By Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso, Co-Chairs of the Gender Policy Council
Previously this 7 days, on International Women’s Day, President Biden issued an Govt Buy establishing the White Home Gender Plan Council—a body that will instill, progress, and oversee this Administration’s dedication to a federal government-large tactic to gender equity and equality.
We are thrilled to serve as the co-chairs of this Council at a essential moment. There is so significantly operate to do to address the systemic barriers that have held women of all ages and women again listed here in the United States and globally. Due to the fact the real truth is—those barriers have stood for far far too very long.
The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing financial downturn have demonstrated us in the grimmest methods how crises can exacerbate inequality. Ladies and girls—and notably women of all ages and girls of color—are bearing the brunt of this pandemic in visible and invisible strategies. Women of all ages make up an outsized share of our frontline workers, face historic levels of unemployment, and are disproportionately shouldering the improved caregiving obligations developed by the pandemic. Women’s participation in the workforce has dropped to the most affordable amount in extra than 30 a long time. This threatens their financial futures and hinders our prospective as a country. We’re completely ready to lead a entire-of-govt technique to gender plan that satisfies this minute.
We have now started functioning with colleagues at the White Home to tackle women’s economic stability, caregiving, fork out equity, and education and learning. We are having on gender-centered violence, where ever it occurs. And globally, we are engaged with the United Nations and the G-7 to rejoin allies from all over the world to advance gender equality. Before long, the Gender Coverage Council will get started to convene crucial exterior groups and stakeholders—policymakers and political leaders, advocates for gender justice and social justice, teachers and professionals, and leaders in philanthropy and the private sector.
We also search forward to performing throughout the overall federal authorities with the Cupboard and other associates of the Council. The President has nominated and appointed a various Cabinet that incorporates a record range of women of all ages in senior roles—including Janet Yellen, the to start with lady Treasury Secretary Avril Haines, the very first girl head of intelligence Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the initially Indigenous American and Indigenous American lady Cabinet secretary and Cecilia Rouse, the 1st Black woman to chair the Council of Economic Advisors. Together with a assorted and representative employees at each degree, these leaders will assist chart a path to address gender inequality.
In the months ahead, each individual member of the Council will appoint a senior member of their respective groups to execute on an agency-extensive program for addressing gender fairness and equality. This individual will concentration on how policies disproportionately make or keep boundaries for ladies and women, notably gals and girls of colour. As Co-Chairs, we will submit a authorities-huge technique for advancing gender equity and gender equality to the President, compiling critical tips from all federal companies and coverage councils. Each individual calendar year, we will evaluate our progress versus obvious ambitions and hold ourselves accountable for conference them.
The task in entrance of us is tremendous. It is also crucial in the confront of the present-day crisis. A governing administration-extensive method to gender coverage implies that every company and every policy group is at the desk, and that each individual situation is approached with gender equity in thoughts. We’ll perform closely with the Office environment on Violence From Ladies at the Section of Justice to stop gender-primarily based violence versus females, girls, and LGBTQ+ people with the Section of Well being and Human Companies to be certain entry to detailed overall health care and with the Section of Labor and Nationwide Financial Council to enhance economic women’s protection, lower wage and wealth gaps, and handle the caregiving requirements of People in america. We’ll work with the Countrywide Safety Council to advance gender equality globally, recognizing the demands and roles of women and women in conflict avoidance, peacebuilding, humanitarian crises, and progress support. We’ll function with the Division of Education and learning to combat systemic bias, and make certain that all young people—including girls and LGBTQ+ youth—can be assured education and learning cost-free from sexual violence and with the Domestic Policy Council to ensure an built-in system for racial justice and gender equity that considers the unique barriers confronted by Black ladies and ladies, Indigenous women of all ages and girls, and other girls and women of coloration. And this is just the start—we’re building a significant table since the moment phone calls for it.
Stay tuned this thirty day period, as we commemorate the management and legacy of path-blazing, barrier-breaking women and women in the course of Women’s Background Month, and work to advance equal rights and opportunities for all as our Council commences its critical perform.
Jennifer Klein is Co-Chair and Government Director of the Gender Coverage Council.
Julissa Reynoso is Co-Chair of the Gender Policy Council and Chief of Team to First Girl Jill Biden.