The Obama Administration’s priorities on women…
Well, while probably not in direct response to our requests of the new Obama Administration on behalf of women, the Administration has developed a Web resource covering their priorities and issues, and women are on the agenda–one of the 23 priority areas.
I for one, was pleased to see women getting their own agenda item, rather than being rolled in as a footnote into policies on family or health care or education, as is so often the case.
The Administration’s page on women covers priorities and policies related to health care, reproductive choice, preventing violence against women, economic issues, national security, poverty and education–all seen through a gender lens.
The page is worth checking out. After you do, let us know your thoughts. Do you think it goes far enough? Is it leaving anything out?
Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s director of communications.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Obama’s women’s page lists domestic violence and poverty separately. I think the two should be linked with a third factor: immigrants who come from cultures where women are commonly subjugated to men financially, physically, emotionally, in occupations, etc. Even more so in this economic climate, wives and girlfriends are trapped in living situations with their abusers. Langley Park, Maryland is a majority Latino community where Casa de Maryland has been assisting women with abuse issues for years. The women don’t have to fear legal repercussions due to documentation status. However, girls are victims as well of physical, psychological and sexual abuse by relatives and nonrelatives. As far as I know– and I’m not aware of the activity of all community organizations– the only assistance they might get is as a result of official reports made to social services. Friends, neighbors and relatives don’t make reports to local government agencies. Fear rules. We need to do more to help them.