WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 0/2;
Conflict Prevention: 0/2;
Disarmament: 0/2;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/2;
Participation: 0/2;
Peace Processes: 0/2;
Peacekeeping: 0/2;
Protection:1/2;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/2;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 0/2;
Implementation: 0/2;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/2;
Human Rights: 0/2.
S/PV.7351: "Yesterday we learned that more than 100 women and children were kidnapped and 35 people killed during a weekend raid in the northeastern Nigerian village of Gumsuri, believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram."
WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 1/5;
Conflict Prevention: 0/5;
Disarmament: 0/5;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/5;
Participation: 1/5;
Peace Processes: 1/5;
Peacekeeping: 0/5;
Protection: 1/5;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/5;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/5;
Implementation: 0/5;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/5;
Human Rights: 0/5.
S/PV.7105: "We are becoming more proactive in including women in efforts to preserve security and make peace. We have started giving more robust peacekeeping mandates to Blue Helmets, and the peacekeepers themselves are becoming more creative in their use of technology and new tactics. All of this learning is helpful. None of it is a panacea."
The United States used its veto right 0 times out of 2 vetoed draft resolutions in 2014.
Civil Society Engagement | Financial:
The United States will commit nearly $44 million to a set of initiatives designed to empower women. The largest portion, about $17 million, will support civil society groups that focus on women in Afghanistan.
$14 million will also go to nongovernmental organisations working to make clean water more available in conflict zones, because women and girls are at higher risk of being attacked when collecting water.
Financial | UN Engagement:
$1.7 million will help fund UN activities, including Special Representative Wallstrom’s office, and $11 million will help expand literacy, job training, and maternal health services for refugee women and girls.
Policy:
Develop our own National Action Plan with determined funding to accelerate the implementation of Resolution 1325 across our government and with our partners in civil society. But as several have already said: Action plans and funding are only steps toward a larger goal.
**Note: Data is provided for 2010. No WPS commitments have been made in 2014.
Profit from Arms Transfer: $10,470,000,000
____________________________________
UN Women Government Total Contribution: $9,700,000
The United States receives 35% due to the high difference between the Arms Transfer Revenue and UN Women Total Contribution.
Profit from Arms Transfer in 2013: $7,687,000,000
__________________________________
UN Women Government Total Contribution in 2013: $8,100,000
Congressional Budget:
The FY 2014 request reflected a strategic focus on gender equality and advancing the status of women to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. One key example of this was an investment in programmes and activities that advanced peace and security by fully integrating women, including through the new WPS attribution, which amounted to $154.0 million.
USAID:
Of the President’s $4 billion assistance request for Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, USAID implemented $2.45 billion for economic assistance, continuing to work closely with interagency partners including the State and Defense departments, to move toward long-term stability, promote economic growth, and support democratic reforms, including the rights of women.
Of the President’s $768 million assistance request for East Asia and the Pacific, USAID implemented $593 million for programmes to support the Administration’s Asia-Pacific Rebalance by addressing critical gaps in core programmes to renew U.S. leadership, deepen economic ties, promote democratic and universal values, and strengthen diplomatic engagement.
USAID, with the Department of State, is systematically applying the USAID gender policy, the new State gender policy, and implementation plans for Women Peace and Security (WPS) and Gender-Based Violence, with the goal of integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into all aspects of foreign assistance. Additional to the integrated programming, the budget includes $20 million for USAID’s Women’s Leadership, and WPS will support gender integration across USAID, public-private partnerships that advance the rights of women and girls, and women’s inclusion in peacebuilding.
HDI (Human Development Index): The United States was ranked 8th.
The United States is included in the "Very High Human Development" category.
International HR Documents:
"International Standards," OHCHR
Status of Ratifications:
"Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General: Status of Treaties," United Nations Treaty Collection
"Status of Ratifications: Interactive Dashboard," OHCHR
"ATT: Status of ratifications and accessions," amazonaws.com
Women from the United States are on duty in the following peacekeeping missions:
MINUSMA (0),
MINUSTAH (9),
MONUSCO (1),
UNMIL (3),
UNMISS (1),
UNTSO (0).
Peacekeepers from the United States were involved in 0 out of 69 allegations against civilian, military, police and other peacekeeping personnel in 2014.
The representative of the United States made no statements at the meetings of the Security Council on its position on the sexual exploitation and abuse committed by peacekeepers.
Governmental support for women's civil society:
- Engagement in joint government/NGO efforts: Yes
- Funding provided by the government: Yes
The United States receives 67% because:
Even though the government is engaged in collabouration with women's civil society, it does not provide adequate financial support to women's organisations, the number of projects and conferences on the Women, Peace and Security agenda in existence is low, civil society space for rights-focused activists (i.e.: racial equality and women's reproductive health-focused activisim and advoacy) is incresingly limited, and mass-surveillance - in accordance with national security and anti-terrorisim efforts - restricts civil society freedoms (i.e.: freedom of the press, freedom of public association).
Key women's organisation's (National Organisation for Women) efforts in regard to gender issues include the following:
- Number of conferences: 1 national annual conference, with 500 local and campus affiliates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia hosting numerous conferences and events per year;
- Social services provided: advocacy for reproductive rights and justice, economic justice, ending violence against women, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and constitutional equality, training and education, lobbying and policymaking.
Types of social support provided:
Education: Yes
Anti-violence: Yes
Women's empowerment: Yes
Gender-related training: Yes
Political participation: Yes
Anti-human trafficking: No
Women's health: Yes
Lobbying and policymaking: Yes
Fundraising: Yes
The USA hosted the following high-level events in 2014:
- CCF Civil Rights Symposium: Civil Rights for Women, 1964-2014;
- U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security’s Fourth Anniversary;
- Consultation with the Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State;
- Consultation with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office from the United States Department of Defense;
- National NOW Conference.
**Note: The information about the high-level events has been collected using available media sources.
McKeever, Brice, Sarah L. Pettijon. "The Nonprofit Sector in Brief 2014: Public Charities, Giving, and Volunteering," Urban Institute
"Issues," National Ogranization for Women
"Events," U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women Peace and Security
"2014 National NOW Conference Resolutions," National Organization for Women
"CCF Civil Rights Symposium: Civil Rights for Women, 1964-2014," Council for Contemporary Families
"Timeline of Events 2010 – 2015," The U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
"Consultation with the Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State," US Department of State, Office of Global Women's Issues
"Consultation with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office from the United States Department of Defense," US Department of Defense
"2014 National NOW Conference - Faces of Feminism: Strength in Diversity," National Organization for Women
“State of Civil Society Report: 2014,” CIVICUS
Department of Defense Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2012-2017:
- "Goal 1: Ensure Leadership Commitment to an Accountable and Sustained Diversity Effort Develop structures and strategies to equip leadership with the ability to manage diversity, be accountable, and engender an inclusive work environment that cultivates innovation and optimisation within the Department."
- "Goal 3: Sustainability. Federal agencies shall develop structures and strategies to equip leaders with the ability to manage diversity, be accountable, measure results, re- fine approaches on the basis of such data, and engender a culture of inclusion."
Department of Defense Military Leadership Diversity Commission: "The Services should provide diversity leadership education and training, distinct from traditional forms of general diversity training, to service members at every level."
"Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2012-2017," Department of Defense
"Assessment of the Armed Services Implementation of the Recommendations Issued by the Commission," Military Leadership Diversity Commission
"From Representation to Inclusion: Diversity Leadership for 21st Century Military," Military Leadership Diversity Commission
The US NAP gives five objectives:
National Integration and Institutionalisation;
Participation in Peace Processes and Decision-Making;
Protection from Violence;
Conflict Prevention;
Access to Relief and Recovery.
The NAP contains no allocated or estimated budget. Instead, each responsible department is required to resource the actions within existing budgets. The primary implementation agencies (Department of State, Defense and USAID) are required to submit fully resourced individual implementation plans.
The US NAP is unique in setting a timeline for the three main departments in charge of implementation - Department of State, Department of Defense, and USAID – to develop their own departmental implementation plans. In August 2012 both State and USAID launched their organisational action plans. Moreover, the NAP mentions that the Interagency Policy Committee dedicated to Women, Peace and Security (WPS IPC) will later develop specific indicators for the purpose of monitoring implementation. Thus, the US NAP comes across as relatively unspecific because it delegates issues to the future.
Military Expenditure: $609,704,000,000
_________________________________
The NAP contains no allocated or estimated budget.
Military Expenditure in 2013: $639,704,000,000
____
The NAP contains no allocated or estimated budget. Instead, each responsible department is required to resource the actions within existing budgets. The primary implementation agencies (Department of State, Defense and USAID) are required to submit fully resourced individual implementation plans.
Women made up 19.15% of the Parliament in the United States of America in 2014.
Lower: 18.3%;
Upper: 20.0%.
32% of ministerial positions were held by women in the United States of America in 2014.
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.47
26.5% of law enforcement positions were held by women in the United States of America in 2014.
Total law enforcement officers: 899,212
27.1% of judges in the United States of America were women in 2014.
United States Supreme Court:
3 women out of 9 seats (33.3%).
Circuit Court of Appeals:
56 women out of 169 active seats (33.1%).
Federal Court Judges in the U.S.:
451 women out of 1,874 seats (24.1%).
Women's labour participation rate was 67%.
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.86
Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force):
Female: 7.9%;
Male: 8.2%.
Estimated earned income (PPP US$):
Female: 40,000;
Male: 40,000;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1
Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%):
Female: 43, Male: 57;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.75
Professional and technical workers (%):
Female: 55, Male: 45;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.20
Enrolment in primary education: 92%;
Enrolment in secondary education: 87%;
Enrolment in tertiary education: 94.5%.
The enrolment difference between males and females is provided below (The theoretical maximum value is 100%. Increasing trends are considered a reflection of improving coverage at the specified level of education):
Enrolment in primary education (%):
Female: 92;
Male: 92;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1
Enrolment in secondary education (%):
Female: 88;
Male: 86;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.02
Enrolment in tertiary education (%):
Female: 110;
Male:79;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.39
Literacy rate (%):
Female: 99;
Male: 99;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1
While gender perspectives within the legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective, and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilising their rights.
Legal Framework in the United States includes:
Equal Pay Act, 1963;
Civil Rights Act, 1964;
The affirmative action policy of 1965 was expanded in 1967 to cover women as well as racial minorities;
Roe v. Wade, 1973;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
Sex-segregated job advertisements were declared illegal by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1968), upheld by the Supreme Court in 1973;
Title IX of the Education Amendment, 1972;
1986, in the decision of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, sexual harassment was established as illegal and discriminatory;
The Family Medical Leave Act, 1993;
Violence Against Women Act, 1994;
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009.
Presence a non-discrimination by sex clause in the constitution of the United States of America:
- The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. (Amendment XIX).
The U.S. Constitution does not guarantee equal rights for women.
Imbornoni, Ann-Marie. "Timeline of key events in the American women's rights movement 1980-present," Pearson Education, Inc.
"Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database," UN Women
"Constitutional Provisions on Women's Equality," Library of Congress
"Federal Domestic Violence Laws," The Unite States Attorney's Office
"The Equal Pay Act of 1963," U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
"Fact Sheet: Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment," The White House
While legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective, and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilising their rights.
Legal Framework in the United States includes:
Equal Pay Act, 1963;
Civil Rights Act, 1964;
The affirmative action policy of 1965 was expanded in 1967 to cover women as well as racial minorities;
Roe v. Wade, 1973;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
Sex-segregated job advertisements were declared illegal by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1968), upheld by the Supreme Court in 1973;
Title IX of the Education Amendment, 1972;
1986, in the decision of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, sexual harassment was established as illegal and discriminatory;
The Family Medical Leave Act, 1993;
Violence Against Women Act, 1994;
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009.
Presence of gender perspective in the constitution of the United States of America:
- The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. (Amendment XIX).
Mathews, Roderick B., Juan Carlos Botero. "Access to Justice in the United States Findings from the Newly Released Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project," World Justice Project, December
"Access to Justice in the United States: Ensuring Meaningful Access to Counsel in Civil Cases," Columbia University
The U.S. government fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Federal law enforcement prosecuted more cases than in the previous reporting period, obtained convictions of sex and labour trafficking offenders, and continued to strengthen training efforts of government officials at the federal, state, and tribal levels. Likewise, there were reports of increased prosecutions at the state level; each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have enacted anti-trafficking laws. The federal government continued to provide multi-faceted support for comprehensive victim services, including a pathway to citizenship and access to legal services.
Number of women's shelters: 67,646 (data based on point-in-time census data via the National Network to End Domestic Violence).
While veterans services for women veterans exist, the quality of service, outreach to engage female veterans in service access and utalisation, and the availability of gender-sensitive services at all locations are not fully effective.
While specialised services to support victims/survivors of sexual violence exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.
While specialised services to support victims/survivors of human trafficking exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.
There is a shelter crisis for trafficking victims in the United States. The Home Foundation estimates that there are less than 100 beds nationally for an estimated 100,000 annually identified trafficking victims. Placing trafficking victims in existing homeless or domestic violence shelters is not an adequate solution due to the unique needs of this population.
While a wide range of services and resources are made available to refugees, asylum seekers, and IDPs, these services are usually provided by local service providers, therefore making these services and resources less available in some geographic locations.
A total of 69,975 persons were admitted to the United States as refugees during 2014.
According to the US Homeland Security, 33,208 (47.5%) female refugees were admitted into the United States.
WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 3/20;
Conflict Prevention: 2/20;
Disarmament: 0/20;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 1/20;
Participation: 3/20;
Peace Processes: 0/20;
Peacekeeping: 2/20;
Protection: 6/20;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 1/20;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 5/20;
Implementation: 2/20;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 2/20;
Human Rights: 1/20.
S/PV.7289: "One way to address such challenges is to bolster funding for projects that support women’s empowerment. Such investments can support crisis recovery and stability by enabling women to contribute economically to their families and their communities."