Sec. Of State Clinton Boosts State Department's Focus On Women's Rights

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 19 Aug 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Throughout her recent 11-day trip to Africa, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sent strong signals that she plans to make women's rights a higher priority in U.S. diplomacy than in the past, the Washington Post reports. During the trip -- which included stops in Kenya, South Africa and eastern Congo -- Clinton said she will make women's rights more central in U.S. aid programs and will urge governments to take action to address women's rights abuses. Clinton met with several rape survivors in Congo, which has a "stunningly high number of rapes," and urged the Congolese president to prosecute offenders, the Post reports. She also pledged $17 million in new assistance for survivors. Clinton said, "Raising issues like the ones I've been raising on this trip to get governments to focus on them, to see they're not sidelined or subsidiary issues, but that the U.S. government at the highest levels cares about them, is important."

According to the Post, Clinton has a history of advocating for women's rights on a global scale, going back to her time as first lady. As secretary of state, her efforts to bring women's rights to the forefront of the State Department's agenda "go beyond the marble halls of government" to town-hall meetings and visits with local women, the Post reports. Clinton said that it is a "constant effort to elevate people who ... may not even be known by their own leaders," adding that her "coming gives them a platform, which then gives us the chance to try and change the priorities of the governments."

Clinton's agenda is being reinforced through the White House women's council and an increasing number of powerful female members of Congress, the Post reports. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) -- who recently was named head of the first Senate subcommittee on global women's issues -- and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) -- chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs -- were able to secure $250 million in aid dedicated to programs for Afghan women and girls, an amount that is three times as much as in previous years.

Clinton also faces several challenges, including a U.S. aid system that is "a dysfunctional jumble of programs" and critics who might question why she is emphasizing women's rights instead of issues like nuclear proliferation or terrorism, the Post reports. Lawrence Wilkerson, who was former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, said Clinton needs to be careful in socially conservative regions, especially in those with a U.S. military presence. He said, "You may be right, in the narrow sense of women in that country or region need to empowered, but you're saying something inimical to other U.S. interests." Brett Schaefer, an Africa scholar at the Heritage Foundation, said it is "great" that Clinton is mentioning women's rights, adding, "As to whether her bringing it up will substantially improve the situation or treatment of women in Africa, frankly I doubt it" (Sheridan, Washington Post, 8/18).

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