Obama Administration Seeks to Advance Women’s Role in Securing Global Peace

December 22, 2011 - Posted by Ron Bigler

President Obama this week released a groundbreaking new plan and issued an executive order to increase U.S. support for strengthening the participation of women around the world in ending conflict and securing peace.

The first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (PDF) and the accompanying executive order are a “fundamental change in how the U.S. will approach its diplomatic, military, and development-based support to women in areas of conflict,” according to the White House.

The plan identifies objectives that will guide participating U.S. agencies seeking to increase women’s participation in their handling of international aid, development, and security work. Among the goals are ensuring that the U.S. is “promoting and strengthening women’s rights and effective leadership and substantive participation in peace processes, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, transitional processes, and decision-making institutions in conflict-affected environments. “

To ensure accountability for meeting the goals in the plan, Obama also signed an executive order that assigns implementation officers and calls for participating agencies to submit action plans to the National Security Advisor.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights welcomed the president’s actions.

“With this executive order, just as he did in 2009 with his endorsement of ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, President Obama is showing strong support for advancing the rights of women,” Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference, said in a statement.

The Leadership Conference is coordinating a campaign for U.S. ratification of CEDAW with partners and allies.