Specialist in
million for the education of girls in conflict areas.
International Relations
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
Health. Inadequate access to quality health care contributes
Humanitarian Policy
to more than 800 pregnancy-related deaths that occur daily
Tiaji Salaam-Blyther, Acting Section Research Manager
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Global Women’s Issues: Background and Selected U.S. Efforts

IF11804


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11804 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED

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