How the U.S. Helps Women's Rights in Other Countries
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State Department
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The United States promotes international women's rights primarily in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Policies and programs focus on health care, child care, physical abuse and legal rights. Funding and policy initiatives come from the State Department and through cooperation with international organizations such as the United Nations and the Red Cross.
The United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) bears most of the responsibility for funding and promoting women's rights overseas. Established in 1961 to deliver humanitarian aid under the direction of the State Department, USAID oversees the distribution of funds and the management of various programs. They team with domestic and foreign agencies, charities and businesses to distribute aid.
Despite these policies, the United States has undergone criticism for not taking a more active role in promoting women's rights worldwide. The United States is only one of seven countries not to have signed the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, passed in 1981.
International Cooperation
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In 2003 and 2004, USAID provided funds to Palestinian organizations working to end early marriage, improve graduation rates for girls and teach young women leadership skills. This included adding a Women's Unit to the Palestinian Legislative Council to work on issues affecting women.
USAID partially funded the 2004 Middle East Partnership Initiative: Women and the Law Workshop, which instructed Arab women how to advance their rights in various Arab courts regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance and employment.
In 2000, the United States agreed to participate in a United Nations' mandate to improve maternal health and reduce the number of women dying during childbirth by 75 percent by the year 2015. Part of the Millennium Development Goal includes improving the economic, political and social situations of women through education, employment and improved legal status. USAID has teamed with the World Bank, UNICEF and other agencies to meet these goals.
Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the United States has coordinated efforts with the Afghan government and local authorities to ensure that women have the right to vote and hold office. A U.N.-appointed panel oversaw elections, relying on the U.S. military to recover evidence of fraud. The World Health Organization, the Red Crescent and others, in conjunction with the United States, seek to improve women's health care throughout Afghanistan, especially in hard-to-reach rural districts.
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Efforts Under President Obama
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In early 2009, President Barack Obama created the position of ambassador-at-large for global women's issues. Ambassador Melanne Verveer met with lawyers from the Beijing Women's Legal Aid Center to promote civil and property rights for women living in China.
The 44th president also added domestic abuse and sexual violence against women as a reason for granting asylum. The policy sets strict guidelines for proving abuse, requiring that it not be an isolated incident but part of a culture's overall treatment of women.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for the arrest and punishment of soldiers participating in rape and other sexual crimes in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.
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