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

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.