There’s a huge amount of work to remain done to make this real, to look at the strategy that we have now put in place and to apply it. That’s likely to take, as I said, all hands on deck. The work that so many of you have completed bring us to this moment whenever we have a strong strategy on paper has been absolutely essential. That is the good news. The bad announcement is we now have to get to function to make it real, and we are counting on all of you to help us all do that.
We’re also deeply fortunate to offer the collaboration and leadership states Congress. And We are told that Sheila Jackson Lee may be in the house scattered. Thank you. I would like to show some gratitude to being here. André Carson, in the house anywhere, I believe was going to join us. But to you, to Barbara Shelter who was going to be with us today but I think got tangled up on the Hill, so pleased for this collaboration, for the management that you’ve demonstrated above so many years – and even which is coming to fruition throughout this strategy.
Your strategy focuses on breaking down a number of the barriers that stand in the way of women to full financial participation. Jen plus Kat alluded to some with them – discriminatory policies that will perpetuate unequal pay or maybe limit access to credit that girls entrepreneurs and innovators require to start and grow organizations; laws that ban gals from energy, manufacturing, and other industries in certain countries; attitudes and practices that get women out of education and even out of the labor market.
As you just heard from Jen, he has put of which commitment into action, for example through the first-ever National Technique on Gender Equity as well as Equality, which brings the whole-of-government approach to supporting ladies and girls both here at home, but also around the world.
Let me just consume a few minutes addressing in a little bit of more detail the four vital lines of effort that can be at the heart of this strategy.
Many thanks very, very much. (Applause. )
Across each of these strains of effort, we will operate tandem with partners all over the world. Indeed, we’ll be working with all of you. Considering we need all hands on floor if we’re actually going to make a difference, if we’re going to build sustainable, long-lasting improve.
First, we will loan women’s economic competitiveness making sure that more women can fully be involved and lead in all important, in all industries – as well as as CEOs and table members. One way we are helping to do that is by way of programs like WE-Champs, that can provide technical assistance and also training to women’s compartments of commerce and enterprise associations in 18 nations around the world across Europe to support women-owned small businesses. That’s some practical example of how we brings that first pillar for this strategy to life.
We especially, though, want to say to our partners in detrimental society, the private market, other governments, women via all walks of life – some of you are here in person, many of you are tuning in literally – thank you. I want to thank your input; thank you for your collaboration; thank you for ensuring that this course reflects the breadth as well as depth of our vision to get women’s economic security.
At the State Department, the concept every woman and girl should reach her full prospective is central to our diplomacy. Whenever women’s proper rights and fundamental freedoms come under threat, we even say a word up, we mobilize other folks, we take action.
At the end of the day, if you ever sort of cut all of this at a distance and go to the heart about what we’re talking about, there is also something very simple and: Promoting women’s economic security is the right thing to do, and yet it’s also the smart as well as necessary thing to do. Each time everyone can contribute to their full potential, our economies are usually more prosperous, our societies are usually full of opportunity, our states are more peaceful, and everyone is more superior off. There, very, it’s as simple and as simple and easy as that.
The strategy that enables us to put in place is focused on accommodating women and girls in all of these diversity, including the women who most often face the greatest and largest barriers, such as those right from marginalized backgrounds, from religious minorities, those with disabilities, LGBTQI+ persons. And we’re committed to standing up for women wheresoever their rights are insecure, including in Afghanistan, when unfortunately we continue to notice deepen and get worse.
Director Klein, Jen, thank you for the introduction, and also and especially for your leadership, to the Gender Policy Council’s authority in developing the U. S. Global Women’s Fiscal Security Strategy that we are really, in fact , launching today.
President Biden came into office with a commitment to help gender equality and equity because, as he put it, and I quote: “governments, economies, plus communities are stronger if they include the full participation of girls. ” It’s as simple so that straightforward as that.
Third, you will promote women’s entrepreneurship by simply addressing some of the challenges so often hold women lower back, including a lack of membership ~ of mentorship, excuse me, and even training opportunities. We are working to both create and even, as appropriate, replicate operate like the U. S. -India Alliance for Women’s Monetary Empowerment. That links the private sector and also civil society to provide Indian women with technical knowledge and networking opportunities to help them grow their businesses. At the alliance’s launch, Lookup India committed to mentoring you million Indian women business people; we’re working with other dates to increase that number. That will have a remarkable impact.
And Kat, I’m so grateful for you for your remarkable leadership associated with GWI in this very consequential time, and especially for the exceptional collaboration that we have between the Light House, the State Department, plus the other agencies in our government. That is a big difference-maker. This strategy would not turn out to be possible without the vital benefits of so many, starting with an extra dear friend and appropriate colleague, Administrator Power. Her team at USAID has done remarkable work on the following, and you’re going to hear more from Samantha in a very short while. The exact GWI office here at Say, besides Kat, an amazing workforce, doing great work. In addition to again, across our complete government.
Jen and I have already been colleagues, friends, going back a few years. I think we both began together in the Clinton admin in grade school, appropriate? (Laughter. ) Nonetheless I am just grateful for this collaboration that goes forward everyday.
Finally, we will work with partners to help dismantle many of the societal, legal, and regulatory barriers that stand in the way of having a level playing discipline, like laws that make it more difficult for women to work in certain functions, limiting their career development.
Often the strategy that we’re getting forward has at its heart a simple vision: creating a universe in which all women and gals everywhere can contribute to together with benefit from economic growth and global prosperity. That’s a world in which we will become better off. Closing this gender gap in the staff by 2025, as you have heard, would add up to trillion to the global current economic climate. Especially at a time while we are working to recover from COVID, manage the impact of climate, tackle the many conflicts that are furthermore holding back the global current economic climate, that contribution is more essential than ever.
That includes, for our part, working with counterparts from other governments to develop their own household and global strategies for the female economic security. It offers applying the lessons from this succeed across the United States Government even as build out action designs for each agency and each dept to advance women’s economic security measure.
Now, if you look at some of the work and experiments that have been done – for example , the World Bank – girls have equal legal economic standing with men during 12 countries around the world – 12 countries around the world – including through equal spend and legal protections at work. So there is a large sum of work to be done at this time there, and, looking at the mug half-full as opposed to half-empty, a tremendous amount of opportunity as we raise the number of countries that offer undeniably equal opportunity. We will encourage countries to repeal discriminatory laws; we’ll campaign for reforms that inspire gender equality, in part by simply showing the opportunity posed by finishing these gender gaps.
Promoting gender equality as well as equity is also an ready part of our approach, because we recognize that doing so is vital to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We need women’s full fiscal participation to actually lead an inclusive recovery from the COVID outbreak. As you’ve read, we need their leadership throughout resolving conflict. We’d like their ideas and their development to tackle the average temperature crisis.
Second, we will strengthen the foundational support – day care, elder care – that allows women to participate equitably in the economy. As you know, just as you’ve heard again today, COVID-19 forced millions of adult females around the world to withdraw from your workforce to take on caregiving duties for their families. And we will expand access to solutions so that caregivers, most of to whom are women, can actually go back to work. To do that, we’re supporting programs like the Global Bank’s Invest in Childcare thing, which will help improve access to high quality, affordable child care in low- and middle-income countries around the globe.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Good, first of all, good morning, everyone, in addition to welcome to the State Department. A Happy New Year to all people. This is actually the first event that I’ve had an possibility to do in this new year, and I think that’s very fitting, and only underscores the importance that this division attaches to it, and that My spouse and i attach to it personally.
