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Loading...President Obama Creates White House Council on Women and Girls
As we celebrate the beginning of International Women’s History Month, President Obama pays tribute to the women of the U.S. by creating the White House Council on Women and Girls.
According to the White House press release, “The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families.”
The Council, composed of the heads of every Cabinet and Cabinet-level agency, will meet regularly to ensure that the needs of women and girls are factored into the policies, programs, and legislation created at all levels. Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President, will chair the council and Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liasion for the White House, will serve as the Executive Director.
The Personal is Political
President Obama’s decision to form the council stems from deeply personal roots. Growing up in a single parent home, he saw firsthand the difficulties his mother faced as the sole breadwinner and caretaker of his family and her unyielding persistence to get an education, succeed at a career, and provide for her children. He also saw his grandmother climb the corporate ladder in Hawaii to become one of the state’s first women bank vice presidents only to see less qualified men shove their way pass her on the climb up.
Every day in his wife he sees the balance of work and family at play and the strength of a loving mother and successful career woman. In his daughters he sees the potential of young girls everywhere and their hunger for the same opportunities as young boys.
It is the powerful women and girls that have surrounded President Obama that have allowed him to see the power and potential of women everywhere.
“I sign this order not just as a President, but as a son, a grandson, a husband, and a father . . . In so many ways, the stories of the women in my life reflect the broader story of women in this country — a story of both unyielding progress and also untapped potential.”
“Untapped Potential”
The Council will work to uncover the “untapped potential” of all women and girls that has led to crazy injustices like women earning only 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man, women making up only 17% of the U.S. Congress although they make up half of the population, women heading only three percent of the Fortune 500 companies despite the fact that they are 49% of the nation’s workforce.
“And I want to be very clear: These issues are not just women’s issues. When women make less than men for the same work, it hurts families who find themselves with less income, and have to work harder just to get by. When a job doesn’t offer family leave, that also hurts men who want to help care for a new baby or an ailing parent. When there’s no affordable child care, that hurts children who wind up in second-rate care, or spending afternoons alone in front of the television set. And when any of our citizens cannot fulfill their potential because of factors that have nothing to do with their talent, their character, their work ethic, that says something about the state of our democracy.” (emphasis mine)
I couldn’t have said it better myself! A person’s gender (and their race, class, or sexual orientation) should not determine their worth or ability to succeed. It is our strength of character, ability to maximize our talent, and dedicated work ethic that should determine our success.
It is high time that a more concerted effort be made to highlight issues that affect women because the domino effect (issue affects woman, affects child, affects husband, affects family, affects work, affects community, affects society, affects world . . .) is clear. By putting women and girls on an even playing field with men and boys we will all reap the benefits. It’s about time someone took action.
Reactions:
National Organization for Women, President Kim Gandy
“There can be no question that the needs of women and girls require the attention of the White House itself. As President Obama pointed out in today’s speech, women still earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. One out of every four women will experience some form of domestic violence during her lifetime. Women make up more than half the population, yet are only 17 percent of the U.S. Congress. And while women are 49 percent of the nation’s workforce, only three percent of the Fortune 500 companies are headed by women.”
American Association of University Women, Executive Director Linda Hallman:
“AAUW is delighted that President Obama has decided to formally give women and girls a seat at the White House table,. The council will help ensure that the unique issues and challenges facing women and girls continue to be at the forefront of the administration’s policies and priorities.”
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, President Cecile Richards:
“We applaud President Obama for the creation of this council and for his leadership on behalf of women and girls across the country. In these tough economic times, American women and their families are struggling with a wide range of issues, not the least of which is access to quality, affordable health care. We look forward to working with the president and the White House Council on Women and Girls on issues that are critical to strengthening women’s health, including providing comprehensive health care information and services, reducing unintended pregnancies and decreasing the alarming number of sexually transmitted infections.”
What do YOU think?
Read more: council, obama, president, white-house, womens rights
Photo by Dawn Endico used under a Creative Commons license.
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17 comments
+ add your ownThe first thing this committee needs to address is the astronomical unnecessary damaging surgeries being performed on women in the U.S. without their informed consent. Gynecologists have removed the internal reproductive sex organs of over 1/3 of the women in the U.S. Every one in three woman you look at does not have any internal sex organs. The numbers are astronomical! Women are being led into this surgery under false pretenses, and not being informed of the life long functions of their female reproductive sex organs. They are not being informed of alternative less invasive surgeries, or other cures because that is not where doctors make the big money. Doctors are making billions off removing women's reproductive sex organs which increase a woman's risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, dementia, bladder and bowel incontinence, etc. Often women are told they might have cancer, which leads them into an operating room. When no cancer is found, gynecologists remove all their organs anyway. There is no law against it and our government is not doing anything about it. Please visit www.hersfoundation.org and watch the female anatomy video which shows the functions of the female sex organs and sign the petition to stop doctors from doing this to women. Every 30 seconds another woman loses her reproductive sex organs in the U.S., and 90% are unnecessary. Also visit http://hysterectomyinformation.blogspot.com/ to read honest stories about women speaking out about this.
The very vital fact that our President saw first hand the Power in his grandmother, and mother and gives credit to them for his success, is one of the biggest victories for our Nation and World.
Petition Calling for Compensation of Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern DR Congo
The petition urges the International Community especially the United States, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, German, UN General Secretary, the UN Security Council members,European Union and African Union to pressure the Congolese Authorities to Compensate Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern DRC. The petition can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/26180.html
I think that the United States does need to work on getting laws to protect women in place. We first need to get them working in our own country before we can even think about helping women in other countries. People in the United States are always so eager to help people in other countries. There is nothing wrong with wanting the World to be a better place. However, how are we supposed to make the World a better place to live if we do not first make our country a better place to live? The number of single parents is growing every day in the United States. There is no reason why a man should make more money than a woman for doing the same exact job. A man should not be seen as more qualified for a job just because he is a man
Mr President Obama and beloved fellow Council, I would like to convey my warm congratulations on your newly appointment as a US President.The Almighty Lord of God have choosen you to become a leader for the country of US.I belief is this:every Women and Girls in the world wants voice and dignity, and every Women and Girls deserves them.By "voice," I mean Women and Girls want the opportunity to speak their minds and have their ideas, opinions, and feelings hear, regardless of their nationality, gender, age, or culture.By "dignity,"I mean Women and Girls inherently and instinctively want to be respected for their work and effort and individuality.And finally, Women and Girls have to build self-confidence-pouring out encouragement, caring, and recognition so President Obama, the Women and Girls will be glad, it is so widely accepted and its importance is so self-evident and there goes without saying Creates White House Council, you have make the vision come alive, they live and breathe it."Know what you believe".I mention it because it is the hinge for every principle, mission and values, candor, and differentiation.I am often asked if leaders are born or made.The answer, of course, is both.Some characteristics,like IQ and energy, seem to come with the package.
Vivien Kwai Fun LOR
Australia
Very exciting to read about this. Can't wait to see what he does next. Great post!
will this make it easier or not for single women in other sountries to find help & intervention , assistance ? i live in south africa & for many years have not found proper help anywhere for victim of bad psycho-abuse bullying & other such dnagerous abuse . at the moment there are not very good channels for help & the problem is increasing a lot .
suzanne o'meara
If they add a woman council then it would be a womans view point no-man on this planet can truly understand what a woman is feeling or really thinking.Any woman thinking that man cares look at the wolrd. T-Hawk
Are they going to elect a womans council?????? THen maybe it would be a womans right. T_Hawk
so what. are we going to sit and talk about all of our problems at this council?? I mean its nice to address how the true potential of women is not being met, weve been doing this for decades... weve come far but come on its the twenty first century, I feel we should be somewhere much higher than we are. Instead of talking about the problems we have, what are we going to do to fix it? What is there to do? and how about some more action, when are we going to come together and have things actually happen instead of talking about it.
As for Dometria, I think that countries outside of us need to wait... I know it sounds cruel, but how can we help others, when we cant even help ourselves??? I mean shouldnt we try and streingthen what we have which is weak due to the economy and other problems... I mean what good are we to Ethiopia if our country is heading down the same path. I think we need to build a stronger more confident role model.
As for Wyomming... they really need to come to there sences... if the law doesnt include the citizens, why should they have to be apart of it?
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