10 June 2009

White House Document on Advancing the Role of Women

Series of documents central to Obama administration’s agenda

(begin text)

DELIVERING ON CHANGE: WOMEN

THE PRESIDENT ARRIVED FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED ARRAY OF CHALLENGES, AND HAS MET THEM WITH A BOLD, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.  HE PASSED THE MOST AMBITIOUS RECOVERY PACKAGE IN HISTORY TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS.  HE KEPT FAITH WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THROUGH A GOVERNMENT THAT IS OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND ACCOUNTABLE.  AND HE RESTORED AMERICA’S ALLIANCES ABROAD, AS WELL AS OUR AMERICAN VALUES HERE AT HOME.

THIS IS THIRD IN A SERIES OF DOCUMENTS THAT DESCRIBES ISSUES THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S AGENDA OF CHANGE.  THEY CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV/ISSUES/

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND WOMEN

President Obama considers advancing the role of women in society to be among his highest priorities. In his June 4^th speech in Cairo, Egypt, President Obama reflected upon the essential role women play in the world and highlighted issues of equality and equal access for women.

“I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now, let me be clear:  Issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam.  In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we've seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead.  Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.

I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.  Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity -- men and women -- to reach their full potential.  I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice.  And that is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams. “

Since taking office, the Obama administration has laid out a thorough agenda regarding women’s issues, illustrated below.  Additional documents detailing Obama’s agenda for change can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/.

Progress

The President signed signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included a number of provisions of particular concern to women:

• To help working mothers and fathers obtain quality child care, the Act includes an additional $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, $1 billion for Head Start, and $1.1 billion for Early Head Start.

• The Act also boosts family incomes by expanding the Child Tax Credit to cover an additional 10 million children in working families and creating a new Make Work Pay tax credit.

• The Act also includes unemployment insurance reforms that will particularly benefit women, such as incentives for states to cover part-time workers and those who recently reentered the workforce.

The President signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families.

Ensure Economic Security

Our society has made tremendous progress in eradicating barriers to women’s success. Women make up a growing share of our workforce, and more women are corporate executives and business owners than ever before. Today, women are serving at the highest levels of all branches of our Government.

Despite this progress, certain inequalities persist. The income for the typical American woman is still only about 78 cents for every dollar of the median income for the typical man, and women are still significantly underrepresented in the science, engineering, and technology fields.

President Obama believes that women have a right to receive equal pay for equal work.

Promote Work-family Balance

Millions of women and men face the challenge of trying to balance the demands of their jobs and the needs of their families. Too often, caring for a child or an aging parent puts a strain on a career or even leads to job loss. President Obama believes we need flexible work policies, such as paid sick leave, so that working women and men do not have to choose between their jobs and meeting the needs of their families.

Support Reproductive Choice

President Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and believes in preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade. At the same time, he respects those who disagree with him. The President believes we must all come together to help reduce unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion.

Prevent Violence Against Women

Violence against women and girls remains a global epidemic. The Violence Against Women Act, originally authored by Vice President Biden, plays a key role in helping communities and law enforcement combat domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. At home and abroad, President Obama will work to promote policies that seek to eradicate violence against women.

To read the Violence Against Women Act, please see the Department of Justice web site http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/regulations.htm.

(end text)