FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, JULY 11, 1997

“There cannot be true democracy unless women’s voices are heard. There cannot be true

democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives.

There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of

their country.”

SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT, MARCH 12, 1997

“Advancing the status of women is not only a moral imperative; it is being actively

integrated into the foreign policy of the United States. It is our mission. It is the right thing

to do, and, frankly, it is the smart thing to do.”

State Department Official Photograph

Photo1.tif

Mrs. Clinton and Alebright

vi vi 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

U.S. Department of State, The Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room

Back Row From Left to Right:

Ellen Lazar, Treasury; Jennifer Luray, White House Women’s Office; Sylvia Baca, Interior; Scott Busby, National

Security Council; Virginia Canter, National Endowment for the Humanities; Constance Dunham, Office of the

Comptroller of the Currency; Nancy Hendry, Peace Corps; Caroly Becraft, Navy; Bonnie Campbell, Justice; Anita Botti,

State; Jan Piercy, World Bank; Ambassador Sally Shelton-Colby, U.S. Agency for International Development;

Ambassador Betty King, U.S. Mission to the United Nations; Dr. Nancy Valentine, Veterans Affairs; Joyce Kravitz, United

States Information Agency; Ambassador Craig Johnstone, State; Jill Long Thompson, Agriculture; Lidia Soto-Harmon,

State; Elaine Shocas, State; Frankee Greenberg, Environmental Protection Agency; Dr. Susan F. Wood, Health and

Human Services.

Seated from Left to Right:

Sarah Kovner, Health and Human Services; General Claudia Kennedy, Army; Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, State;

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton; Secretary Donna Shalala, Health and Human Services; Melanne Verveer, The White

House; Deputy Secretary Kitty Higgins, Labor; Theresa Loar, State.

Not in Photo:

Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman, State; Linda Robertson, Treasury; Elizabeth C. Sears, Commerce; Virginia A. Manuel,

Commerce; Irasema Garza, Labor; Geri Palast, Labor; Jacquie Lawing, Housing and Urban Development; Nuria

Fernandez, Transportation; Dr. Martha Krebs, Energy; Leslie T. Thornton, Education; Judith Heumann, Education;

Sylvia Mathews, Office of Management and Budget; Audrey Choi, Council of Economic Advisors; Ambassador Susan G.

Esserman, U.S. Trade Representative’s Office; Administrator Aida Alvarez, Small Business Administration; Sherrye

Henry, Small Business Administration; Joanne O. Isham, Central Intelligence Agency; Janice Lachance, Office of

Personnel Management; Stephenie Foster, General Services Administration; Joan Wainwright, Social Security

Administration; Margaret Lycette, U.S. Agency for International Development; Ida Castro, U.S. Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission; Ann Lewis, The White House; Maria Echaveste, The White House; Audrey Tayse Haynes, The

White House, Wendy Patten, The White House; Lauren Supina, The White House

State Department Official Photograph

insert photo2.tif here
vii vii

THE WHITE HOUSE

Melanne Verveer

Assistant to the President and

Chief of Staff to the First Lady

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman

Counselor of the Department of State

Theresa Loar

Director, President’s Interagency Council on

Women and Senior Coordinator for

International Women’s Issues

Lidia Soto-Harmon

Deputy Director, President’s Interagency

Council on Women

Anita Botti

Deputy Director, International Women’s

Initiatives, President’s Interagency Council on

Women

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Linda Robertson

Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and

Public Liaison

Ellen Lazar

Director, Community Development Financial

Institutions Fund

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Carolyn Becraft

Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Manpower and Reserve Affairs

General Claudia Kennedy

Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence

Department of the Army

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bonnie Campbell

Director, Violence Against Women Office

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Sylvia Baca

Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and

Minerals Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Jill Long Thompson

Under Secretary for Rural Development

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Elizabeth C. Sears

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Domestic Operations

COUNCIL MEMBERS

The First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Honorary Chair

Secretary of State, Madeleine K. Albright, Chair

Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala, Immediate Past Chair

Council Members
vii viiii 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Virginia A. Manuel

Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for

Marketing Access and Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Geri Palast

Assistant Secretary of Labor

Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs

Irasema Garza

Director, Women’s Bureau

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES

Sarah Kovner

Special Assistant to the Secretary

Dr. Susan F. Wood

Acting Deputy Director and Assistant Director

for Policy

U.S. Public Health Service’s Office on

Women’s Health

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT

Jacquie Lawing

Deputy Chief of Staff

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Nuria Fernandez

Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit

Administration

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Dr. Martha Krebs

Director, Office of Science

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Leslie T. Thornton

Chief of Staff

Judith Heumann

Assistant Secretary, Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Dr. Nancy Valentine

Special Assistant to the Secretary and Advisor

to the Under Secretary for Health

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Frankee Greenberg

Director of Regional Operations

COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISORS

Audrey Choi

Chief of Staff, Council of Economic Advisors

The White House

U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Ambassador Susan G. Esserman

Deputy United States Trade Representative

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Aida Alvarez

Administrator

Sherrye Henry

Assistant Administrator, Office of Women’s

Business Ownership

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Joanne O. Isham

Deputy Director for Science and Technology

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Janice Lachance

Director
ix ix

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Stephenie Foster

General Counsel

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Joan Wainwright

Deputy Commissioner for Communications

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

Ambassador Sally Shelton-Colby

Assistant Administrator

Margaret Lycette

Director, Office of Women in Development

COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY

Constance Dunham

Senior Financial Economist

PEACE CORPS

Nancy H. Hendry

General Counsel

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION

Ida Castro

Chairwoman

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE

HUMANITIES

Virginia Canter

General Counsel

U.S. MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Ambassador Betty King

United States Representative on the UN

Economic and Social Council

WORLD BANK

Jan Piercy

U.S. Executive Director

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

Sylvia Mathews

Deputy Director

THE WHITE HOUSE

Ann Lewis

Counselor to the President

Maria Echaveste

Deputy Chief of Staff

Audrey Tayse Haynes

Chief of Staff to Mrs. Gore and Special

Counsel to the Vice President

Scott Busby

Director, Office for Democracy, Human Rights

and Humanitarian Affairs

National Security Council

Wendy Patten

National Security Council

Lauren Supina

Director of White House Women’s Office

December 1999

Council Members
xx 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
Introduction

In June 2000 the United States will join most the nations of the world at a Special Session o

United Nations General Assembly in New York entitled “Women 2000: Gender Equality,

Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century.” The purpose of the Special Session i

appraise and assess the progress achieved in advancing the status of women since the United

Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, September 1995.

The United States has taken its commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Ac

adopted at the conference, very seriously. On the eve of the conference, August 26, 1995,

President Clinton looked towards the conference and announced the formation of the Presid

Interagency Council on Women in order “to make sure that all the effort and good ideas actu

get implemented when we get back home.” The Council has been working hard on that man

ever since.

The President’s Council has coordinated implementation of the Platform for Action at the fe

level and worked with individual agencies to develop related initiatives to further women’s

progress and engage in outreach and public education to support the goals of the Platform fo

Action—goals that essentially aim to improve the status and well-being of women and their

families domestically and internationally.

In turn Council representatives, high-level representatives from Executive Branch agencies, 

worked within their agencies, often with task forces they have formed, to identify initiatives 

improve the lives of women and girls and to ensure that goals of the Platform for Action bec

an integral part of their operation.

America’s Commitment is one way in which the United States government is holding itself

accountable. It is intended as a resource document, a reference tool that will help serve as a 

through the maze of government agencies and programs, both general programs and women

specific ones, that benefit women. The Platform for Action provides a compass. As with an e

edition published in 1997, the Council’s editorial board of representatives of all government

agencies, have followed the outline of the Platform for Action—the 12 Critical Areas of Co

that it identified and the accompanying Strategic Objectives for each area of concern. They 

used it as a means to take a close look at the entire range of their policies and programs and 

look towards the future.

Women 2000 is actually intended to be more than a five-year review of progress since the B

Conference. The General Assembly resolution for the special session calls for nations to rev

and assess progress made on implementation of both “the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategi

the Advancement of Women and the Beijing Platform for Action and to consider further act

and new initiatives.”

The United Nations has been looking toward the year 2000 and the goals of women’s equali

development, and peace since the 1970s. It launched a decade for women with a world confe
xii xii 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

in Mexico City in 1975. The decade concluded in Nairobi in 1985 with the adoption of the

Forward Looking Strategies that targeted the year 2000 for the achievement of the goals, as the

goal for women’s equality, development, and peace.

Now we are here. And we find that we have a long way to go. The problems are real, obstacles

remain, setbacks occur. But to leave it at that would be to overlook the tremendous progress that

women have made around the world. Despite obstacles and setbacks, women enter the twentyfirst century transformed and bring with them a transformed world. As this book amply illustrates,

nowhere is that more true than in America.

Some of these programs described in America’s Commitment have long been in place and precede

not only the Beijing Conference but the twenty-five year span of United Nations Women’s

Conferences and the United Nations itself. In that sense, before the Platform for Action was

drafted, we were implementing it. That is because the work of advancing the status of women and

of achieving gender equality, and equality among all citizens, goes back to the very beginnings of

the Republic and became most visible in the mid-1800s as the women’s rights movement grew out

of the abolition movement. Years of struggle on the part of American women and their supporters

resulted in social and cultural changes and Constitutional, legal, and programmatic actions in this

century, accelerated greatly with the post-war civil rights movement and second phase of the

women’s rights movement.

Although America’s Commitment, as its title implies, is intended to describe what the U.S.

government is doing to benefit its citizens and the rest of the world, especially women, it contains

a considerable amount of information about the federal government as an employer, describing

what government is doing to benefit its own employees. Because the federal government is

considered a role model, much of this information is included. For example, the Women and

Economy section provides extensive information on government efforts to help employees

harmonize work and family responsibilities.

For women to gain equality, it is necessary to employ a dual strategy and the programs outlined

here reflect this duality. Some programs that widely benefit American women, such as Social

Security and Medicare, are gender neutral; others, such as maternal and child health programs and

business development and access to credit programs are designed especially for women.

Because the Platform for Action is a global document intended to be tailored to individual

countries, the fit is not always perfect. There is at times an overlap or confusion over where some

American program or action would best fit. Also, some critical areas of concern, such as women

and poverty, and women in power and decision-making, are truly cross-cutting and programs that

fit those description may be included elsewhere.

This volume is a selective compilation and condensation of agency submissions. For further

information and access to agencies’ complete reports, please consult the agency contact list in the

back of the book.
Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A. Women and Poverty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A.1. Review, adopt, and maintain macroeconomic policies and development strategies that

address the needs and efforts of women in poverty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A.2. Revise laws and administrative practices to ensure women’s equal rights and access to

economic resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A.3. Provide women with access to savings and credit mechanisms and institutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A.4. Develop gender-based methodologies and conduct research to address the

feminization of poverty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

B. Education and Training of Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

B.1. Ensure equal access to education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

B.2. Eradicate illiteracy among women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

B.3. Improve women’s access to vocational training, science and technology, and continuing education.. . 

B.4. Develop non-discriminatory education and training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

B.5. Allocate sufficient resources for and monitor the implementation of educational reforms. . . . . . . . . . . 

B.6. Promote lifelong education and training for girls and women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C. Women and Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C.1. Increase women’s access throughout the life cycle to appropriate, affordable and

quality health care, information, and related services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C.2. Strengthen preventive programs that promote women’s health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C.3. Undertake gender-sensitive initiatives that address sexually transmitted diseases,

HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C.4. Promote research and disseminate information on women’s health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

C.5. Increase resources and monitor follow-up for women’s health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

D. Violence Against Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

D.1. Take integrated measures to prevent and eliminate violence against women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

D.2. Study the causes and consequences of violence against women and the

effectiveness of preventive measures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

D.3. Eliminate trafficking in women and assist victims of violence due to prostitution and trafficking.. . . . 
xxiv 2000 Edition iv America’s Commitment

E. Women and Armed Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

E.1. Increase the participation of women in conflict resolution at decision-making levels and

protect women living in situations of armed and other conflicts or under foreign occupation. . . . . . . . . . 14

E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the incidence of human rights

abuse in conflict situations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

E.4. Promote women’s contribution to fostering a culture of peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

E.5. Provide protection, assistance, and training to refugee women, other displaced women

in need of international protection and internally displaced women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

F. Women and the Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

F.1. Promote women’s economic rights and independence, including access to employment,

appropriate working conditions, and control over economic resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

F.2. Facilitate women’s equal access to resources, employment, markets, and trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

F.3. Provide business services, training, and access to markets, information, and technology,

particularly to low-income women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

F.4. Strengthen women’s economic capacity and commercial networks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

F.5. Eliminate occupational segregation and all forms of employment discrimination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

F.6. Promote harmonization of work and family responsibilities for women and men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

G. Women in Power and Decision-making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

G.1. Take measures to ensure women’s equal access to and full participation in power

structures and decision-making. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

G.2. Increase women’s capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

H. Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

H.1. Create or strengthen national machineries and other governmental bodies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

H.2. Integrate gender perspectives in legislation, public policies, programs, and projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

H.3. Generate and disseminate gender-disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation. . . . . . 24

I. Human Rights of Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

I.1. Promote and protect the human rights of women, through the full implementation of all human

rights instruments, especially the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

I.2. Ensure equality and non-discrimination under the law and in practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

I.3. Achieve legal literacy.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Conten

K. Women in the Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

J.1. Increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision-making in

and through the media and new technologies of communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

J.2. Promote a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in the media.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

K. Women and the Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

K.1. Involve women actively in environmental decision-making at all levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

K.2. Integrate gender concerns and perspectives in policies and programs for sustainable development.. . . 

K.3. Strengthen or establish mechanisms at the national, regional, and international

levels to assess the impact of development and environmental policies on women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L. The Girl-Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.2. Eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices against girls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.4. Eliminate discrimination against girls in education, skills development, and training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.5. Eliminate discrimination against girls in health and nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.6. Eliminate the economic exploitation of child labor and protect young girls at work.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.7. Eradicate violence against the girl-child.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

L.8. Promote the girl-child’s awareness of and participation in social, economic, and political life. . . . . . . 

L.9. Strengthen the role of the family in improving the status of the girl-child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Speeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Federal Programs and Resources for Women and Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
xvi 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
A. Women and Poverty

“The aging face of Am

increasingly female...Ne

half of all women over ag

widowed, and today near

thirds of older women wh

alone would be poor if it w

for Social Security.”

—Commissioner of th

Security Administration K

S. Apfel, excerpted from h

remarks to the One Amer

Social Security Administra

Diversity Conference,

August 13, 1999
22 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

overty is a complex condition that

touches all aspects of life—of an

individual, a family unit, and at times a

society, or a region. It has, as the

Platform for Action explains, many

manifestations—lack of income, hunger

and malnutrition, poor health,

inadequate shelter, lack of access to

education and other services, increased

morbidity, and social discrimination and

exclusion.

The Platform for Action calls for

macroeconomic policies that take the

needs of women into account, revision

of laws and practices to ensure women’s

equal rights and access to economic

resources, access for women to saving

and credit mechanisms, and genderbased methodology to conduct research

on poverty.

A.1. Review, adopt, and maintain macroeconomic policies and development strategies that

address the needs and efforts of women in

poverty.

NUTRITION

Food Stamp Program

• Approximately $10 billion in food stamp

benefits were provided to girls and women in

FY 1998. Many U.S. Department of

Agriculture programs provide assistance to

help low-income women and their families

meet their basic needs. The Food Stamp

Program provides the means to purchase food

for a nutritious diet, supplementing the food

budgets of many low-income families and

individuals. Generally, the Food Stamp

Program is available to households with gross

monthly incomes of less than 130 percent of

the federal poverty line, and net monthly

incomes below 100 percent of the poverty

level. (For 1999, the federal poverty line for a

family of four was $16,700.) In an average

month in 1998, 19.8 million Americans

received food stamp benefits. The majority of

participants in the Food Stamp Program in

1998 (59.8 percent) were female.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for

Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Available to families with incomes below 185

percent of the poverty line, the Women, Infants

and Children program provides a nutritious

food package, nutrition education, and health

care referrals to more than 1.5 million pregnant

postpartum, and breastfeeding women per

month. This program operates through 2,000

local agencies at 10,000 clinic sites, in 50 state

health departments, 33 Indian Tribal

Organizations, American Samoa, the District of

Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin

Islands. In addition, through the Farmer’s

Market Nutrition Program, the Women, Infants

and Children program provides participants

with access to vitamin- and fiber-rich fresh

fruits and vegetables. Women participating in

this program are more likely to receive prenata

health care. Results of the program demonstrate

improved birth outcomes—reduced rates of

low birth weight and infant mortality, and

increased average gestational age. Further, the

National School Lunch Program, School

Breakfast Program, and Child and Adult Care

Food Program provide free or subsidized meals

to children. Approximately half of the children

from low-income households benefiting from

these programs are girls. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

P
Women and Pov

Sectio

HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMS

McKinney Act and the Continuum of Care

The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

Assistance Act of 1987 created federal

programs to assist the homeless, specifically

including families with children. The

Department of Housing and Urban

Development has initiated new policies to

address the critical problem of homelessness in

the United States. The Department of Housing

and Urban Development’s new approach to

breaking the cycle of homelessness, known as

the Continuum of Care, is part of the

Department’s overall approach to community

development. The emphasis that the McKinney

Act places on families with children, along

with the Continuum of Care approach that

allows communities to set their funding

priorities, has resulted in resources being

focused on women, most of whom are with

their children.

The Continuum of Care consists of two key

elements: a coordinated community-based

process of identifying needs and building a

system to address those needs, and a doubling

of the Department’s homelessness assistance

budget to provide communities with resources

to carry out these tasks. The Continuum of Care

is designed to encourage localities to develop a

comprehensive, long-term approach to

addressing homelessness. The Continuum of

Care seeks to assist homeless individuals and

families to be self-sufficient, to the extent

possible, and to move to permanent housing.

The Department of Housing and Urban

Development administers four homeless

assistance programs: Emergency Shelter

Grants, Supportive Housing, Shelter Plus Care,

and Section 8 Single Room Occupancy.

The Department believes the best appro

alleviating homelessness is through a

community-based process that provide

comprehensive response to the differen

of homeless individuals and families. In 

and 1997 more than half of the adults se

funded projects in the Department’s lar

homeless assistance program, the Supp

Housing Program, were women. This p

provides transitional housing, permane

housing, and supportive services to hom

persons. Of those adults with children s

Supportive Housing and Shelter Plus C

projects, more than 79 percent were wo

Applications funded in the 1998 homel

assistance competition propose to serve 

than 160,000 families over the course o

grants. [DEPARTMENT OF HOUSIN

AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Promote Self-Sufficiency and Econom

Independence in Public and Assisted

Housing

Although the national poverty rate has

decreased, the rate of women has incre

1996 there were 7.7 million low-incom

families in the country, including 4.1 m

female-headed households. An estimat

percent of all households receiving ren

housing assistance (including Section 8

certificates and vouchers, assisted hous

public housing) are headed by women—

percent of families living in public hou

to 85 percent of persons living in assist

housing for the elderly, and 60 to 65 pe

persons living in assisted housing for p

with disabilities are women, and, of the

than two-thirds live at or below the pov

line.
44 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Elderly women occupy about 75 percent of all

Department-assisted, one-person households;

about 30 percent of all private, project-based,

Department-subsidized units; and 25 percent of

all public housing units. Approximately 75

percent of all public and subsidized housing

residents over age 65 are women. Most of these

female-headed households consist of women,

over 70, living alone. Programs include:

• Tenant -Based Section 8 Rental Certificate

and Rental Voucher Programs

The Section 8 rental assistance program

continues to be one of the Department’s

primary vehicles for helping eligible

recipients find safe and affordable housing.

Under this program, families pay 30 percent

of adjusted monthly income for rent with the

Department of Housing and Urban

Development rental subsidy paying the

difference of the fair market rent. While the

Department provides assistance to

households through a wide range of

programs, most Section 8 assisted units—2.9

million—are female-headed households.

• The Section 8 rental certificate and voucher

programs assist families in the transition from

welfare to work because they provide a wider

range of housing choices. Lack of

transportation is one of the most serious

barriers in obtaining employment for lowincome families. Families with vouchers or

certificates can choose to relocate to private

market rental units near employment

opportunities, even in other cities or states.

Allowing families to move with their rent

subsidies can minimize the cost and difficulty

of obtaining transportation to work.

• The Family Self-Sufficiency Program

This program has helped women and their

families achieve economic independence and

self-sufficiency. The Family Self-Sufficiency

Program provides participating families with

opportunities for educational services, job

training, counseling, and other social services

while they are living in assisted housing.

Only current public housing residents and

families receiving assistance through the

Section 8 rental certificate and voucher

programs are eligible to participate.

• Supportive Services provided though a

Family Self-Sufficiency Program include

child care; transportation; education; job

training and employment counseling; and

personal welfare assistance, such as

substance/alcohol abuse treatment or

counseling, household skill training, and

homeownership counseling.

• Section 202 Supportive Housing for the

Elderly

Through this program, funds are awarded

each year to private, non-profit organizations

to develop housing and services for very low

income elderly persons. The program allows

elderly persons to live with dignity and

independence by expanding the supply of

supportive housing that must be designed to

accommodate special physical needs of the

elderly.

• Section 811 Supportive Housing for

Persons with Disabilities

This program benefits a large number of very

low-income women who have disabilities.

Funds are awarded each year to non-profit

organizations to develop housing units for

very low-income persons with disabilities by

expanding the supply of supportive housing

and services that accommodate special

physical needs. It also provides supportive

services that address the individual health,

mental health, and other needs.

• Resident Opportunities and SelfSufficiency Program

The purpose of the Resident Opportunities

and Self-Sufficiency Program is to link public

and Indian housing residents with supportive

services, resident empowerment activities,

and assistance in becoming economically

self-sufficient. This program is consistent

with the Department’s goal to effectively
Women and Pov

Sectio

focus resources on Welfare-to-Work and on

independent living for the elderly and person

with disabilities. The Resident Opportunities

and Self-Sufficiency Program incorporates

the following basic funding categories:

Resident Management and Business

Development, Capacity Building, Conflict

Resolution, Resident Service Delivery

Models (for either families or the elderly and

persons with Disabilities), and Service

Coordinators. [DEPARTMENT OF

HOUSING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT]

The Single-Family Housing Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural

Housing Service provides a number of

homeownership opportunities to rural

Americans, as well as programs for home

renovation and repair. The Single-Family

Housing Program provides homeownership

opportunities in rural communities to very lowto moderate-income rural Americans through

several loan, grant, and guarantee programs.

Women received 54 percent of these program

funds in FY 1998. The program also makes

funding available to individuals to finance vital

improvements necessary to make their homes

safe and sanitary. Most loans under the Direct

Loan Program are to families with incomes

below 80 percent of the median income level in

the communities where they live. Because the

agency is able to make loans to those who will

not qualify for a conventional loan, the Rural

Housing Service Direct Loan program enables

many more people to buy homes than might

otherwise be possible. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

Home Repair Loan and Grant Programs

For very low-income families who own homes

in need of repair, the Home Repair Loan and

Grant program offers loans and grants for

renovation. The Home Repair program also

provides funds to make homes accessible to

those with disabilities. Money may be

provided, for example, to repair a leaki

replace a wood stove with central heati

construct a front-door ramp for someon

a wheelchair. In FY 1998 women recei

percent of these Home Repair and

Rehabilitation Loans and 67 percent of

program grant funds. [DEPARTMENT 

AGRICULTURE]

Multi-Family and Farm Labor Hous

Programs

Approximately 73 percent of the fundin

these programs was spent to provide ho

for rural women in FY 1999, serving 3

women. The Rural Housing Service ass

to individual residents of multi-family

dwellings comes primarily from rental

assistance. Rent subsidies under the Re

Assistance Program ensure that elderly

disabled, and low-income residents of

multi-family housing complexes financ

Rural Housing Service can afford rent

payments. With the help of the Rental

Assistance Program, a qualified applica

no more than 30 percent of his or her in

for housing. Residents of multi-family 

complexes built under both the Rural R

Housing Program and the Farm Labor H

Program are eligible to apply for the Re

Assistance Program. (Not all residents 

Housing Service-financed housing

developments receive rental assistance.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

Farm Labor Housing

Low-interest loans and grants are made 

public and non-profit entities, as well a

individual farmers, for the construction 

labor housing. The Rural Housing Serv

the only national entity providing fundi

this use. Grants are provided to buy, bu

improve, or repair housing for farm lab

including persons whose income is earn

aquaculture (fish and oyster farms), and 
66 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

engaged in on-farm food processing. Funds can

be used to purchase a site or a leasehold interest

in a site; to construct housing, day care

facilities, or community rooms; to pay fees to

purchase durable household furnishings; and to

pay construction loan interest.

Loans are made to farmers, associations of

farmers, family farm corporations, Indian

Tribes, non-profit organizations, public

agencies, and associations of farm workers.

Typically, loan applicants are unable to obtain

credit elsewhere, but in some instances, farmers

able to get credit elsewhere may obtain loans at

a rate of interest based on the cost of federal

borrowing. Grants are made to farm worker

associations, non-profit organizations, Indian

Tribes, and public agencies. Funds may be used

in urban areas for nearby farm labor. (This is

the only Rural Housing Service rural service

area exception.)

Farm Labor Housing Technical Assistance

Grants are provided to contractors to assist

public and private non-profit agencies to

provide housing and to meet special needs of

farm laborers. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

Native American Housing and SelfDetermination Act

The Native American Housing and SelfDetermination Act recognizes the right of

Tribal self-governance and the unique

relationship, established by long-standing

treaties between the federal government and

Indian Tribal governments. It reorganizes and

simplifies the Department’s system of housing

assistance to Native Americans by eliminating

several separate Department of Housing and

Urban Development assistance programs and

replacing them with a single block grant

program made directly to Tribes.

Annual grants give Tribes maximum flexibility

to design, implement, and administer their own

unique housing programs. Since the

implementation of the Act, Tribes have

undertaken a variety of housing programs that

directly benefit Native American women,

including housing assistance to college

students. [DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

HOUSING AND HOMEOWNERSHIP

Homeownership Opportunities for Women

The Department of Housing and Urban

Development strives to increase

homeownership opportunities for all

Americans. For more than 60 years, the

Department’s Federal Housing Administration

has provided mortgage insurance to help lowand moderate-income families buy their own

homes. The Federal Housing Administration is

especially important to women because, by law

it helps people not served by the private market

particularly women and minorities.

In 1996 the Department of Housing and Urban

Development and a coalition of 32

organizations launched Homeownership

Opportunities for Women, a national drive to

increase the number of women homeowners.

Through the Federal Housing Administration,

the Department provided $250,000 in start-up

funds to design education and counseling

programs for potential female homebuyers.

Partnership members in Homeownership

Opportunities for Women include the

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, the National Council of Negro

Women, the Women’s Division of the United

Methodist Church, Business and Professional

Women USA, the Young Women’s Christian

Association, the American Association of

Retired Persons, and Women Construction

Owners and Executives.
Women and Pov

Sectio

Homeownership Opportunities for Women

initiatives include:

• Free information packets about

homeownership opportunities for women;

• Targeted education and counseling programs

for potential women homebuyers around the

country;

• A women’s homeownership roundtable at the

Department’s regional homeownership

summits held in seven cities in the summer of

1996;

• A homeownership counseling training via

satellite held March 6, 1997, broadcast to 57

offices across the country and attended by

lenders, realtors, builders, local officials,

educators, and non-profit organizations; and

• Work with lenders to determine if

computerized underwriting models sensitive

to women’s circumstances can be developed.

[DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

Facilitate Efforts By Indian Tribes To

Reduce Poverty And Increase Housing,

Community, And Economic Development

Opportunities For Tribal Members

According to the 1990 Census, approximately

16 percent of Native American women living in

Tribal areas are heads of households. These

women are often in need of economic

assistance. The grants and loan guarantees

provided by the Department of Housing and

Urban Development to Indian Tribes and/or

Tribally Designated Housing Entities help to

improve the quality of life (particularly in the

areas of housing, economic and community

development) of Native Americans in Indian

Country. Tribes have an enormous amount of

flexibility in the types of housing, economic,

and community development programs they

choose to implement. As a result, a broad array

of programs that directly benefit low-income

women may be planned and implemented by

Tribes. [DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

WORKING CONDITIONS

Increasing the Minimum Wage

About 57 percent of minimum wage wo

the United States are adult women, man

whom are employed in low-wage servi

retail industries (for example, domestic 

service, health care, or janitorial servic

Large numbers of women are also emp

the Nation’s garment industry, both in f

and at home.

The Fair Labor Standards Act offers m

wage and overtime pay protection to m

half of the U.S. workforce. Pursuant to 

Small Business Jobs Protection Act of 

the federal minimum wage was increas

$4.25 to $4.75 an hour in 1996 and to $

hour in 1997—a total increase of 90 ce

hour, benefiting nearly 5.7 million wom

After the law’s enactment, the Departm

Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, whic

enforces and administers U.S. labor sta

including the Fair Labor Standards Act

embarked on an educational effort to en

that businesses understood their changi

obligations and that employees underst

their new rights. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

Industry-Specific Initiatives to Enfor

Labor Standards

The Wage and Hour Division focuses o

increasing compliance with labor stand

targeted low-wage industries, including 

garment industry; agriculture; health ca

other industries such as restaurants, jan

services, temporary help, and hotels/mo

FY 1998 Wage and Hour recovered mo

$29,700,000 for 72,000 workers in the 

low-wage industries.
88 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The Garment Industry “No Sweat” Campaign

Garment workers, who are mostly women, are

frequently among the most exploited and

vulnerable workers in the United States. Often

immigrant and non-English speaking, they are

frequently paid significantly less than the

minimum wage and may work long hours for

no overtime pay. They may be working at an

age younger than the law allows. Their working

environment can be quite unsafe, including

locked exits, electrical hazards, and unsanitary

conditions.

In 1995 the Department of Labor launched its

“No Sweat” campaign to increase compliance

with labor standards in this industry. The

campaign’s accomplishments have included:

• More than 100 manufacturing firms have

signed Wage and Hour's Compliance

Monitoring Agreement.

• Minimum wage and overtime violations have

been reduced.

• $17,700,000 has been recovered for 54,056

workers.

• Several compliance monitoring workshops

for the industry have been conducted, and

worker fora have been sponsored in the major

garment centers to educate workers about

their rights.

• Religious groups, universities, and socially

responsible businesses have publicly

announced support for the “No Sweat”

strategy and are educating the public on

compliance and raising awareness.

The “No Sweat” campaign’s success stems

from a strategy of broadening enforcement,

stepping up education to the industry, seeking

and maintaining partnerships, and finding

innovative techniques to recognize those in the

industry who work to improve compliance.

Among the campaign’s activities in fulfillment

of this strategy have been the following:

• Targeting enforcement sweeps in major

garment centers; notifying manufacturers of

“hot goods” produced by their contractors;

and, when hot goods can be traced,

contacting retailers who are selling these

goods (The “hot goods” provisions of the Fair

Labor Standards Act generally make it illega

to ship goods in interstate commerce that

were made in violation of the minimum wage

or overtime requirements of the Act or

produced in an establishment where child

labor violations occurred in the last 30 days.)

• Developing contractor cases for civil and

criminal prosecution, including referrals to

the joint Department of Labor/Department of

Justice Worker Exploitation Task Force;

• Conducting worker fora with community

organizations, unions, and worker advocacy

groups to teach workers about their rights and

encourage them to come forward with

complaints and reaching out to schools and

community organizations that conduct

English as a Second Language courses to

help make workers aware of their rights and

the value of compliance to their financial

well-being;

• Hosting meetings with all stakeholders in the

industry to report on compliance and seek

input for strategies to improve compliance;

• Working with the Fair Labor Association

(This organization was chartered in 1998 by

the Apparel Industry Partnership, its

predecessor. In 1997 the Apparel Industry

Partnership, composed of leaders from the

footwear and apparel industry, labor, nongovernmental organizations, and consumer

groups, announced the creation of a

Workplace Code of Conduct, which sets forth
Women and Pov

Sectio

standards defining decent and humane

working conditions in the United States and

abroad. The Fair Labor Association oversees

the monitoring and evaluation of participating

companies’ compliance with the Workplace

Code of Conduct. Its Monitoring Principles

govern internal [factory-based] and

independent external monitoring of

companies seeking Fair Labor Association

certification.); and

• Working with universities, colleges, and

licensing companies to encourage them to

ensure that licensed apparel is made in

accordance with labor standards in the United

States and abroad.

Agriculture

Adopting the “No Sweat” campaign strategy, in

FY 1998 the Wage and Hour Division began

placing legal and moral responsibility for the

substandard conditions created by farm labor

contractors on growers and processors,

including the vigorous application of the “joint

employment” standard under the Migrant and

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act

and the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the use

of the “hot goods” provisions of the Fair Labor

Standards Act. The Wage and Hour Division

has been developing Partnerships in

Compliance in the “salad bowl” commodities

(lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and

garlic) and conducting targeted enforcement in

the cucumber, onions, and lettuce commodities

to develop baselines of compliance.

The Wage and Hour Division has also been

conducting a Fair Harvest/Safe Harvest

educational campaign designed to inform farm

workers and their families about their

workplace rights and the dangers to children in

the agricultural workplace.

Health Care Industry

Building on the results of its FY 1997 and FY

1998 compliance surveys aimed at low-wage

sectors in the long-term care industry, in

FY 1999 the Wage and Hour Division b

carrying out aggressive educational act

and locally targeted initiatives in the nu

home and residential care sectors of the

industry.

For more information on enforcement o

standards, visit the Wage and Hour Div

website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/p

whd_org.htm. [DEPARTMENT OF L

CHILD CARE AND HEAD START

The Child Care and Development Fu

The Welfare Reform law of 1996 restru

child care into a single, integrated child 

system and funds state efforts to provid

quality child care services for low-inco

families with parents who work or who 

school. Administered by the Administr

Children and Families of the Departme

Health and Human Services, the new w

law provides $20 billion in child care f

over six years. The Child Care and

Development Fund has made available 

billion to states in FY 1999. Tribes rece

approximately $61,000,000 for FY 199

award represents an increase in child ca

funding of approximately $100,000,000 

states over FY 1998. [DEPARTMENT 

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Head Start

This national program, administered by 

Administration on Children and Familie

Department of Health and Human Serv

provides comprehensive child developm

services primarily to low-income, presc

aged children and their families. Specifi

services for children focus on education

emotional development, physical and m

health, and nutrition. In FY 1999, $4.66 

enabled approximately 830,000 presch

children from low-income families to

participate in 1,480 local Head Start pr

For FY 2000 the Administration on Ch
1010 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and Families is proposing $5.267 billion for

Head Start services. The goal of the program is

to serve one million children by 2002. In 1999,

$340,000,000 went to Early Head Start

Programs for infants, toddlers, and pregnant

women of low-income families.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Community Facilities Programs

These programs offer direct and guaranteed

loans and grants designed to finance and

facilitate the development of more than 80

different types of essential community facilities

serving rural areas. These facilities include, but

are not limited to, hospitals, elderly care

facilities, child care centers, fire and rescue

stations, vocational and medical rehabilitation

centers, schools, and public transportation

infrastructure. More than $45,650,000 was

spent funding 154 child care centers between

1996 and 1999. This sum represents a 396

percent increase (or $34,129,000) over

expenditures in the previous four years.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]

Child Support Enforcement

Child support policy and law are areas

traditionally governed by the states, but federal

enforcement authority exists in certain cases.

Under the Child Support Recovery Act,

enforced by the Department of Justice, it is a

federal crime not to pay support for a child

residing in another state. A 1998 amendment to

the statute strengthened the law and made it a

federal felony offense to cross state borders

intentionally to evade paying support owed

longer than one year or in an amount greater

than $5,000, or to willfully fail to pay support

for a child residing in another state if the

obligation has remained unpaid for longer than

two years or is in an amount greater than

$10,000. The maximum penalties for the felony

offense are two years incarceration, a $250,000

fine, or both. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE]

WELFARE REFORM

Welfare

The Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families is

responsible for federal programs that promote

the economic and social well-being of families

children, individuals, and communities.

Through its federal leadership, the

Administration for Children and Families

works to empower families and individuals to

increase their own economic independence and

productivity; strong, healthy, and supportive

communities having a positive impact on the

quality of life and the development of children

partnerships with individuals, front-line service

providers, communities, American Indian

Tribes, Native communities, states, and

Congress that enable solutions that transcend

traditional agency boundaries; services

planned, reformed, and integrated to improve

needed access; and a strong commitment to

working with people with developmental

disabilities, refugees, and migrants to address

their needs, strengths, and abilities.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The Welfare Reform Law

The Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (the

Welfare Reform Law) made dramatic changes

in the Nation's welfare system to realize the

goal of supporting recipients' transition from

welfare to work. The new law contains strong

work requirements, a performance bonus to

reward states for meeting the goals of the law,

state maintenance of effort requirements, and

supports for eligible families, including

increased funding for child care. Families who

have received assistance for five cumulative

years (or less, at state option) will be ineligible

for federal cash aid. States are permitted to

exempt 20 percent of their caseload from the

time limit, and states have the option to provide
Women and Povert

Section A 

continued assistance and ongoing supportive

services to families that reach the time limit

using state funds. The law guarantees that

women eligible for welfare under the old rules

will continue to be eligible for health coverage

for their families, including at least one year of

transitional Medicaid when they leave welfare

for work. The law also strengthens the child

support enforcement requirements. The

Administration for Children and Families is

responsible for implementation of these parts

of the Welfare Reform law. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Work Requirements

With few exceptions, recipients under the new

law must work after two years of assistance or

earlier at the state option. To count toward state

work requirements, recipients are required to

participate in unsubsidized or subsidized

employment, on-the-job training, work

experience, community service, up to 12

months of vocational training, or provide child

care service to individuals who are

participating in community service. Single

parents with a child under six who cannot find

child care cannot be penalized for failure to

meet the work requirements. States can exempt

single parents with children under age one from

the work requirement. States develop personal

responsibility plans for recipients identifying

the education, training, and job placement

services needed to move them into the

workforce. The law allows states to create jobs

by taking money now used for welfare checks

and using it to create community service jobs

or to provide income subsidies or hiring

incentives for potential employers.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Welfare-to-Work Grants

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 authorized

the Department of Labor to provide Welfare-toWork Grants to states and local communities to

create additional job opportunities for t

hardest-to-employ recipients of Tempo

Assistance to Needy Families. The auth

amount for the grants totaled $3 billion

billion to be awarded in each FY 1998 

1999. Two kinds of grants, formula gra

states and competitive grants to local

communities, were to be awarded. A sm

amount of the total was set aside for sp

purposes, including one percent for Ind

Tribes and $100,000,000 for performan

bonuses for successful states. The gran

administered by the Department’s Emp

and Training Administration.

Formula Grants to States

All 50 states, plus the District of Colum

Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Gu

were eligible to apply for grants. For F

48 grants totaling approximately $1.1 b

were awarded, and 45 grants totaling $

were awarded for FY 1999. States rece

grants are required to pass 85 percent o

money to local Private Industry Counci

(sometimes known as workforce develo

boards), which oversee and guide job tr

programs in geographical jurisdictions 

service delivery areas. States are allowe

retain 15 percent of the money for Wel

Work projects of their choice. They mu

one dollar of non-federal funding for ev

dollars of federal funding provided.

Competitive Grants to Local Communi

These grants were to be awarded direct

local governments, Private Industry Co

and other entities (such as community

development corporations, community 

agencies, and community-based organi

that applied directly in conjunction wit

Private Industry Council or local gover

Round l grant awards were announced 

1998; approximately $200,000,000 wa

awarded to 51 grantees. Round 2 award

totaling $273,000,000 to 75 grantees, w
1212 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

announced in November 1998. Round 3 awards

totaling almost $240,000,000 to 64 grantees

were announced in September 1999.

Funds from both types of grants may be used to

help move eligible individuals into jobs by job

creation through public or private sector wage

subsidies; on-the-job training; contracts with

public or private providers of job readiness, job

placement, and post-employment services; job

vouchers for similar services; community

service or work experience; or job retention and

supportive services, such as child support and

transportation assistance (if such services are

not otherwise available).

For more information, visit the Department of

Labor’s Employment and Training

Administration’s Welfare-to-Work website at

http://wtw.doleta.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Transportation and Welfare-to-Work

The Department of Transportation has taken

steps to help move people from welfare rolls to

payrolls. Transportation is one of the largest

barriers facing people moving from welfare to

work: three out of four welfare recipients live

in central cities or rural areas, while two out of

three new jobs are located in suburbs. Parents’

work trips are frequently complicated by the

need to stop at a child care center on the way to

work. The Department established the Job

Access and Reverse Commute program under

the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st

Century to provide funds for communities to

begin or expand transportation services to help

welfare recipients get to work. In FY 1999 the

Department gave grants totaling nearly

$71,000,000 to 179 applicants across the

Nation. As part of this work, the Department

worked closely with the Department of Health

and Human Services and the Department of

Labor to remove barriers that prevented

effective collaboration among these federal

programs. The Secretaries of the Departments

issued joint guidance on the use of Temporary

Aid to Needy Families, Welfare-to-Work, and

Job Access funds for transportation. As a resul

of these efforts, transportation and human

service providers, community organizations,

and local governments have formed new

partnerships to ensure that the most serious

transportation needs were targeted and that

transportation resources were used most

effectively.

For women, who comprise a high percentage of

the number of welfare recipients and heads of

low-income families, this program is

fundamental to their successfully moving from

welfare rolls to payrolls. For more information

on welfare reform and access to jobs, visit

http://www.fta.USDOT.gov/wtw.

[DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION(FEDERAL

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION)/

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Welfare Reform for Non-Citizens

The 1996 reform of the welfare program in the

United States that followed passage of the

Personal Responsibility and Work

Reconciliation Act transferred most of the

responsibility for administering the antipoverty

program to the states and placed the focus of

assistance on moving beneficiaries from

welfare to work. An important area of concern

for the Department of Justice during this time

was ensuring that eligible non-citizens received

the assistance they needed. In 1997 the

Department of Justice drafted guidelines for

states to use in making eligibility decisions for

both citizens and aliens and addressed, for the

first time, the provision of benefits to

immigrant women who were victims of

domestic violence. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE]
Women and Povert

Section A 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Welfare

Assistance Program

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Welfare

Assistance Program provides for the basic

needs of eligible Indians who have no access to

such assistance from state or local

governments. Due to the lack of development

in Indian Country and the rural isolation of

many reservations, opportunities for

employment are not good for Indians who will

be forced to enter the job market under The

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity

Reconciliation Act of 1996. The intent of this

Act is to move people into the workforce so

that they no longer need welfare.

The unemployment rate in Indian Country has

increased over the last few years even though

unemployment across the country has reached

a 30-year low. Based on statistics, only 29

percent of persons employed between the ages

of 16 and 64 earned $9,048 or more in 1995.

Unemployment places an undue burden on

Indian women and their families.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs assists in

implementing comprehensive welfare reform

plans. In the spirit of self-determination, Tribes

will be provided the opportunity to devise

Tribal-specific welfare assistance plans

encouraging flexibility and creativity, allowing

them to prioritize their cases and benefit levels

to address the potential increase in caseloads.

The four types of assistance offered by the

Welfare Assistance Program are as follows:

• General Assistance

Provides direct financial assistance to pay

basic monthly living expenses for Indian

families whose incomes are below current

state standards;

• Child Welfare Assistance

Provides for the care of abandoned or

neglected children placed in foster ho

private or Tribal group day-care hom

special care settings;

• Tribal Work Experience Program

Approximately 4,000 Tribal member

receive general assistance and also w

Tribal projects receive an extra month

benefit in addition to their general ass

payments; and

• Miscellaneous Assistance

Provides emergency assistance to pre

hardship caused by fires, floods, or ac

nature, as well as resources to pay the 

expenses of indigent Indians whose es

not have sufficient resources to cover 

expenses.

The Tribal Work Experience Program f

provide Indians with the resources and 

to gain proper work experience and job 

necessary to successfully compete in th

market. Indian Tribal governments hav

successful in integrating employment, t

and other services in order to improve t

effectiveness of those services. With the 

of the welfare system, work experience

preparation, and training have become 

focus of much legislation. The Tribal W

Experience Program is essential in help

Tribal communities develop creative an

innovative practices to address the issu

transportation, lack of economic develo

and rural isolation experienced by many 

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Servic

Children, Elderly and Families Progr

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Services 

Children, Elderly and Families Program

is to ensure that Indians residing on or 
1414 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

reservations who need assistance receive aid

for basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter,

and other services. While this program is not

designed specifically to assist women, it is an

important form of assistance for low-income

Indian women and their families. Program

funding supports approximately 950 Tribal and

Bureau staff who develop regulations, Tribal

codes, policies, and procedures that enhance

the quality and delivery of social services. They

coordinate cooperative work efforts and serve

on multi-disciplinary teams with various

departments, relative to services to Indian

children and families. Staff develop and

provide training resources on social services for

children, elderly, and families.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

ASSISTING WOMEN MOVING FROM

WELFARE TO WORK, AND ASSISTING

EMPLOYERS

Women’s Bureau Regional Activities

Since passage of the Personal Responsibility

and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of

1996, regional offices of the Department of

Labor Women’s Bureau have intensified their

efforts to provide information and educational

activities to help women move off welfare by

highlighting innovative Welfare-to-Work

programs and conducting conferences directly

targeting welfare recipients. Efforts of regional

offices include:

• Providing employers with information and

technical assistance, encouraging them to

hire women moving from welfare to work;

• Encouraging training and employment in

jobs, including non-traditional jobs for

women, that pay a livable wage;

• Supporting the provision of services to enable

women’s success in moving from welfare to

work;

• Holding Welfare-to-Work leadership fora to

develop strategies and approaches for

resolving “real life” issues confronting

welfare recipients entering the workforce;

• Developing brochures on recipients’ rights

and obligations under the law;

• Meeting with women receiving Temporary

Assistance to Needy Families benefits and

participants in Welfare-to-Work programs to

determine their real life experiences and any

policy implications;

• Developing partnerships with women’s

organizations, academia, unions, and other

community-based organizations to highlight

Welfare-to-Work issues and execute projects

and

• Informing constituents about the opportunity

to apply for Department of Labor Welfare-to

Work Competitive Grants to Local

Communities; supply the Department’s

Employment and Training Administration

with mailing lists of women’s and other

community-based organizations that may

have an interest in a pre-bidder conference

for these grants; and promote the

Employment and Training Administration’s

February 1999 technical assistance satellite

conferences to assist community-based

organizations to develop effective grant

proposals. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Rural Women

The Employment and Training

Administration’s Office of Welfare-to-Work

has formed a partnership with the Welfare

Information Network, a foundation-funded

project to help organizations and individuals

obtain the information, policy analysis, and

technical assistance they need to develop and

implement welfare reforms that will reduce

dependency and promote the well-being of
Women and Povert

Section A 

children and families. In 1999 they teamed up

with the Employment and Training

Administration’s Office of Indian and Native

American programs and National Rural

Development Partnership, and the Rural Policy

Research Institute (founded by Iowa State

University, the University of Missouri, and the

University of Nebraska) to develop a website

dedicated to rural issues and the needs of rural

Welfare-to-Work grantees. The website is at

http://www.welfareinfo.org/rural.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Welfare-to-Work Initiative at the Small

Business Administration

The Small Business Administration’s Welfareto-Work Initiative set a goal of providing job

assistance to 200,000 people by the end of the

year 2000, either through entrepreneurial

training or job pledges from business owners in

search of job-ready employees. The program

put small business owners who pledge to hire

former aid recipients in touch with local

organizations that provide job-skills training.

The initiative also provides entrepreneurial

training to recipients who want to start their

own businesses. Since the middle of 1997, the

Small Business Administration’s Welfare-toWork Initiative has already assisted 150,000

former welfare recipients. Because welfare is

primarily a women’s issue, women have been

the main beneficiaries of this initiative.

For more information on the Welfare-to-Work

Initiative, please see the program website, at

http://www.sba.gov/w2w. [SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

RESEARCH ON WELFARE REFORM

ISSUES

African American Women

In April 1999 the Delta Research and

Educational Foundation, the U.S. Department

of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of

Labor Women’s Bureau co-sponsored a

research forum entitled Welfare-to-Wor

Legislation and the Implications for Af

American Women. The forum examine

impact of the current Welfare-to-Work

legislation on African American wome

explored ways to improve their situatio

Secretary of Labor presented the keyno

address to 500 attendees. A video of th

conference was produced to capture an

preserve the contributions to public pol

research at the forum. [DEPARTMEN

LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

FROM WELFARE TO WORK: FED

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT

From Welfare to Work in the Federa

Government Initiative

In 1997 the Department of Labor’s

Employment and Training Administrat

launched its From Welfare to Work in t

federal government initiative to put we

recipients to work in the federal govern

providing federal agencies with tools a

resources to facilitate their recruitment

and retention. A key component is the W

Training and Assistance Program, a

comprehensive training and developme

program to provide new employees mo

from welfare to work with the skills to 

successful in government employment. 

program consists of 34 training module

four volumes (Orientation, Workplace 

Transition Skills, and Managerial Com

designed to provide new hires with the r

skills for managing their transition. It in

a training component for managers and

supervisors to familiarize them with the 

of the Worker Training and Assistance P

and support services available to their n

hired employees. Federal and state age

including non-profit, community-based

programs, have used the training design 
1616 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

materials to facilitate training for their Welfareto-Work hires. At the inception of the program,

the Department of Labor was instrumental in

conducting the training for several agencies,

including the Department of State, the

Department of Justice, the Environmental

Protection Agency, and the National Credit

Union Administration. The training program

can be accessed on the Department’s From

Welfare to Work in the federal government

website at http://wtw.doleta.gov/ohrw2w/

index.htm. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Welfare-to-Work at the Department of

Labor

The Department of Labor has established

extensive partnerships with state, local,

community-based, and religious organizations

and Private Industry Councils throughout the

country. Through this strategy, the Department

hired 161 individuals (90 percent of them

women). All of the hires have been promoted

and have access to career counseling services.

The Department conducts quarterly meetings to

ascertain their career development needs and

holds periodic meetings with local service

providers to discuss child care, health

insurance, and housing issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Welfare-to-Work at the Small Business

Administration

The Small Business Administration was

recognized at a White House ceremony in

October 1997 as one of the lead agencies that

hired the first 1,000 welfare recipients into

federal jobs. Agency personnel, through

training and mentoring, have worked to ensure

that these individuals are provided the support

they need, not only to succeed in the

workplace, but also to develop life skills that

will help them balance work and family and

achieve the success that will build self-esteem.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Welfare-to-Work at the Department of

Transportation

The Department of Transportation committed

to hiring 400 welfare recipients by September

30, 2000. As of August 31, 1999, the

Department has hired 319 individuals, 80

percent of the goal. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Welfare-to-Work at the U.S. Information

Agency

The United States Information Agency’s

program was the subject of a CNN story in

October 1997 in which three Agency Welfareto-Work employees were featured. One of the

United States Information Agency’s program

participants introduced Vice President Gore at

a Welfare-to-Work session conducted at the

White House last year. In addition, the alliance

between the U.S. Information Agency and

CONSERVE became a model throughout the

federal community for public and private sector

linkage in making the Welfare-to-Work

commitment a reality. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Welfare-to-Work at the Department of

Commerce

Of the more than 5,000 Welfare-to-Work

employees hired, an overwhelming majority are

women. The Department has set a goal of

hiring 10,000 employees under its Welfare-toWork program during FY 2000, with the

assistance of a grant from the Department of

Labor. These 10,000 employees will assist the

Department in conducting the 2000 Census.

In August 1997 the Commerce Department’s

Patent and Trademark Office began the

Workfare Achievement and Development

Center to facilitate the development of

individuals into productive, competent, and

successful employees. The Patent and

Trademark Office is committed to supporting
Women and Povert

Section A 

the President’s welfare reform effort by helping

people move from welfare to work. The

Workfare Achievement and Development

Center is funded through the Office of Human

Resources at the Patent and Trademark Office.

The Center provides intensive training in the

following areas: assessments, federal service

orientation, life skills transition, office

administration, public service, and technology

familiarization. The two-week training course

is designed to improve knowledge, skills, and

behavior to help individuals make the transition

into the federal work force. To date, four

classes have been completed and 33

individuals, all women, have gone through the

program. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

Welfare-to-Work Program at the

Department of Energy

The Department of Energy and several of its

organizations have designed programs to hire

welfare recipients at the Albuquerque

Operations Office, the Oakland Operations

Office, and the National Renewable Energy

Laboratory. These programs respond directly to

the Welfare Reform Act.

To date, the Albuquerque office has hired 11

women through this program. The Human

Resources staff worked with New Mexico

welfare offices, Catholic Social Services, and

the Phoenix Project to find candidates for the

clerical positions. Mentors for the Welfare-toWork employees support their success at the

Department of Energy in Albuquerque.

In March 1997 the Oakland Operations Office

implemented the Worker Trainee Program,

which was designed to offer jobs at the lowest

level for unskilled applicants. Applicants serve

a three-year period of employment in which

they are provided suitable training and

appropriate promotional opportunities to the

GS-3 grade level. At the end of this period they

are converted to permanent positions w

office. Three employees have been hire

date.

The National Renewable Energy Labor

identified positions that would be ideal 

Welfare-to-Work participants and noted 

challenges to be addressed for this prog

be successful. One of the challenges is 

location of the Laboratory in the west s

of Denver, while most of the candidate

identified for this program live in the D

metropolitan and East Denver areas and 

limited transportation options. The Lab

began participating in the RTD Eco-Pa

program, which allows employees free 

to the public transportation system.

Representatives from the Laboratory ar

working with state and county agencies

service offices, and private industry cou

They attend career fairs targeted toward

Welfare-to-Work participants and invite

qualified candidates for an interview. T

project has been ongoing since 1997 at 

locations, and ten full-time-equivalent

employees at the Albuquerque office ar

designated for Welfare-to-Work positio

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

Welfare-to-Work at the Department 

Interior

The U.S. Geological Survey developed 

hiring goals for each fiscal year from 1

through 2000 under the Welfare-to-Wo

initiative, and as of FY 1999, the Surve

achieved 81.6 percent of its FY 2000 g

Survey established a grass roots level of 

with specific state and local programs t

produced many qualified applicants. A

Washington, D.C., consortium among s

county welfare officials, welfare recipie

a local university was identified as a to

prepare welfare candidates for the job

application process and follow them th

job placement.
1818 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The National Park Service established a goal to

hire 75 employees under the Welfare-to-Work

Program in 1999. The National Park Service

has hired 112 as of July 31, 1999, exceeding

their Service-wide goal. [DEPARTMENT OF

THE INTERIOR]

Welfare-to-Work and GS-01 through GS-03

Positions at the Department of the Interior

The U.S. Geological Survey has hired 30

individuals, approximately 20 of them women,

in GS-01 through GS-03 positions. To ensure

that those who are placed in clerical positions

at the Survey’s headquarters in Reston, VA, are

afforded the greatest opportunity to acquire

relevant clerical and administrative skills

through training and hands-on experience, a

clerical training pool was established. Training

pool participants are later reassigned to clerical

positions throughout the organization.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME

BENEFITS

Supplemental Security Income Benefits

The federal government funds and administers

a cash assistance program called Supplemental

Security Income, which ensures eligible

individuals a minimum floor of income.

Supplemental Security Income is a meanstested program, and only an individual whose

income and resources are below certain levels

may be eligible. Beginning in January 1974, it

replaced a federal/state matching grant

program of adult assistance to the aged, blind,

and disabled. The Social Security

Administration assumed responsibility for

administering the program.

This program is important to women who are

age 65 or older. As of December 1998, women

receiving Supplemental Security Income

payments represented more than seven percent

of all women aged 65 or older living in the

United States. Women have always been the

majority of beneficiaries who are aged 65 or

older (72 percent). More than half (59 percent)

of all persons receiving benefits are female.

[SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Restrictions on Disability

The basic definition of disability for an adult

states that a person must have a condition that

is severe enough to prevent him or her from

doing substantial work and that is expected to

last for at least 12 months or result in death.

The Welfare Reform Law of 1996 required the

Social Security Administration to set new and

stricter guidelines to determine if children with

disabilities meet the definition of disability: a

physical or mental condition or conditions that

can be medically proven and that can result in

marked and severe functional limitations.

[SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Restrictions on Legal Immigrants

The 1996 legislation severely restricted the

participation of many legal immigrants in the

Supplemental Security Income program.

Refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian, Amerasian,

and certain other immigrants may be eligible

for Supplemental Security Income during the

seven-year period after they enter the United

States. Other immigrants who may be eligible

include those who served in the U.S. military

(and their spouses and children) and those who

worked in the United States and earned at least

40 qualifying quarters (and their spouses and

children). However, there are still restrictions

against Supplemental Security Income

eligibility for legal immigrants who become

blind or disabled, including children, if they

entered the country after August 22, 1996. The
Women and Povert

Section A 

Social Security Administration sent a draft bill

to Congress on August 5, 1999, to address this

issue. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Making Work Pay

The program provides incentives for disabled

individuals to work so that they may increase

their independence. These work incentives

generally exclude a portion of Supplemental

Security Income beneficiaries’ earnings,

thereby assuring them a significantly higher

total monthly income than if they were not

working. Even individuals whose earnings

exceed the limit for cash payments retain

medical coverage through continued Medicaid

eligibility. The work incentive provisions in the

program provide a meaningful increase in the

worker’s income, thereby reducing and

potentially eliminating reliance on

Supplemental Security Income. For more

information, visit Social Security’s website at

http://www.ssa.gov. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS)

Congress provided for a Plan for Achieving

Self-Support in its legislation that created the

Supplemental Security Income program 

recipients become self-sufficient by sup

their return to work.

A Plan for Achieving Self-Support can 

woman who has little in the way of inco

resources return to work. Normally, a w

monthly payment under Supplemental S

Income would be reduced by any incom

has, and anything she owns would affec

eligibility for such benefits. With a Plan 

Achieving Self-Support, however, mon

property, or equipment needed for work 

considered toward eligibility for Supple

Security Income payments. Without a P

Achieving Self-Support, a woman, gen

could not own things worth more than 

(or $3,000 if she is married and living w

husband), except for a house and vehic

still be eligible for Supplemental Secur

Income.

A Plan for Achieving Self-Support allo

woman to choose the kind of work she w

do and decide what goods, services, an

training she needs to do the work. For e

the funds and property she sets aside un

Plan for Achieving Self-Support can be 

start a business or go to school. Expens

transportation costs also can be set asid

woman must submit her Plan for Achie

Self-Support in writing to the Social Se

Administration for approval. This writt

should describe the work goal and the s

attain that goal. It also should list the g

services, and training she will need to r

that work goal and what money and pro

she will use for these goods, services, a

training.

To qualify for a Plan for Achieving Sel

Support, she must meet Supplemental S

Income eligibility requirements. Beside

having limited income and resources, s
2020 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

be blind or disabled, a U.S. citizen or a lawfully

admitted alien, a resident of the United States,

and agreeable to applying for any other benefits

for which she may be eligible. For more

information, visit Social Security

Administration’s website at

http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-545.html.

[SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Collaboration with Other Donor Agencies

The Office of Women in Development of the

U.S. Agency for International Development is

working closely with the Development

Assistance Committee of the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development on

integrating gender into strategies to reduce

poverty worldwide. Since the formation of the

Committee’s Informal Network on Poverty

Reduction in June 1998, the Office of Women

in Development has provided leadership,

technical expertise, and financial support to

further the successful integration of gender

issues into the first phase of the Development

Assistance Committee's poverty reduction

work. To build on the success of this work, the

U.S. Agency for International Development,

collaborating with other member countries,

continues to play a lead role, assuring gender

integration in the second phase of the

Network's poverty reduction effort—the

drafting of the Development Assistance

Committee’s Guidelines for Poverty Reduction.

[U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Kenya

The U.S. Ambassador in Kenya’s Special SelfHelp Fund Program has helped women from

rural and urban communities to start many

income-generating projects, creating jobs for

younger women, single mothers, and orphans.

Projects that have been assisted include those

which have enabled women to carry out

community-building projects, set up cottage

industries, develop kitchen gardens, raise dairy

herds, and start a boat-shuttle service. Since

1995 the Self-Help Program has funded 40

projects directly benefiting 250,000 women and

their families. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

India and Pakistan

India’s population reached one billion in

August 1999. Pakistan has one of the world’s

fastest growing populations, and one of the

lowest literacy rates for women. Poverty,

illiteracy, and discriminatory and traditional

social, political, and legal systems have

contributed to the dire circumstances women

and girls face in South Asia. While poverty

alleviation through economic growth is critical

to this region, reducing the social, economic,

and legal barriers facing women in South Asia

is also important to improving their quality of

life.

U.S. assistance in the form of economic

development, family planning, and literacy

programs for women and girls has helped

empower women to take a more active role in

their communities. The Pakistan NonGovernmental Organization Initiative, funded

by the Department of State and extended by

Secretary Albright during her November 1997

visit to Pakistan, focuses on girls’ education,

microfinance, and reproductive health. It has

enabled more than 9,000 girls to receive

schooling, more than 10,000 women to have

access to credit, and more than 150,000

community members access to better health

facilities. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Intelligence Analysis

Intelligence analysis has covered the human

costs of the transition from communism in the

former Soviet Union, noting that those most

affected by post-communist poverty are women

and children. [CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

AGENCY]
Women and Povert

Section A 

Department of Housing and Urban

Development International Programs

• South Africa Binational Commission

Since the Gore-Mbeki Binational

Commission Housing Working Group was

created in 1994, the Department of Housing

and Urban Development has been involved in

information exchanges with the South

African Ministry of Housing. In 1999 this

Working Group was upgraded to a full

Committee and the Department of Housing

and Urban Development developed a

program plan focused on promoting lowincome homeownership, job creation and

community revitalization, and housing

finance.

A central goal of this Commission is ensuring

that women have access to opportunities in

the housing sector. In the upcoming year, the

working group’s strategies will draw upon

successful efforts by local organizations in

the United States to increase homeownership

by women. The Department of Housing and

Urban Development efforts to assist South

Africa with job creation, mortgage market

development, and community development

also will have a positive impact on the lives of

women and children.

• Hurricane Reconstruction in Central

America and the Caribbean

With Congressional approval of supplemental

funding for Central American and Caribbean

hurricane reconstruction, the Department of

Housing and Urban Development has

developed a program framework that will

assist recovery in the region after Hurricane

Mitch and Hurricane Georges. Households

headed by women, especially those with

children and low incomes, face enormous

problems in becoming homeowners. In the

region, financing for housing is scarce,

especially for low-income families.

Improving the availability financing for

women and their families will be key to

achieving the objectives of reconstruction.

The Department’s reconstruction effo

focuses on technical assistance, muni

capacity building, fostering housing fi

for low-income communities, and im

housing and building technology. As 

Department of Housing and Urban

Development implements a reconstru

plan, it will reach out to affected comm

giving special attention to women and

children as well as women’s organiza

[DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING A

URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

A.2. Revise laws and administrative pr

to ensure women’s equal rights and ac

economic resources.

ACCESS TO ECONOMIC RESOUR

Office of Women’s Business Ownersh

The Small Business Administration’s O

Women’s Business Ownership was esta

by executive order of the President in 1

result of a research report produced by a 

interagency task force. The report docu

the barriers women faced in starting an

growing their own businesses and calle

government effort to remove those barr

The office was made permanent by stat

1984.

Congressional hearings in 1988 found t

women still faced discrimination in acc

credit and capital and in getting govern

contracts. In response, Congress establi

Women’s Business Center Program to a

the unique needs of women entrepreneu

especially those who needed long-term

depth assistance. Congress passed legis

that made the program permanent in 19

doubled its funding in 1999. Started as 

pilot with only four centers, the Women

Business Center Program now serves w
2222 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

nationwide and plays a key role in the Small

Business Administration’s Office of

Entrepreneurial Development.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Land Tenure Rights for Women

Access to land and control over its use are the

basis for food and income production. In most

countries, differences in rights to land tenure

exist between women and men. In some

countries, women are legally forbidden to own

land. Elsewhere, they have legal rights, but

customs intervene so that, in reality, only men

actually hold land titles.

Promoting Women in Development, a four-year

(1995 to 1999) program funded by the U.S.

Agency for International Development,

provides grants to non-governmental

organizations to conduct and document

innovative interventions to enhance women's

economic, political, and social status. Its

support of South Africa's Centre for Rural

Legal Studies resulted in a national-level

change in land distribution policy. The Centre

received a Promoting Women in Development

grant to conduct an advocacy campaign that

engaged women and community-based groups

to understand their rights to own land in their

own names and assert these rights to

policymakers. As a result, the South African

Department of Land Affairs changed the

national system of land distribution from

household-based to individual-based, thereby

ensuring gender equity in land ownership and

tenure. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

A.3. Provide women with access to savings

and credit mechanisms and institutions.

MICROENTERPRISE

Access to Capital and the Community

Development Financial Institutions Fund

Program

The Community Development Financial

Institutions Funds Program has three funding

components: Core, Intermediary, and Technica

Assistance. These three components promote

the Fund’s goal of strengthening the expertise

and the financial and organizational capacity of

Community Development Financial

Institutions to address the needs of the

communities that they serve. Community

Development Financial Institutions include

community development banks, community

development credit unions, non-profit loan

funds, microenterprise loan funds, and

community development venture capital funds

Through the first four rounds of the program,

the Community Development Financial

Institutions Fund has made $215,700,000 in

investments in Community Development

Financial Institutions. These organizations

serve both rural and urban areas in local,

regional, statewide, and multi-state markets in

46 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto

Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

In addition to Community Development

Financial Institutions funding programs, the

Fund administers a Community Development

Financial Institutions Certification Program.

Certification increases the credibility of

community lending organizations in the eyes of
Women and Povert

Section A 

potential funders and investors, and allows

organizations to attract private sector

investments from local banks, corporations,

foundations, and individuals. As of January

2000, 362 organizations have been certified in

47 states, plus the District of Columbia and

Puerto Rico. Although this program was not

created specifically for women, women benefit

from these services. [COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS FUND/ DEPARTMENT

OF TREASURY]

Bank Enterprise Award Program

The Bank Enterprise Award Program is the

Fund’s primary tool for pursuing its strategic

plan goal of expanding banks’ and thrifts’

community development lending and

investment activity. By providing incentives to

these mainstream financial institutions, the

Fund encourages them to increase their

investments in underserved communities.

These financial institutions do this in two ways:

by providing loans, investments and services

directly to the communities in need; and

indirectly, by investing in local Community

Development Financial Institutions or other

community development programs that then

provide financial and development services to

the communities.

Through FY 1999 the Community

Development Financial Institutions Fund has

awarded $88,600,000 to banks and thrifts. This

$88,600,000 reflects $1.8 billion of investments

by banks and thrifts in underserved

communities. The Institutions awarded have

invested $1.4 billion in direct loans,

investments and services in distressed

communities, and $437,400,000 in equity

investments and financial support to

Community Development Financial

Institutions. Although this program wa

created specifically for women, women 

from these services.

[COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FUND

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY]

Presidential Awards for Excellence in

Microenterprise Development

The Presidential Awards for Excellence 

Microenterprise Development is a nonmonetary program created and adminis

the Fund at the request of the President

Presidential Awards, presented by the

President, First Lady Hillary Rodham C

and the Secretary of the Treasury in an 

Room ceremony, recognize and seek to 

attention to organizations that have

demonstrated excellence in promoting 

entrepreneurship. By recognizing outst

microenterprise organizations, the Pres

Awards seek to promote sound lending

practices and bring wider public attentio

important role and successes of microen

development, especially in enhancing

economic opportunities among women

income people, and minorities who hav

historically lacked access to traditional 

of credit. Although this program was n

created specifically for women, women 

from these services. [COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS FUND/ DEPARTM

OF TREASURY]

Promotion of Opportunities Through

Microcredit

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has

advocated the expansion of microcredit 

women both at home and worldwide as 

method of lifting women from poverty,

increasing self-sufficiency, and stimula
2424 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

economic activity in poverty-stricken

communities. The First Lady addressed a

Microcredit Summit in Washington, D.C.,

encouraging the expansion of microcredit loans

to impoverished communities in the United

States, modeled after successful overseas

programs. She spoke to the women of

Argentina in Buenos Aires about opening

opportunities for women to participate in the

economic lives of their countries through

microcredit. During her 1998 trip to the Middle

East, the First Lady spoke about the need for

microcredit loans for women at the Women’s

Program Center in Gaza, and spoke again in

October 1999 about the importance of

economic opportunities for women at a

roundtable of women entrepreneurs at the

ACUS “Caterina” Textile Plant in Poland.

[WHITE HOUSE]

LOAN PROGRAMS

Small Business Administration Financial

Programs

The Small Business Administration has created

a number of financial programs of particular

benefit to women, such as the Loan

Prequalification Program, SBAExpress, the

LowDoc Program and—probably most

important for low-income women—the

MicroLoan Program, which makes small loans

through licensed intermediaries and provides

business training and assistance to help assure

success. [SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Microenterprise Programs at the U.S.

Agency for International Development

The U.S. Agency for International

Development has been on the cutting edge of

microcredit programs since the 1980s,

recognizing the role that microcredit can play

in improving the economic status of

low-income women and in linking microcredit

programs to business development, literacy,

health, and other programs.

The Agency has more than 600 active funding

agreements with microenterprise development

institutions. Together, in FY 1997, they

provided loans to some 1.4 million low-income

clients. In FY 1998, the number of participants

increased to 3.5 million. U.S. Agency for

International Development credit programs

operate in countries as diverse as Peru, South

Africa, Nepal, and India.

In FY 1998 the U.S. Agency for International

Development allocated $138,400,000 to

microenterprise programs: $37,400,000 in

Africa, $42,100,000 in Asia and the Near East

$19,300,000 in Europe and Eurasia,

$32,400,000 in Latin America and the

Caribbean, and $7,200,000 in worldwide

programs. Women have strongly participated in

these programs: they represent 92 percent of

the users of business development services

(such as training in business-related skills) and

84 percent of the loan recipients. Moreover,

those in greatest need are being reached, with

97 percent of the participants in business

development programs in the lowest income

quintile for their country. For more

information, visit the U.S. Agency for

International Development's Microenterprise

Innovation Project website at http://

www.mip.org. Although this program was not

created specifically for women, women benefit

these services. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Increasing Access to Loans

More than 800 Peace Corps Volunteers work in

approximately 35 small business development

projects in Africa, Latin America, the Pacific,

Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean.

They work closely with government officials,

non-governmental organizations, and
Women and Povert

Section A 

communities to help local women increase

their access to loans and develop businesses. To

accomplish these goals, Peace Corps

Volunteers support the formation of community

banks, village-based savings and credit

cooperatives, and women’s associations. These

activities have resulted in increased access to

credit for women, women-owned

microbusinesses, and community projects

designed by women. More information is

available online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/business.

[PEACE CORPS]

A.4. Develop gender-based methodologies and

conduct research to address the feminization

of poverty.

SURVEYS

Survey of Income and Program

Participation

Since 1979 the Commerce Department’s

Census Bureau has conducted the Survey of

Income and Program Participation, one of the

major sources of information on the

demographic and economic situation of U.S.

households, families, and individuals. The

Survey provides data to measure economic

situations, especially changes over time, and

provides a tool for evaluating the effectiveness

of government transfer programs. The Survey

periodically adds questions on a variety of

topics not covered in the core section, including

personal history, child care, wealth, child

support, disability, school enrollment, taxes,

and annual income. A selection of Census

Bureau reports based on these data include:

Dynamics of Economic Well Being, Income,

1993 to 1994: Moving Up and Down the

Income Ladder (1998); Mothers Who Receive

WIC Benefits: Fertility and Socioeconomic

Characteristics (1995); Mothers Who Receive

Food Stamps (1995); Mothers Who Receive

AFDC Payments Benefits: Fertility and

Socioeconomic Characteristics (1995);

Poverty, Family Structure, and Child W

Being: Indicators From the SIPP (1998

Information about the survey, as well a

data, can be found online at

http://www.bls.census.gov/sipp.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

RESEARCH

Research Programs at the U.S. Depa

of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Agriculture researc

as a key input or reference point for pro

and policies affecting low-income wom

example, research is used to revise the 

Food Plan, the low-cost, nutritionally a

diet plan that is the basis of the food sta

allotment. The most recent revision, co

in August of 1999, reflects current diet

recommendations, food consumption p

and food prices. U.S. Department of

Agriculture nutritionists and dietitians t

the plan into a practical diet for use by 

preparers, who are usually women. U.S

Department of Agriculture research is a

to update The Cost of Raising a Child, 

that contributes to ensuring adequate su

for the primary caregiver of children, as 

providing budgetary guidance in child r

This technical report includes data used 

approximately half of the states in estab

guidelines for foster care payments. Ma

states also use this report to set standar

child support awards. [DEPARTMEN

AGRICULTURE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Incorporating a Gender Perspective 

Project Development

Worldwide, approximately 6,600 Peace 

Volunteers (61 percent are women) pro

women’s participation in education, he

agriculture, environment, water/sanitati
2626 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

youth development, and business development

projects in 77 countries. The Peace Corps

recognizes the importance of including

women’s perspective in project design and

implementation and trains Volunteers in ways

to include all community members in decisionmaking processes. Volunteers have used gender

analysis techniques in countries such as

Armenia, The Gambia, Jordan, Lesotho,

Mauritania, Niger, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Suriname, and Togo. More

information is available online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov.

[PEACE CORPS]

Rural Poor in Developing Countries

The U.S. Agency for International

Development is working closely with the

Development Assistance Committee of the

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development on integrating gender into

strategies to reduce poverty worldwide.

The U.S. Agency for International

Development is also working within countries

to support research to address and help alleviate

the feminization of poverty. In El Salvador, for

example, the Agency funds a periodic rural

poverty survey through a local nongovernmental organization that tracks 600 lowincome households throughout the country.

Data from this survey are sex-disaggregated. A

consortium of U.S. universities and local thinktanks use the data to look at issues such as

women's work within the household, femaleheaded households, and gender differences in

the labor force. One finding from the 1996

survey was that women work, on average,

20 hours per week more than men.

The Agency's Office of Women in

Development is also supporting the

International Food Policy Research Institute

and other partners in a five-year, multi-country

research program to analyze the ways in which

household structures and processes affect the

impact of development policies and programs

on individuals and the differential effects upon

women and men. The project, called

Strengthening Development Policy through

Gender Analysis, involves primary data

collection and two- to three-year research

programs in four countries (Bangladesh,

Ethiopia, Guatemala, and South Africa) and

shorter-term research in nine additional

countries. Data on households and gender are

collected from participants in ongoing

development programs to analyze how

household structures affect the impact of the

programs on poverty alleviation for women and

men. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Information Dissemination

To share research findings and

recommendations, the U.S. Agency for

International Development's Office of Women

in Development is devoting an edition of its

newsletter, Gender Matters Quarterly, to the

ongoing debate on the feminization of poverty

This issue of the newsletter will be

disseminated to more than 4,000 individuals

and groups worldwide. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]
Education and Training of Women

“Access to education h

proven to be the most effect

means for women and gir

escape the limitations of d

crimination and reach th

full potential. We are conv

that expanding education 

women and girls worldwid

will be a powerful and lib

ing force for achieving the

shared goals of equality, d

opment and peace by the

Year 2000.”

—Secretary of Educat

Richard W. Riley, excerpte

from the Foreword to Ten 

of Advancement 1985-95:

Women & Girls in Educat

What’s Working in the U.S

B.
2828 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

nvestment in the education of women

and girls has proven to be one of the

best investments a country can make to

development and economic growth that

is both sustained and sustainable. The

social and economic returns are high –

not just for the individual and her family,

but for the society. This is true whether

the education is for basic literacy;

primary and secondary education;

training in mathematics, science, and

information technology; the education

of girls; or the provision of education

and training for women throughout their

life-span.

The Platform calls for equal access to

education, eradication of illiteracy

among women, women’s access to

vocational training, science and

technology and continuing education,

non-discriminatory education and

training, and resources to monitor

educational reform.

B.1. Ensure equal access to education.

TITLE IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of

1972

Title IX is the principal federal law that

prohibits sex discrimination in education

programs or activities that receive federal

financial assistance. Its regulations and policy

guidelines address, among other issues,

admissions and recruitment, access to course

offerings, access to athletic programs, and

sexual harassment. Title IX covers all

education levels from early childhood to adults.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Strengthening Title IX Enforcement

On June 17, 1997, during the White House

ceremony commemorating the 25th

anniversary of Title IX, President Clinton

announced the issuance of a Memorandum to

Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

to strengthen Title IX enforcement. The

memorandum requires federal agencies to

develop rigorous new Title IX enforcement

plans. In conjunction with that ceremony, the

Department of Education’s Office for Civil

Rights disseminated a new pamphlet entitled

TITLE IX: 25 Years of Progress, which

describes the impact the statute and its

regulation has had on opening opportunities to

girls and women in education.

As part of this effort, the Department of Justice

which coordinates overall federal government

enforcement of Title IX, is developing a

common Title IX regulation that will be

adopted by every federal agency that gives

federal financial assistance to education

programs but that does not presently have a

regulation enforcing Title IX. The Office of

Civil Rights has been assisting the Department

of Justice in training agency staff in the

requirements of Title IX and in developing

delegation agreements with those federal

agencies adopting the new regulation.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Department of Justice Title IX Enforcement

The Department of Justice, in coordination

with the Department of Education’s Office of

Civil Rights, participates in Title IX litigation

involving discrimination against females in

education at all levels—in primary and

secondary schools as well as colleges. The

Department of Justice also coordinates overall

federal government enforcement of Title IX as

well as program-specific prohibitions against

sexual discrimination.

I
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

Admissions

The Department of Justice, which had

successfully challenged the male-only

admissions policies of Virginia Military

Institute and the Military College of South

Carolina (the Citadel), continued to assist in the

case through appeals up to the U.S. Supreme

Court, which heard the case in 1996. Affirming

decisions of the lower courts, the Supreme

Court ruled that the exclusion of women from

Virginia Military Institute violated the Equal

Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and

that the remedy of providing women a separate

program at a private women's college did not

cure the violation. This decision ensured equal

and accessible educational opportunities for

women seeking enrollment in a public

institution. The Department continues to

monitor the assimilation of women into both

the Virginia Military Institute and the Citadel.

Equal opportunity in sports

To ensure that female students have equal

access to athletic opportunities, the Department

of Justice files briefs in federal cases to assist

courts in identifying the circumstances under

which high school and intercollegiate athletic

associations are covered under Title IX and its

prohibition of gender discrimination.

Equal education for girls with disabilities

The Department of Justice has successfully

enforced the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act to ensure that school-aged

children with mental and physical disabilities

have the right to a free, appropriate public

school education in the least restrictive setting

necessary to ensure their adequate education.

Sexual harassment

In 1997 and 1998 the Department of Justice

filed amicus briefs or sought to intervene in

cases brought under Title IX of the 1972

Education Amendments for redress of studenton-student sexual harassment in elementary

and secondary schools. In 1999 the U.S

Supreme Court ruled that a school distr

failure to stop student-on-student sexua

harassment may violate Title IX’s proh

of sex discrimination, thereby allowing 

cases to go forward. [DEPARTMENT 

JUSTICE/ DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Office of Civil Rights Enforcement of

Title IX

The Office of Civil Rights primarily en

compliance with Title IX by recipients 

from the Department of Education. The 

carries out its civil rights responsibilitie

through a number of activities includin

complaint investigations, policy guidan

proactive initiatives, and technical assis

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Complaint Investigation

The Office of Civil Rights resolves all t

complaints alleging sex discrimination 

circumstances hinder the ability of the O

proceed. From FY 1995 to FY 1998, 2,

complaints were filed alleging sex

discrimination. Issues covered in these

complaints included pregnancy and par

interscholastic or intercollegiate athleti

services, sexual harassment, and assign

gifted and talented programs.

The Office of Civil Rights’ primary goa

resolve the allegations promptly and

appropriately. Where corrective action 

needed, the Office will attempt to nego

voluntary agreement with the recipient

the investigation finds a violation of Tit

and the Office of Civil Rights has been 

to obtain voluntary compliance, it can t

administrative action to terminate the

recipient’s federal funding, or it can ref
3030 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

matter to the Department of Justice for judicial

enforcement. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Policy Guidance

The Office of Civil Rights also issues policy

guidance and clarifications to inform

educational institutions of the standards, set by

the Office, that the institution should use to

ensure compliance with their civil rights

obligations. Some recent examples in the area

of Title IX compliance include:

• Athletics

In 1996, in an effort to assist colleges and

universities in understanding their obligations

to provide non-discriminatory athletic

opportunities to their male and female

students, the Office of Civil Rights issued the

Clarification of Intercollegiate Athletics

Policy Guidance. In 1998 the Office issued

guidelines to colleges and universities

regarding their responsibility to award

athletic scholarships in a non-discriminatory

manner. More information can be found

online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/

interath.html.

• Sexual Harassment

In 1996 the Office of Civil Rights published

for comment two documents on sexual

harassment of students by school employees,

other students, and third parties. In March

1997 the Office issued final, comprehensive

guidance addressing sexual harassment of

students. More information can be found

online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/

ocrprod.html. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Proactive Initiatives and Technical

Assistance

A significant amount of the Office of Civil

Rights’ resources are devoted to proactive

initiatives and preventive technical assistance.

These activities include compliance reviews,

sponsoring and participating in conferences on

civil rights issues, providing training, and

attending community meetings.

• In January 1999 the Office of Civil Rights,

jointly with the National Association of

Attorneys General, issued a guide to schools

entitled Protecting Students from Harassmen

and Hate Crime: A Guide for Schools. The

guide is intended to provide elementary and

secondary school officials with practical

guidance for developing a comprehensive

approach to protecting students from

harassment and violence. It provides step-by

step assistance and includes sample policies

and procedures used by school districts in the

United States. The guide can be obtained by

calling 1-877-4ED-PUBS or by visiting the

Office of Civil Rights’ website at

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/

ocrprod.html.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA)

The Women’s Educational Equity Act Program

supports gender equity in education for girls

and women who suffer from multiple forms of

discrimination and awards grants to public and

non-profit organizations, groups, and

individuals to assist educational institutions in

meeting the requirements of Title IX, to help

schools implement effective gender equity

policies and practices in education for girls and

women, and to support research and

development that advances gender equity

nationwide. Since 1974 support for the

program has totaled more than $100,000,000,

but funding has varied over the years. In FY

1996 there was no appropriation. The annual

appropriation has remained at $3,000,000 for

FY 1997, FY 1998, and FY 1999. Since its

inception, the Women’s Educational Equity Ac

Program has funded more than 700 grants. The

program has also supported a national equity

resource center contract from 1974 through the
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

present fiscal year. The center’s toll-free

telephone number for publications is 1-800-

793-5076 and its general information number is

1-800-225-3088. More information can be

found online at http://www.edc.org/

WomensEquity. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Gender Equity Expert Panel

The Gender Equity Expert Panel formed six

subpanels and advisory groups and received

help from different Department of Educationfunded support contractors using funds from

Office of Elementary and Secondary

Education, Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services, and Office of

Educational Research and Improvement. The

six gender equity subpanels include:

• Core Gender Equity Issues;

• Gender in Mathematics, Science and

Technology;

• Gender Equity in Teacher Education and

Professional Development;

• Gender Equity in Vocational Technical

Education and School to Work;

• Gender Equity and Disability; and

• The Prevention of Sexual and Racial

Harassment and Violence against Students in

Higher Education. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

TITLE IV

Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,

the Department of Justice has prosecuted

numerous cases to obtain greater educational

opportunities for affected students, male and

female, to elementary, secondary, and higher

education. The Department of Justice continues

to litigate a large number of cases, under

federal civil rights laws and the U.S.

Constitution, challenging practices of school

districts that result in illegal student segregation

and denial of equal educational opportu

For example:

• The Department of Justice investigate

complaints of sexual harassment and

restriction of female cadets to certain 

the Corps of Cadets at Texas A & M

University, a public institution of high

learning. After the Department of Jus

investigation, Texas A & M entered i

monitoring agreement with the U.S.

government requiring action to ensur

harassment would cease and female c

would be eligible for membership in 

of the Corps.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Equity Assistance Centers Program

To ensure equal educational opportunit

children, Title IV of the Civil Rights A

1964 was amended to extend protection 

girls. Title IV authorizes the Departmen

provide technical assistance and trainin

school districts seeking to comply with 

The Equity Assistance Centers are supp

by Title IV and provide technical assist

and training to help school districts to i

and correct practices that discriminate b

boys and girls. Grants are awarded for 

year periods with the latest cycle of aw

made in July 1999. Funding for the Cen

remained constant from 1995 to 2000 a

$7,334,000 each year. More informatio

available online at http://www.ed.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS AND WO

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Pro

The program is the federal government

primary means for reducing drug, alcoh

tobacco use and violence through educ
3232 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and prevention activities in the Nation’s

schools. The program was created in 1986

following passage of the Safe and Drug-Free

Schools and Communities Act. It was

reauthorized in 1994 and the statutory authority

was broadened to include violence prevention;

at the same time, the name of the program was

changed to the Safe and Drug-Free Schools

Program.

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program

consists of two major parts: state grants, which

provide funds to state and local education

agencies, and national programs, which support

a variety of discretionary initiatives. Funding is

made available annually to state and local

education agencies based on the school-aged

population and state share of federal Title I

funding.

Funds are used for direct services to school

districts to carry out locally initiated programs

for all youth, including girls. Districts may at

their own discretion develop and implement

programs that address the needs of female

students.

Recent examples of projects supported by the

Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program include:

• What about Girls? Females and the Juvenile

Justice System, a live national satellite

broadcast, was co-sponsored with the Office

of Juvenile Justice, May 24, 1999. This

satellite broadcast examined the needs of

females and discussed gender-specific

services for females.

• Second National Conference on Women: Life

Pathways: Women Healing, Thriving, and

Celebrating, held from June 27 to June 30,

1999, was designed to increase interest in and

commitment to women’s substance abuse and

mental health issues, and share best practices,

and encourage networking across disciplines

in order to expand opportunities for women.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Helping Girls and Women Stay in School

The Department of Education is committed to

increasing the percentage of girls and women

who enroll in and successfully complete

education programs and offers programs to

give them workplace skills, to decrease the

percentage of girls dropping out of high school

and to decrease the dropout rate of pregnant

and parenting secondary education students.

The Department of Education has supported

the development and dissemination of a variety

of model programs designed to help women

and girls at risk of failure in school and society

including guides for single mothers and

programs for incarcerated women. In addition,

the Department supports a multi-year study on

teen pregnancy. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Migrant Education Program

Girls and women whose families work in

agriculture experience frequent disruptions to

their education due to the seasonal and

temporary nature of migrant work. Programs

funded under Title I Part C of the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act of 1994 are

designed to improve coordination among all

states to help improve educational outcomes for

migrant children; foster partnerships between

states, federal agencies, and other organizations

to improve services to migrant families; and

ensure that migrant children are assisted in

overcoming cultural and language barriers,

health-related problems, and other challenges

that place children at risk for completing their

education.

The programs and services funded with

Migrant Education formula grants are designed

to mitigate the educational disruptions that

place migrant girls and women at-risk for

educational failure.
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

The majority of parents who participate in

Migrant Education Even Start Program are

women. As part of their education programs,

they receive instruction in English as a Second

Language, basic education, citizenship,

computer literacy, and other areas that improve

their economic self-sufficiency.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

COMPUTER DONATIONS TO SCHOOLS

Increasing Federal Government Donations

Of Computers To The Nation's Schools

In order to ensure that American children have

the skills they need to succeed in the 21st

century, the federal government is working

with the private sector to make modern

computer technology an integral part of every

classroom. Under Executive Order 12999,

President Clinton streamlined the transfer of

excess and surplus federal computer equipment

to the Nation's classrooms and encouraged

federal employees to volunteer their time and

expertise to assist teachers and to connect

classrooms. The Executive Order allows

agencies to donate equipment that it no longer

needs either directly or through the General

Services Administration.

In response to the Executive Order, the General

Services Administration published guidelines

for agencies to simplify and expedite computer

donations. In addition, the agency set an

example for other federal agencies through its

own actions as a provider of computer

equipment to eligible recipients. The General

Services Administrator has presented

computers to scores of inner-city and rural

schools across the country and has guided

children through their first steps in learning to

use the new technology.

Agencies making donations are required to

report them to the General Services

Administration. During the three-year period

since the executive order was published

federal government has donated more t

145,000 computers and associated equi

with a value of more than $215,000,000

schools around the country. [GENERA

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION]

Donation of Scientific Equipment

The Commerce Department’s National 

of Standards and Technology offices in

Gaithersburg, MD, and Boulder, CO, a

participating in the Computer for Learn

donation program authorized by Execu

Order 12999. The National Institute of

Standards and Technology also donates

scientific and research equipment to sch

and non-profit organizations under the

Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovat

A significant donation was made in Ma

of six computer systems, four modems

three laser jet printers to Project: Safe S

2000, a project located in Prince Georg

County, MD, which will use the equipm

teach computer skills to women returni

work and for juvenile offenders to writ

resumes. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Peace Corps Education

Education is the Peace Corps’ largest p

with 40 percent of Volunteers (approxim

1,600 female and 1,040 male Volunteer

involved in more than 80 education pro

Africa, Eastern Europe, the Mediterran

Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. Th

Corps recognizes the role of literacy in

women’s empowerment, and Volunteer

with women in schools and communiti

eradicate illiteracy. Educational program

emphasize improving instruction for stu
3434 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

improving connections with host country

teachers, expanding educational resources, and

developing community programs. More

information can be found online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/

education.

[PEACE CORPS]

Primary Education for Girls in Developing

Countries

As an integral part of its basic education

programs, the U.S. Agency for International

Development works to close the gap between

girls' and boys' access to basic education, a gap

that is pronounced in many countries in which

the Agency works. The Agency has allocated

more than $50,000,000 annually to this goal

through centrally funded, regional, and

mission-level projects. Efforts include

mobilizing host-country public and private

sector leaders to support girls' education,

supporting innovative measures such as

community schools and enhanced teacher

training to provide a better learning

environment for girls, and researching the best

ways to use resources to increase women's

literacy rates and reduce girls' drop-out rates.

In 1995 the U.S. Agency for International

Development launched the Girls' and Women's

Education Initiative, which helps mobilize

support and action for girls' education in

countries around the world, including Benin,

Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Morocco, and

Uganda. The goal is to increase girls' primary

completion rates by 20 percent over an eightyear period. The Initiative encourages leaders

and organizations, including those from

government, business, religion, and the media,

to work together to create their own solutions

with their own resources. The Agency has

spent $25,000,000 on this project since 1995.

In May 1998, the Agency, in partnership with

the World Bank, Inter-American Development

Bank, European Union, UNICEF, and the

Lewis T. Preston Education Program for Girls,

convened a major international conference

entitled Educating Girls: A Development

Imperative. More than 400 senior

representatives from the public and private

sectors from 42 countries attended, including

first ladies Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nana

Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of Ghana, and

Keiko Sofia Fujimori of Peru. Other

participants included decision makers from

government, the private sector, religious

institutions, the media, and non-governmental

organizations to identify each sector's role in

promoting girls' education. The conference

resulted in follow-up commitments of

resources and action in Egypt, Guatemala,

Guinea, Morocco, Peru, and other countries.

The U.S. Agency for International

Development/Uganda's Support for Ugandan

Primary Education Project (1992 to 2002) is

responsible for assisting the Ministry of

Education in developing a national plan to

promote girls' education. The Uganda Mission

has entered into a dialogue with the

government to address the development of an

anti-harassment policy for school girls. These

activities are part of the project’s support to the

Ministry's goal of improving the quality of, and

access to, basic education throughout the

country for all students. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Burma

The Burma Democracy Grants Program targets

education programs to expand Burmese

women’s educational opportunities,

particularly at secondary and tertiary levels.

Grants enable women to attend universities in

the Asia region, Europe, and the United States

From 1996 to 1999 the State Department

awarded $1,030,000 in education grants.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

B.2. Eradicate illiteracy among women.

PROMOTING LITERACY

Adult Education and Family Literacy Act

of 1998

This act replaces the Adult Education Act and

is part of the Workforce Investment Act of

1998. It provides a means to enable adults to

acquire the basic skills necessary to function in

society, so they can benefit from the completion

of secondary school, attain citizenship,

participate in training and retraining programs,

and obtain skills necessary to become full

partners in the educational development of their

children. Since 1975, under the Adult

Education Act, the majority of participants in

this program have been women. In the past five

years, more than ten million women have

enrolled in adult education and literacy classes

sponsored under the Adult Education Act. The

most recent data showed that more than 54

percent (2.1 million) of all adults enrolled in

basic education were women, with 70 percent

from minority population groups.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

America Reads Challenge

America Reads is a campaign that challenges

every American to help children learn to read,

including English language learners and

students with disabilities. America Reads

sparks collaborations between educators,

parents, librarians, business people, senior

citizens, college students, and community and

religious groups. Americans are responding in

the following ways:

• Students at more than 1,000 colleges and

universities earn financial aid by tutoring

children in reading.

• More than two million children have been

taught, tutored, or mentored through national

service programs.

• Pediatricians are reading to children, advising

parents, and giving away free books.

• Thousands of communities are recrui

tutors, organizing book drives, and

supporting parents, child care provide

schools.

• Nearly 300 organizations—religious 

businesses; schools; literacy groups;

librarians; museums; media outlets; a

children's, parents', and teachers'

organizations—have joined the Presid

Coalition for America Reads. More

information is available online at

http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Even Start

Even Start is an intergeneration family 

program designed to help parents with 

children acquire the self-sufficiency ne

succeed in school and in life. Created i

as Part B under the Title I Program, this 

focused literacy program features an in

and comprehensive educational approa

low-income families and offers promis

helping to break the intergenerational c

poverty and low literacy.

Throughout the history of Even Start, 8

percent of adult participants have been 

primarily the mothers of participating c

Intended outcomes for Even Start paren

include improved literacy behaviors, pa

behavior and skills, and educational an

employment skills. Curriculum models 

parenting education include Survival S

Women and speakers from the local do

violence, health, mental health, and

cooperation extension agencies. Even S

funding reached $145,000,000 in stateadministered grants supporting 750 loc

family literacy projects. [DEPARTME

EDUCATION]
3636 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants to Improve Literacy Among Women

and Families

Through direct grants and support through the

state humanities councils, the National

Endowment for the Humanities has funded

several projects to combat illiteracy.

Motheread Inc. began as a program in 1978 for

women in North Carolina correctional facilities

to learn to read so that they could read with

their children on visiting days. Today,

Motheread and Fatheread programs are offered

in 18 states.

In Vermont, Connections is a popular literacy

program that uses children’s literature as the

basis for reading and discussion programs for

adult new readers. A 1999 grant from the

National Endowment for the Humanities will

allow the Vermont Humanities Council to

create a pilot program for national expansion of

Connections. Another grant to the Vermont

Humanities Council supported a program from

1995 to 1997 that provided teenage mothers

with humanities reading and discussion

programs, as well as encouraging them to read

to their small children.

Prime Time-Family Reading Time is a literacy

program developed by the Louisiana

Humanities Council that partners with libraries

to hold reading and discussion programs in

which an entire family can participate. This

program will expand into Mississippi and

Texas, with the help of a 1999 grant.

[NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE

HUMANITIES]

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Defense Leadership and Management

Program

The Defense Leadership and Management

Program is designed to develop future leaders

through “joint” civilian training and education

It is focused on preparing civilians for key

leadership positions in the Department of

Defense, responsible for people, policy,

programs, and operations that support joint

warfighting capability. The 319 women

participating in the Defense Leadership and

Management Program represent 36 percent of

the total participants. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE]

The Women's Executive Leadership

Program

The Women’s Executive Leadership program is

an annual government-wide program that

provides supervisory/managerial training and

development opportunities for both male and

female high-potential federal employees at the

GS-11 or GS-12 level to help prepare them for

future leadership positions. Many Department

of the Interior agencies sponsor participants

who are selected through a competitive process

open to all eligible employees. Feedback shows

that participants find the Women’s Executive

Leadership program a rewarding

developmental experience that enhances their

skills and abilities, thus benefiting the

organization as well as to the trainees.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Literacy Linked to Development and

Trafficking in Nepal

The U.S. Agency for International

Development has been the lead donor in

promoting literacy skills among women in

Nepal. Since 1995 more than 500,000 women

have been reached in Nepal. The mission's

Women’s Empowerment Program has learned

that improvements in basic literacy are

temporary unless women have the means to use

these newly acquired skills. Therefore, women

participate in an 18-month program in which

they learn, use, and enhance their literacy and

numeracy skills while learning legal rights

awareness, advocacy skills, and other skills to

increase their economic and civic participation.

As a result, thousands of these newly literate

women ran for local office across the country in

1997 for the first time, and hundreds were

elected. The U.S. Agency for International

Development has also supported literacy

classes that focus on family planning, safe

motherhood, nutrition, child health, hygiene,

the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually

transmitted diseases, and prevention against

trafficking of women and children. Since the

program began in 1996, more than 40,000

women have completed classes. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Department of State Educational

Opportunities

Funding from the Department of State is

helping to expand women’s educational

opportunities, particularly at the secondary and

tertiary levels, where women would otherwise

be denied opportunities. Women receive

scholarships to attend universities in the

regions to study political science, government,

human rights, and law. Many of these women

also participate in internships where they

combine this knowledge with practical 

areas of self-government and communit

advocacy. [DEPARTMENT OF STAT

B.3. Improve women’s access to vocati

training, science and technology, and 

tinuing education.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Diversity Plan

The Department of the Interior’s U.S.

Geological Survey developed a Diversi

Strategic Plan in 1998. Part of the plan 

on recruitment and retention of

underrepresented science professionals

including women of all races and natio

origins. This plan provided the impetus 

Survey to develop Bureau Outreach

Recruitment Teams that began function

1999. These Teams targeted colleges an

universities with high enrollments of

underrepresented students majoring in 

leading to careers in the U.S. Geologic

Survey.

During the Bureau Outreach Recruitme

Teams’ first year of operation, the U.S.

Geological Survey hired 41 students, in

23 minority men and 18 minority and w

women. All but two of these students w

scientific, engineering, or computer

occupations. Most of these students we

under the Student Temporary Experien

Program with the hope that they will re

the Survey. The Survey also participate

Student Career Experience Program, w

provides students with work directly re

their majors, money to continue school

contacts in the scientific field of their in

In the National Park Service, women ar

percent of Student Career Experience P

employees. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]
3838 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Professional Support for Women Scientists

The U.S. Geological Survey supported a female

scientist’s tenure as president of the Potomac

Chapter of the Association for Women

Geoscientists from 1995 to 1999, funding her

travel and attendance at national conferences.

She served as chair of the pre-college education

committee, which awarded at least two William

Rucker Greenwood Scholarships of $1,000

each for outstanding minority women

geoscience undergraduate or graduate students

in the area. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Central Intelligence Agency Science and

Technology Initiatives

The Central Intelligence Agency recognizes the

growing need throughout the United States for

expertise in science, engineering, and

technology and has created formal partnerships

with universities, colleges, junior high schools,

and national minority societies to enhance its

technical work force.

For example, the Agency formally partners

with several Historically Black Colleges and

Universities. These partnerships are established

to be mutually beneficial for the Agency and

the college or university. The Agency’s formal

partnerships are technical in nature. The

Central Intelligence Agency also sponsors

several programs for selected students from

Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

These programs provide Agency

representatives the opportunity to showcase

their office’s technical mission as well as

encourage the students to continue with the

development of their technical skills. The

Agency continues to develop its relationship

with many associations, including the Society

of Women Engineers and the National Society

of Black Engineers. During association

national conferences, Agency representatives

participate in leading workshops and deliver

papers on technical issues.

Encouraging young people in the areas of

science, engineering, and technology also takes

the form of community-oriented programs

within the Agency. Currently, members of this

organization participate in the judging for

regional science fairs. Through this activity,

judges often find themselves mentoring young

students who participate in these fairs.

Additionally, the Agency supports a science

club lecture series with a local middle school.

The lecture series was designed to highlight the

wonders of science and offer new and

innovative ways for students to use the

parameters of science in their daily lives.

Along with these programs that foster learning

science, engineering, and technology at an

early age and into the college years, the Agency

has created a Degree Sponsorship Program in

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

with a local university. This program allows

Agency employees to complete the

requirements for a degree in Computer Science

or Electrical Engineering as part of their work

week or after hours. It also provides an

opportunity for technical employees to upgrade

their skills in these subject areas.

The Agency supports equal opportunities for

training and education for all its employees.

Women are integral as both instructors and

students in all extensive substantive and career

enhancement training opportunities.

[CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY]

Commerce Department Fellowship Program

at the National Institute of Standards and

Technology Laboratories

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

programs for undergraduate students interested

in pursuing doctoral degrees are offered at three

of the Commerce Department’s National
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

Institute of Standards and Technology

Laboratories: the Physics Laboratory, Materials

Science and Engineering Laboratory, and

Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory. As

part of the National Science Foundation’s

Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Program, the Summer Undergraduate Research

Fellowship program exposes students to worldclass research; students attend a 12-week

honors academy each summer, working oneon-one with National Institute of Standards and

Technology scientists. The program encourages

participation of minorities and women but is

open to all undergraduate U.S. citizens and

permanent residents. In 1999 fellowships were

given to 40 students from 14 universities with

large enrollments of women and minorities. In

1999 approximately 50 percent of attendees

were women. Research fellowships are funded

primarily by the National Science Foundation

and the National Institute of Standards and

Technology, part of the Commerce

Department’s Technology Administration, with

smaller contributions from the universities.

More information can be found online at

http://physics.nist.gov/ResOpp/surf/1999/

program.html.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Department of Education Science and

Technology Initiatives

The Department of Education promotes the

study of science and technology by girls and

women throughout all levels of education

through the following program:

• The Fund for the Improvement of

Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

This program supports women's access to and

success in non-standard careers, women's

health education in medical schools, and its

new Learning Anytime Anywhere

Partnerships program, distance education for

home-bound students. More information can

be found online at

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE/.

The following currently funded project

women or girls as a primary focus:

• Northeastern Illinois University

This project develops a program desi

improve the critical thinking skills an

computer expertise of underrepresent

individuals in general, and minority w

in particular.

• University of Arkansas at Little Ro

This project creates and implements a

designed to provide high school and c

women and minorities with the oppor

prepare for careers in information tec

• Women in Engineering Programs

This network extends a successful ele

mentoring program for women in

engineering, technology, and the scie

women studying these subjects in the

Nation's community colleges.

• Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to 

Technology

Teacher preparation programs and oth

receive support to develop well-prepa

technology-proficient teachers who c

students meet high standards. Studen

low-income communities and rural ar

relying on their schools for access to 

learning technologies. To close the di

divide, these schools must be staffed 

well-prepared, technology-proficient 

who can help students use these new 

gain a strong education and rewardin

employment. More information can b

online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/O

teachtech/results.html.

• Minority Science and Engineering

Improvement Program

The program provides grants to effec

range improvement in science educat

predominantly minority institutions a

increase the flow of underrepresented 

minorities, particularly minority wom

science and engineering careers.
4040 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Graduate Assistance in Areas of National

Need

This program provides fellowships to

institutions of higher education to assist

students of superior ability who demonstrate

financial need and plan to pursue the highest

degree in their course of study. The eligible

academic areas of national need are biology,

chemistry, computer and information science,

engineering, geological science,

mathematics, and physics.

Grantees are encouraged to set forth policies to

assure that they seek individuals from

traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

Based on performance reports for FY 1994, FY

1995, and FY 1997 with 90 percent of all

grantees reporting, 38 percent of all Graduate

Assistance in Areas of National Need fellows

are female. More information is available

online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/

iegps/gaann.html. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

The Research Alliance for Minorities

Program

This program at the Department of Energy’s

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is striving to

improve representation of students from multicultural backgrounds in the area of science,

mathematics, and engineering. The program

targets male and female minority students

pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in

science, engineering, and mathematics. The

program was established as a joint effort

between the University of Tennessee and the

Computational Sciences and Mathematics

Division at the Laboratory. Twelve

undergraduate students—including eight

women—from Historically Black Colleges and

Universities served as interns in June 1999 in

the Laboratory.

According to the Research Alliance for

Minorities Program, as of 1995, of the total

U.S. civilian labor force (132 million), only

55,210 women with doctoral degrees in

science, mathematics, and engineering were

employed in those fields. Members of the

Laboratory and University of Tennessee

Colleagues determined a need for this type of

program at the Laboratory to help ensure a

future diverse pool of candidates is available in

the fields of computer science, mathematics,

and engineering.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

Social Dimensions of Science Course

Women scientists from the Department of

Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory

participate in a program at State University of

New York-Stony Brook that targets women and

minority students who plan to become science

engineering, or mathematics researchers. The

program links academic content from Stony

Brook with real, ongoing scientific/

technological practice at the Laboratory. The

program was initiated by the Laboratory’s

Women in Science/Women’s Program

Advisory Committee in partnership with the

State University of New York-Stony Brook.

Funding is provided through a National Science

Foundation grant.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

Women at the Department of Defense

The Department of Defense is the Nation’s

largest employer of women. Currently, there

are 195,639 women on active duty and 257,946

women in civilian positions.

The Department has more than 16,000 women

employed in the science and technical fields.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Pilot Training

The Department of Defense has expanded

opportunities for women in pilot training. In

1993 assignment to combat training was

opened to women. Currently the Armed

Services have 648 women pilots, navigators,

and warrant officers flying military aircraft.

The Department’s policy is being implemented

in three phases: first aviation training, then

assignment to naval combat positions, and

finally ground assignments. [DEPARTMENT

OF DEFENSE]

Global Employment Strategies for High

Risk Women with Disabilities

The Department of Education and the Social

Security Administration are collaborating on

the Global Employment Strategies for High

Risk Women with Disabilities project. The goal

of this domestic and international project is to

address two key issues: employment and

leadership development. These issues were

identified by women with disabilities who

participated in the 1998 Forum as most

important to improve their lives.

Four international training sessions will take

place in Africa, Latin America, Russia and the

Newly Independent States, and Asia. The first

will take place in India in December 1999. Four

domestic mini-fora will take place: one in

Oakland, CA, in May 1999, one in San

Antonio, TX, in August 1999, and two in 2000

at sites to be determined.

The goals of these training sessions are 

women with disabilities mentoring tech

to encourage young, disabled women to

become future leaders; provide women 

disabilities the skills and self-confidenc

make the transition to employment in th

traditional workplace or to a self-owne

business; increase disabled women’s aw

of federally funded, non-profit, and priv

sector loan and skill development assis

highlight successful examples of wome

disabilities who have established

microenterprises and become economic

self-sufficient; serve as liaison with the

established network of women's organi

in the regions to encourage partnership

between the traditional organizations an

of disabled women to develop leadersh

employment skills; and develop a resou

on employment and related issues for w

with disabilities. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION/ SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Community Housing Development

Organization Technical Assistance P

for Women in Home-Building

This program provides technical assista

training to low- and moderate-income w

interested in pursuing a career in the

construction trades. Program intermedi

include businesses, unions, and organiz

that work through the program to provi

apprenticeship and other training progr

non-traditional work skills, recruit wom

participate in construction training prog

provide support for women at job sites, 

businesses on how to create suitable wo

environments for women, and give info

to women on opportunities for establish

small housing construction and rehabil

businesses. This provision for women i

building within the program was the re

the Housing and Community Developm
4242 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

of 1992, which amended portions of Title II of

the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable

Housing Act.

This program is open-ended, which requires

continued technical assistance funding in the

Department’s affordable housing program

appropriation. At present, there are two

ongoing technical assistance programs funded

under this set-aside, each to run for three years

beginning in 1999. Community Housing

Development Organization technical assistance

funds totaled $12,000,000 in FY 1999.

[DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT]

Non-discrimination in Law Enforcement

Training

Under the non-discrimination provision of the

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act,

the Department of Justice investigates and tries

cases of gender discrimination in education

programs and other services offered by law

enforcement agencies that receive assistance

from the Department of Justice.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Job Training for Federal Inmates

For the more than 74,000 women incarcerated

in state and federal prisons in the United States,

the ability to find gainful employment is often

what will determine the success of their reentry

into the community. As part of its community

reintegration program for federal inmates, the

Department of Justice provides job training and

job fairs and posts job openings for soon-to-bereleased federal prisoners. Since 1996 the

Department has conducted 51 job fairs at 40

federal prisons, involving more than 600

company recruiters and representatives from

education and other community agencies.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Grant to the South Texas Community

College

In FY 1999 the South Texas Community

College was awarded a grant from the

Commerce Department’s Economic

Development Administration of $1,636,000 for

the construction of a Nursing and Allied Health

facility. The facility will include three training

components: Occupational Skills Training (1 to

2 years), Employer Customized Training (2 to

24 weeks), and Employee Retraining Services

The training facility will service unemployed,

underemployed, and dislocated workers to

boost the number of qualified health care

professionals in the Rio Grande Valley. Valley

hospitals have hired nurses from other

countries, while the unemployment rate in

Hidalgo and Starr counties ranges from 18 to

26 percent. This facility, in partnership with

employers from the health community, will

design programs to train residents in high-skill

high-wage jobs.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

ACCESS TO EDUCATION

Food Stamp Employment and Training

Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture Extension

programs incorporate entry-level, esteembuilding employment opportunities by

encouraging states to offer educational

programs designed to ease the transition from

welfare to economic self-sufficiency. Through

the Food Stamp Employment and Training

Program, non-exempt able-bodied women are

required to seek employment or participate in

an education or training activity that is

designed to lead to employment. Each state

determines the types of programs and services

offered under the Food Stamp Employment and

Training Program. These programs can include
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

Adult Basic Education, General Educational

Development training, English as a Second

Language, and vocational training (including

non-traditional careers for women).

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]

Child Care Access Means Parents In School

Program

The purpose of the Child Care Access Means

Parents in School Program is to support the

participation of low-income parents in the

postsecondary education system through the

provision of campus-based child care services.

Total funding amount available for FY 1999

was $4,950,000, and 87 awards were made.

Grant funds must be used by an institution of

higher education to support or establish a

campus-based child care program primarily

serving the needs of low-income students

enrolled at the institution. Funds may be used

to provide before- and after-school services to

enable low-income students to pursue

postsecondary education. More information is

available online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/

OPE/OHEP/campisp/. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships

The Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships

were authorized by the 1998 Amendments to

the Higher Education Act of 1965, and

$10,000,000 in grants were awarded in

FY 1999 to broaden access to technologymediated distance education that is not limited

by time or place. Partnerships that are

supported may include universities, colleges,

businesses, community organizations, and

other entities to use “anytime anywhere”

distance education to address the biggest

challenges and opportunities in postsecondary

education and lifelong learning. Learning

Anytime Anywhere Partnership projects should

make possible resource sharing and activities

that would not occur if any of the participating

partners were to act alone. More inform

available online at http://www.ed.gov/o

OPE/FIPSE/LAAP/. [DEPARTMENT 

EDUCATION]

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and

Technical Education Act of 1998

(Perkins III)

The new Act includes $60,000 to $150

state for non-traditional training and

employment for jobs in which one gend

comprises less than 25 percent of indiv

employed by occupations. In addition, 

Act focuses on accountability and one 

four core indicators focuses on student

participation in and completion of voca

education programs leading to non-trad

training and employment.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

The School-to-Work Opportunities A

1994

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act 

funds partnerships that bring together s

employers, postsecondary institutions, 

students, and community organizations 

50 states, the District of Columbia, and 

Rico. School-to-Work partnerships offe

people rigorous academic coursework t

high academic standards, integrated wi

life learning and linked to postsecondar

career options. These activities are desi

meet the needs of a wide range of stude

male and female, academically talented 

at-risk and out-of-school youth, youth w

disabilities, and youth for whom Englis

second language. Funding for states an

communities, channeled through the

Department of Education and the Depa

of Labor, has been provided as follows

$100,000,000 in FY 1994, $245,000,00

FY 1995, $350,000,000 in FY 1996,

$400,000,000 in FY 1997, $400,000,00

FY 1998, and $250,000,000 in FY 199
4444 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

School-to-Work strategies include:

• Training for teachers and counselors in

techniques to increase the participation and

achievement of young women, particularly in

mathematics and science; to present nontraditional career options to women; and to

help students deal with sexual harassment

and discrimination;

• Mathematics and science education that

focuses on contextual and experiential

learning from early grade school;

• Links with at-risk and out-of-school

programs that serve at-risk young women in

partnerships with girl’s clubs, universities,

museums, and professional associations of

women;

• Parental involvement through workshops or

brochures that help parents or guardians

support their daughters' academic

achievements and their pursuit of nontraditional careers, including enrolling

daughters in out-of-school mathematics and

science programs and encouraging their use

of computers;

• Engaging employers and unions to offer

various activities that help engage young

women, including career information, workbased experiences ranging from introductory

job-shadowing to rigorous apprenticeship

programs, workplace safety training, and

expert mentors; and

• Requiring each state to involve the Carl

Perkins Act Gender Equity Coordinator in the

partnership that designed and implemented

its state plan. States were also required to

present goals and methods for helping young

women participate in School-to-Work

activities that would lead to employment in

high-performance, high-paying jobs,

including non-traditional careers, as well as

methods to ensure work and learning

environments free from racial and sexual

harassment.

For more information, contact the School-toWork National Learning and Information

Center at 1-800-251-7236, or visit the Schoolto-Work website at http://www.stw.ed.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Veteran’s Affairs Education Benefits

Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ education

benefits programs are administered for eligible

veterans, active duty service members,

reservists, National Guard members, and

veterans’ spouses, surviving spouses, and

children. The Department of Veterans Affairs

has paid more than $70 billion in education

benefit payments to veterans, dependents, and

active duty members since 1944. More than

420,000 women veterans have received

education benefits over the last five decades

under the Department of Veterans Affairs’

programs. Approximately nine percent of post

Vietnam era Veterans Educational Assistance

Program trainees and about 13 percent of

Montgomery GI Bill (active duty) trainees have

been women. Information regarding the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ education

benefits program can be found online at

http://www.gibill.va.gov.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’

Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling

program provides a comprehensive program of

vocational rehabilitation assessment and

services, under Chapter 31 of Title 38, United

States Code, for veterans who, as a substantial

result of a service-connected disability, have an

impairment or significant impairment in their

ability to prepare for, obtain, or retain suitable

employment. Veterans who have the potential

to become employed are assisted in making

viable occupational choices and, if necessary,

are provided the skills needed for suitable

employment. The program assists veterans in
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

the employment search process when they are

job-ready. For those persons who are so

severely disabled that gainful employment is

not an option, the Vocational Rehabilitation and

Counseling Program may be able to provide

independent living services designed to assist

the individual to live in the community as

independently as possible. Of the

approximately 53,000 veterans participating in

the program during FY 1998, approximately

10,000 (19 percent) were women.

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Department of Transportation Skills

Development Initiatives

The Department of Transportation is improving

women’s access to training, particularly in

science and technology. Within each agency, a

component is in place to enhance this initiative.

Initiatives Internal to the Department of

Transportation:

• Recruiting Women for Professional

Engineering Positions

The Federal Highway Administration has an

aggressive recruiting program to attract

women to engineering positions within the

agency. In previous years, women have

comprised only 15 percent of the graduating

classes from engineering schools. Recruiters

make an effort to identify and attract potential

female engineers for the Federal Highway

Administration engineering training program.

From FY 1995 to FY 1998 almost 32 percent

of hires for their engineering training

program were females.

• Maritime Administration Women’s

Council

This Council was established to enhance the

employment opportunities for women within

the agency. The Council is responsibl

formulating goals and objectives and 

recommendations to management to 

greater opportunities for women. The

Council, operating under the Federal

Women’s Program and chaired by the 

Women’s Program Manager, has been

instrumental in providing workshops 

women with career development.

• Career Opportunities Training Agr

Program

This Maritime Administration progra

form of upward mobility for GS-1 to 

positions, incorporating a formalized 

plan to substitute for experience that 

employee lacks in a particular career 

date, all of the participants in this pro

have been women and minorities. Aft

successful completion of a tailored,

structured training plan for a specified 

the employee can be promoted into th

identified target position. The program 

for substitution of one month of train

two months of experience and also al

employees to compete for a position 

upon an assessment of potential rathe

meeting the specialized experience

requirements.

• Tuition Assistance Program

Women and minorities benefit from t

Tuition Program in the Maritime

Administration, which provides tuitio

assistance for employees interested in

pursuing university or college studies 

their off-duty hours. The field of stud

be relevant to the employee’s current

position. The tuition assistance is to b

applied to the costs of tuition, fees, an

incurred during the semester or quart

which the employee is a participant in 

program. A Tuition Assistance Comm

consisting of representatives from eac

organizational unit, approves applicat
4646 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The employee and university name and the

amounts of tuition are redacted from

applications before submission to the

Committee to ensure equal opportunity of

approval.

• Coast Guard Executive and Leadership

Training

More than 200 Coast Guard women have

attended executive training such as the

Excellence in Government Fellows program,

International College of the Armed Forces,

National War College, the Power of Vision,

Career Enrichment, and other courses from

1995 to the present. Despite competition with

an extremely lucrative economy and severe

recruiting problems throughout the Armed

Forces, 27 percent of current Coast Guard

Academy cadets are women—a significant

increase over the 20 percent figure reported in

1995. Coast Guard continues to develop

strategies to attract and retain women on an

aggressive scale.

Initiatives External to the Department of

Transportation:

• On-the-Job Training Supportive Services

Programs

The On-the-Job Training Supportive Services

Program administered by the Federal

Highway Administration was established to

supplement the On-the-Job Training program

and support state Department of

Transportation training programs by

providing services to highway construction

contractors and assistance to highway

construction apprentices and trainees. Under

this program, services such as recruitment,

pre-employment assessments, counseling/job

placement, transportation, child care, and

skills training are provided. In 1995 Congress

approved a $2,000,000 appropriation to fund

Supportive Services Programs for highway

construction. Ten model initiatives were

funded that focused on skill improvement;

recruiting, apprenticeship, and mentoring

programs; as well as an evaluation of the

effectiveness of these programs.

• Women’s Participation in the Highway

Construction Industry

From FY 1996 to FY 1999, 900 individuals in

highway construction have attended the

Department’s Women in Construction

training program. This training has helped

states increase the participation of women in

highway construction jobs.

[DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

FEDERAL DEVELOPMENTAL

TRAINING PROGRAMS

The Human Resources Initiatives Program

Each year since 1991, the Department of the

Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey has allocated

approximately $500,000 annually to augment

existing recruitment, training, and retention

programs for women, minorities, and persons

with disabilities through the Human Resources

Initiatives Program. This Program has resulted

in opportunities for more women to receive

technological and professional training that

prepares them for career advancement,

continuing education, and other management

and leadership development programs. The

Human Resources Initiatives Program also

provides women with the opportunity to

participate in local and national women’s

organizations for the purpose of addressing and

resolving women’s career issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Worker Trainee Program

The worker trainee program at the Office of

Personnel Management was launched in 1997

as part of the Clinton Administration’s Welfare

to-Work initiative. Although the program is no

restricted by gender, the target population is

former welfare recipients who are

overwhelmingly women. Through a temporary
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

hiring authority, individuals with minimal skills

and experience are placed into a three-year

training program. The positions filled are clerks

at the GS-1 level with the opportunity for

advancement to higher grade positions.

Recruitment efforts include advertising

vacancies through traditional merit promotion

methods plus contacting various social service

agencies in the area, which will provide greater

awareness of the opportunities available to

those individuals who may not be familiar with

standard government hiring practices. Since the

inception of the program, the Office of

Personnel Management has hired two groups of

employees under the program. The first group,

hired in August 1997, was composed of 13

women and one man. The second group, hired

in September 1998, was composed of 11

women. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Career Intern Program

The Career Intern Program was created to

promote career advancement opportunities for

women and other highly motivated Office of

Personnel Management employees. It is

designed to identify and prepare employees

who are deemed highly competent for the

challenges of professional and management

careers within the agency. The positions are

generally filled at the GS-5 and GS-7 entry

levels for the following occupations: Personnel

Management Specialist, Computer Specialist,

Benefits Specialist, Auditor, Management and

Program Analyst and Financial Analyst.

This two-year Program includes a four-week

orientation session. Three weeks are devoted to

orienting the interns to the agency with a focus

on the agency’s strategic goals, customer, and

stakeholders; the agency’s role versus other

federal agencies; and the merit system

principles. The last week of the session

provides participants with orientation of their

organization within the Office of Personnel

Management and the preparation of individual

development plans. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

The Internet and Women’s Democra

Organizing: Promoting Civil Society 

Democratic Networking in West Afri

From 1999 through 2001, a grant of $1

from the U.S. Information Agency’s Ci

Exchange Programs will support a part

between Michigan State University and 

African Institutions (Institute of Africa

Democracy, Council for the Developme

Social Science Research in Africa, and 

West African Research Centre) to prom

participation of women in politics and

democratic governance through inform

sharing and network building through u

the Internet. Participants will include h

rights specialists, democracy activists, 

governmental organization leaders, and

educators from Ghana, Mali, Senegal, a

Nigeria. This program is part of the Af

Internet Connectivity Project undertake

Humanities and Social Science Online (

administered by Michigan State Univer

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Woman Power in Politics: Building

Grassroots Democracy in Africa, 199

2002

This partnership is funded by the Educa

Development and Democracy Initiative

$1,464,438 grant supports exchanges b

eight chapters of the League of Women 

(Oak Park/River Forest, IL; Houston, T

Clemson, SC; Oklahoma; Minneapolis

Oneonta, NY; Calvert County, MD; and

Cleveland Heights-University Heights, 

and counterpart organizations in eight A

countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nig

Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimba

encourage more effective participation 

African women in the political life of th
4848 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

countries. Workshops in Africa, internships in

the United States, and joint community-based

projects will be developed to promote civic

education initiatives and to nurture long-term

projects. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

International Access to Educational

Resources

Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide cooperate

with local and non-governmental organizations

to expand women’s access to educational

resources. For example:

• In 1998 a committee of 12 English teachers,

including five Peace Corps Volunteers, in the

Ahal province of Turkmenistan organized a

camp for English teachers with the dual goal

of improving their English skills and

discussing women’s issues. They created a

curriculum, interviewed counselors and

participants, located a site, and found funding

from local supporters, the Education

Ministry, and the Peace Corps’ Women in

Development program. The camp began with

a training session for the counselors (13 local

teachers and seven Volunteers), followed by

sessions attended by 30 English teachers.

Child care was provided for their children.

Sessions focused on improving the teachers’

English skills, methods for improving

professional skills, and discussions of gender

roles, self-esteem, and self-growth. [PEACE

CORPS]

International Training

Throughout the world, it is the policy of the

U.S. Agency for International Development to

seek gender balance in selecting candidates for

United States, third country, and in-country

training.

The Global Training for Development program

trains mid- to senior-level leaders and

professionals from the government and private

sector in Russia and the Newly Independent

States in areas directly tied to the transition to

democracy and a free-market economy. The

program—the largest training effort the

Agency has undertaken—has a mandated goal

of 50 percent women participants. Although the

50 percent goal has not been reached in every

country, women's participation is significant:

for example, in Kazakhstan, it is 50 percent; in

Kyrgyzstan, 45 percent; and in Turkmenistan,

43 percent. Training has taken place in such

areas as accounting and auditing, health

administration, and agriculture. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

B.4. Develop non-discriminatory education

and training.

PROMOTING GENDER EQUITY

National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants To Improve How Contributions of

Women Are Taught and Understood

Over the past five years, the National

Endowment for the Humanities has funded

several projects that seek to improve the

understanding of women and how their

contributions to society are taught to students.

Examples of these projects in 1995 are:

• A $25,000 Education Development and

Demonstration grant to a humanities focus

project for middle and high school English,

social studies, and history teachers on

autobiographies by American women writers

of color;

• A $25,000 Education Development and

Demonstration grant to support faculty study

on Latin American women in the 20th

century for instructors in the Women’s

Studies and Latin American Studies

Programs leading to the development of

interdisciplinary courses; and
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

• A $160,000 Science and Humanities grant to

design and teach three interdisciplinary

science and humanities core courses in the

Gender Studies Program at Lawrence

University. [NATIONAL ENDOWMENT

FOR THE HUMANITIES]

National Center for Education Statistics

The National Center for Education Statistics

collects and reports its information by sex and

race. It has also developed some specific

publications that address women’s issues such

as Findings from the Condition of Education

1995: The Educational Progress of Women

(NCES 96-768) and Women: Education and

Outcomes(NCES 96-061). More information is

available online at http://www.ed.gov/NCES/.

The National Center for Education Statistics

will issue a comprehensive new report on the

status of educational equity for girls and

women nationally. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Community Colleges

The Community College Liaison Office,

working with the American Association of

Women in Community Colleges and the

National Institute for Leadership Development,

developed programs to assist community

college women in their efforts to assume major

policy-making positions in community

colleges. The American Association of Women

in Community Colleges is the only national

organization working for the concerns of all

women in community colleges. The

Association serves as one of the Councils of the

American Association of Community Colleges

and has national, regional, state, and local

components. The National Institute for

Leadership Development, which is housed at

and operated by Maricopa Community College,

works to promote the success of women in

roles of educational leadership through the

development of programs and workshops

designed to assist women in breaking “

ceilings” within academia. The partner

these organizations was guided by the b

that both equity and excellence are enh

through a strong and effective leadersh

network of women in community colle

The Community College Liaison Office

worked to promote the importance of H

Scholarships, Lifelong Learning, and o

benefits to provide financial assistance t

students. Community colleges are an in

component of the education safety net,

particularly for single mothers on welfa

aspire to attend college. Students at com

colleges face limited options in paying 

college. Even though the average tuitio

year institutions is lower than at four-y

institutions, many community college s

rely on student-based assistance to help 

gain access to postsecondary education

tax benefits for college included in the

Taxpayer Relief Act will ease the press

brought to bear on low-income families 

rising tuition, building on and supplem

the foundation of federal student aid pr

The Community College Liaison Office

sponsored ten regional technical assista

workshops with the Department of Lab

the Department of Health and Human S

that brought together teams of educator

human resources and job placement age

develop implementation strategies for t

Welfare-to-Work initiative. The goal of 

workshops was to ensure the smooth tr

of welfare recipients into the workplace 

facilitating working relationships betwe

agencies. More information is available 

at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/CC

resource.html. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]
5050 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

Employee Training and Development

The Social Security Administration has many

developmental programs for employees at all

grade levels. Among the programs are the

Leadership Development Program for

employees in grades GS-9 through GS-12 and

the Advanced Leadership Development

Program for employees in grades GS-13 and

GS-14. Because women comprise more than 70

percent of the agency’s workforce, they are

well represented in all education and training

programs. Nonetheless, the agency also offers

special executive development training

programs specifically for women candidates.

The agency also sponsors career/life-planning

services. Since 1992, career counselors have

helped about 1,800 employees—90 percent of

whom were women—make informed career

decisions, identify training needs, improve

interviewing techniques, and complete

applications for career advancement.

[SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Careers in the Armed Forces

With the repeal of the Combat Exclusion law, a

1994 Secretary of Defense memorandum

opened many non-traditional career fields in the

Armed Forces to women. Training leading to

these fields is now open to women. Each of the

Military Departments provides high school

students with opportunities to receive

leadership and job-skills training along with

their normal academic education.

Approximately 500,000 students are enrolled in

these programs nationwide, with females

representing half of the students.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Mentoring Programs

Mentoring programs have been established in

many Department of the Interior agencies. Two

female Associate Directors of the U.S.

Geological Survey have served as mentors to

Women’s Executive Leadership Program

participants. A formal mentoring program pilo

will be established in January 2000 for all U.S

Geological Survey employees, and it is

expected that at least half of the participants

will be women. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Aspiring Leader Program

Many Department of the Interior agencies

sponsor participants who are selected through a

competitive process open to all eligible

employees. The Aspiring Leader Program is

designed for GS-5 through GS-7 employees to

prepare them for future positions as team

leaders, supervisors, and managers. The

program strengthens basic skills including oral

communication, written communication,

problem solving, leadership, interpersonal

skills, self-direction, flexibility, decisiveness,

and technical competence. The Aspiring

Leader Program is a six-month program

developed by the Leadership Development

Academy, Graduate School, U. S. Department

of Agriculture. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

B.5. Allocate sufficient resources for and

monitor the implementation of educational

reforms.

Impact Aid Program

The Impact Aid Program was enacted in 1950

to ensure that local educational agencies in the

United States that are affected by federal

activities have sufficient revenue to provide a
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

free public education to the children they serve,

including girls. Federal activities can affect a

local educational agency either by decreasing

the amount of real property in the community

available to be taxed to support local schools,

or by increasing the number of children the

schools serve.

More than one million children in the United

States, including more than 500,000 girls,

attend public schools supported by Impact Aid.

Funding for the program exceeds $800,000,000

annually. Funds are distributed directly to local

educational agencies annually, based on

statutory formulas. More information is

available online at http://www.ed.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

B.6. Promote lifelong education and training

for girls and women.

BUSINESS PROGRAMS

The Small Business Development Center

Program

The Small Business Development Center

Program is one of the Small Business

Administration’s largest programs and one of

its principal business education and

development resources. Congress created the

program in 1980 to provide small business

owners with a free resource for management,

technical, and research assistance needed to

help them start, expand, and successfully

operate their businesses.

Demand for the program is high, and the

program has now become a network with 57

lead centers and nearly 1,000 centers

throughout the United States, Guam, Puerto

Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The centers

provide counseling and training to more than

500,000 clients each year. This program is a

public-private partnership, with the Small

Business Administration providing no more

than half of the cost of each state progr

year and the remainder matched by non

dollars. Through cooperative agreemen

educational institutions and state and lo

governments, the Small Business

Administration is able to provide high-

one-on-one counseling and training for 

and potential small business owners. As 

1999 there were 43 university-sponsore

state-sponsored, and five community co

sponsored small business development 

More than one million women have bee

counseled and trained at these centers s

1995. In FY 1998 women accounted fo

than 40 percent of all clients served by 

program. Because there are so many lo

women in every state have access to pr

and services that address small busines

ownership issues in general as well as t

designed specifically for women entrep

Services include assistance with busine

management and organization, marketi

financing, international trade, procurem

(government contracting), and technica

as well as specialized help for women,

minorities, and veterans.
5252 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

For more information on the Small Business

Development Center Program, please see the

program website at http://www.sba.gov/SBDC.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

The Women’s Business Center Program and

Other Small Business Administration

Programs

The Women’s Business Center Program

complements the Small Business Development

Centers and other Small Business

Administration resources, providing in-depth,

long-term assistance that is specifically targeted

to address the unique needs of women

entrepreneurs, especially those who are socially

and economically disadvantaged.

Today, women own nearly 40 percent of all

American businesses. As women continue to

open businesses at twice the rate of men, those

numbers are only expected to grow. Yet women

historically have faced—and continue to face—

discrimination and other obstacles in the

business world.

In FY 1999 the Small Business Administration

awarded grants to 25 new women’s business

centers. Today there are nearly 60 centers in

almost every state, the District of Columbia,

Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. They serve

a wide variety of geographic areas, population

densities, and economic environments. Each

center offers a core of long-term assistance in

finance, management, marketing, and

procurement, as well as Internet training and

access to Small Business Administration

programs. But each center tailors its programs

and services to the needs of its individual area;

centers may provide training in as many as six

languages, offer child care and evening or

weekend hours, or address complex social

issues especially common in areas with large

immigrant populations.

In FY 1998 the Office of Women’s Business

Ownership launched the first entrepreneurial

programs for military spouses at two women’s

business centers (one on the East Coast, one on

the West Coast) that taught military spouses

how to develop portable businesses that could

move when families were reassigned.

Curriculum content will be placed on the

Online Women’s Business Center.

The Office of Women’s Business Ownership

negotiated the first-ever memorandum of

understanding with a national women’s

organization as a model for other women’s

trade organizations; ten more national

organizations have signed similar memoranda

to spur mutual cooperation and information

dissemination.

The office also published and distributed

Blueprint for Success: A Guide for Women

Entrepreneurs, with Salomon Smith Barney.

This book is a detailed guide to starting a smal

business and is used in training workshops

nationwide.

In 1998 the Small Business Administration

began to co-sponsor a series of four national

telecasts, produced by the Edward Jones

investment firm and downlinked to several

hundred locations nationwide, which each

reached about 10,000 viewers (including

videotape). The ongoing series, Winning

Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs, is

broadcast live and features noted business

experts who share their knowledge and answer

questions called in from viewers. Two of three

satellite broadcasts scheduled for 1999 have

been downlinked, the second to more than

1,000 locations in the United States and

Canada. These presentations are offered free to

anyone and are available on videotape.

Together with counselors from the Service

Corps of Retired Executives, the Small

Business Administration’s 69 district offices,

and women’s business centers, the agency also

provides mentoring opportunities for current
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

and aspiring women business owners through

the Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial

Training.

By the third quarter of FY 1999, there were

more than 150 Women’s Network for

Entrepreneurial Training roundtables meeting

nationwide, a 50 percent increase over FY

1998. The Small Business Administration’s

Office of Women’s Business Ownership also

distributes manuals on how to start a mentoring

group.

For more information on the Women’s

Business Center Program and the Women’s

Network for Entrepreneurial Training, visit the

Office of Women’s Business Ownership

website at http://www.sba.gov/

womeninbusiness or the Online Women’s

Business Center. [SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Online Women’s Business Center

In January 1998 the Small Business

Administration launched the Online Women’s

Business Center at a White House ceremony

with Vice President Gore. A natural outgrowth

of the Women’s Business Center Program, this

interactive website features a full businesstraining curriculum, worldwide networking,

chats, bulletin boards, and links to hundreds of

other resources. Users can connect to the

“cyber-chapter” of the Service Corps of Retired

Executives for one-on-one business counseling.

One can find listings of the Small Business

Administration’s district offices and women’s

business ownership representatives, as well as

women’s business centers, small business

development centers, Small Business

Administration business information centers,

one-stop capital shops, U.S. export assistance

centers, and many other resources. A

creditworthiness quiz and the comprehensive

state-by-state Resource Guide—a database of

local tax and legal requirements, laws,

regulations, resources, and more—are a

online in English and Spanish and are f

A year and a half after its debut, the On

Women’s Business Center receives mor

million hits a month and has garnered m

prestigious awards recognizing it as a p

site for entrepreneurs. Women from 10

countries around the world use the webs

international website in Spain was laun

the Vital Voices conference in Uruguay 

October 1998, and the international we

Russia was launched at the Vital Voice

conference in Iceland in October 1999. 

Online Women’s Business Center can b

accessed at http://www.onlinewbc.org.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRA

Business Information Center Progra

The Business Information Center Progr

network of 61 Business Information Ce

provides one-stop locations for informa

education, and training to help potentia

entrepreneurs and small business owne

operate, and grow their business. Each

Business Information Center is equippe

computers, high-tech hardware and sof

reference materials, and publications; m

have Internet access. If a woman wants 

a business plan, design a brochure, or r

marketing strategies, she can access the

information and tools she needs at a Bu

Information Center. Business Informati

Centers throughout the country train m

125,000 clients every year. In 1998 and 

between 40 and 50 percent of their clien

women. For more information about th

Business Information Centers, please v

Business Initiatives website at

http://www.sba.gov/BI.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRA
5454 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

One-Stop Capital Shop Program

The One-Stop Capital Shop Program, part of

the Office of Entrepreneurial Development,

began in 1994 to support the Empowerment

Zone Initiative, a central initiative in the

President's efforts to revitalize distressed inner

cities or rural communities. This initiative

called on both the federal government and local

communities to work together in facing this

difficult challenge. Communities were to assess

their weaknesses and build a comprehensive

economic and social strategy for their future

that included the use of public-private

partnerships. Federal agencies were instructed

to deliver user-friendly services to these

communities. The One-Stop Capital Shop is in

each Empowerment Zone community. For

more information about One-Stop Capital

Shops, please visit the program website at

http://www.sba.gov/onestop.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

The Service Corps of Retired Executives

The Service Corps of Retired Executives is a

Small Business Administration resource

partner, founded in 1964 and composed of

approximately 12,000 volunteer counselors in

400 chapters across the country. The Corps is

dedicated to the formation, growth, and

education of entrepreneurs around the Nation.

It matches experienced business people with

current and potential small business owners in

need of expert advice. The Service Corps of

Retired Executives has experts in virtually

every area of business management; it

maintains a national skills bank to help identify

the best counselor for each client.

The Corps offers in-depth counseling and

training to help prospective and established

small business owners identify problems,

determine their causes, and find solutions.

Approximately 90,000 women are trained and/

or counseled by volunteers each year.

Many local chapters offer child care during

business counseling sessions, allowing more

women to take advantage of their services. The

Service Corps of Retired Executives’ new

membership handbook places special emphasis

on counseling and working with women

entrepreneurs. For more information on the

Service Corps of Retired Executives program,

please visit the website at

http://www.score.org.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

International Visitor’s Program

The International Visitors’ Program provides

information on entrepreneurial training and

support programs by other governments

worldwide that help develop the small

businesses so vital to thriving economies. An

important service of the Small Business

Administration, the International Visitors

Program receives from 800 to 1,000 visitors a

year. Since 1995 there has been an increase in

the number of women visiting the Small

Business Administration to study models of

business, credit, education, information, and

training. Spurred by the increased interest in

women’s economic issues in the international

arena, the number of international women’s

delegations visiting the agency has steadily

increased, from 31 delegates in 1995 to 114

delegates during 1999.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR

WOMEN AND GIRLS

Patent and Trademark University

The Commerce Department’s Patent and

Trademark Office founded the Patent and

Trademark University in 1994. The University

provides an extensive selection of job-related

learning activities, both formal and informal, to

generate a community of learners and to build a

lifelong learning organization. The Patent and
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

Trademark University, fully funded by the

Patent and Trademark Office, was created to

help all employees anticipate, effect, and

manage change within the organization and the

intellectual property industry. Of the 275

individuals who have graduated, about 90

percent have been women. The organization

sponsors tutoring, mentoring, work-at-home,

Internet and distance education, skill and

interest assessments, academic advising, and

career counseling. The Patent and Trademark

University’s greatest achievement to date is

winning the Department of Commerce Gold

Medal, awarded in December 1998. This medal

is awarded annually to recognize an

outstanding contribution to the mission and

goals of the Department of Commerce and the

Clinton Administration’s ideals for government

reinvention. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

Veterans Affairs Lifelong Education and

Training

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the

Nation’s largest employer of registered nurses.

In 1998 the Department of Veterans Affairs

earmarked $50,000,000 to be applied over five

years to assist its nursing personnel to obtain

the baccalaureate (or higher) degree, as well as

to meet other specific occupational training

needs.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Central

Office’s Federal Women’s Program teamed

with its Office of Human Resources to start a

program that enables employees to take courses

for college credit during their lunch hour. The

program is designed to meet the needs of

employees, primarily women, who need to

further their education but are unable to do so

after work due to family obligations or other

obstacles. In this program, entitled Lunch and

Learn, instructors from the Prince George’s

Community College come to the Department of

Veterans Affairs two days a week to tea

courses in hour-and-a-half segments ov

lunch. Employees are able to improve t

skills to assist them on their jobs while 

credits towards a college degree. The p

began in January 1997, and enrollment 

program totaled 122 in late 1999. The

Department of Veterans Affairs plans to 

the Lunch and Learn curriculum as stud

and the needs of the Department deman

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

Women’s Executive Leadership Prog

This 12-month developmental program 

established by the Office of Personnel

Management to increase the number of 

in leadership and decision-making posi

within the federal government. Enrolle

nominated and selected by their agency 

on their demonstrated abilities and high

potential to excel at the management le

Program participants receive superviso

managerial training and development

opportunities to prepare them for future

positions as supervisors and managers. 

Women’s Executive Leadership progra

consists of participation in four one-we

residential seminars, completion of an

individual needs assessment, designing 

individual development plan, completio

shadowing assignment, conducting exe

interviews, and participation in develop

work assignments. The target audience 

program is women who are permanent 

time employees at the GS-11/12 grade 

Nominations are based on supervisory 

management potential and motivation t

participate and complete all program

assignments. [OFFICE OF PERSONN

MANAGEMENT]
5656 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

New Leader Program

The goal of the New Leader Program

established by the Office of Personnel

Management is to expand leadership

opportunities for women and other highly

motivated employees within the federal

government. This six-month program provides

a solid training and development foundation of

team leadership skills enhanced by agency

developmental experiences. The program

introduces participants to the core

competencies of a first-line supervisor and

provides practice in team skills that are central

to modern management. The program includes

three five-day residential sessions to address

basic competencies and preparation of an

individual development plan. The target

audience for this program is full-time,

permanent GS-7 through GS-11 employees.

Nominations are based on leadership potential

and motivation to participate in and complete

all program assignments. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Student Educational Employment Program

The Student Educational Employment

Program, established by the Office of Personnel

Management, has two components—student

temporary employment and student career

experience. It is available to all levels of

students: high school, vocational and technical,

associate degree, baccalaureate degree,

graduate degree, and professional degree

students.

The Student Career Experience component

allows students to gain work experience

directly related to their academic field of study.

It provides formal periods of work and study

while attending school. Students may become

eligible for permanent employment after

successfully completing their education and

meeting necessary work requirements.

The Student Temporary Employment

component provides temporary employment

for females who are in school. These

employment opportunities may not be related

to the students’ academic field of study.

However, employment for these students can

range from summer jobs to year-round

positions that may continue through the

employees’ academic career. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

The Garrett A. Morgan Technology and

Transportation Futures Program

Funded in 1997, the Garrett A. Morgan

Technology and Transportation Futures

Program seeks to inspire students of all ages to

consider transportation careers and to provide

them with the knowledge and skills to pursue

those careers. Because many transportation

professionals are approaching retirement age,

and one in seven jobs in the economy is

transportation-related, a large number of skilled

workers are needed. This program seeks to

raise awareness at all levels of education to the

needs of training and technology to meet the

needs of the 21st century. Recent actions taken

under this program that particularly focus on

women and girls include:

• A Memorandum of Understanding with the

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to promote the

goals of the Garrett Morgan Program and

specifically to work with the sorority’s

chapters across the country on their programs

for girls;

• A transportation patch for the Girl Scouts to

allow girls to explore all aspects of

transportation—air, surface and marine; and

• Participation in the July 2000 Society of

Women Engineers annual convention by

providing speakers on workforce
Education and Training of Wome

Section B 

development and working with the society to

develop materials that will attract women to

the field (1999 Initial Outcomes publication

attached). [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants for Public Programs and Exhibitions

For and About Women

Through its continuing support of public

programs, exhibitions, and films on topics of

interest to or highlighting women, the National

Endowment for the Humanities promotes the

lifelong education of women and girls. These

grants focus on great women who can serve as

role models and their contributions to society.

These programs and exhibitions include Jewish

Women’s Experiences in the Upper Midwest

($100,000 in 1995) and A Women’s War:

Southern Women, Civil War, and the

Confederacy Legacy ($145,000 from 1995 to

1996). The National Endowment for the

Humanities has given nearly $1,000,000 to

write and produce One Woman, One Vote, a

documentary on the women’s suffrage

movement in America from 1848 to 1920.

Other projects include Beyond the Vote:

Equality, a film on the efforts of American

women to win full equality after passage of the

19th Amendment, and documentaries on

Eleanor Roosevelt (more than $600,000 in

1996 and 1998) and Margaret Sanger (more

than $1,000,000 from 1995 to 1998).

[NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE

HUMANITIES]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Life-skills Training

Girls’ education is an integral part of the Peace

Corps’ efforts to expand girls’ life options and

to help them become active leaders in their

communities. Volunteers in dozens of c

focus on girls’ education, giving girls th

they need for a better future. More info

is available online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer.

Examples include:

• Volunteers in Bolivia work with the M

Yan (New Road) center for homeless 

underprivileged girls in Cochabamba

focuses on improving the girls’ self-e

and life-skills. In 1993 a Volunteer le

greeting-card-making workshop, whi

developed into a card-making and car

selling business. Approximately 60 gi

been involved in the card business sin

1993. Worldwide sales in 1999 reach

20,000 cards, generating approximate

$14,000.

• A life-skills program developed in 19

Peace Corps Malawi uses games, role

playing, and interactive exercises to t

girls communication skills, decision-

assertiveness, resistance to peer press

relationship skills, management of em

and empowerment. More than 60 girl

participated in the activities as of Sep

1999. The success of the program has

prompted an interest in adding life-sk

the school curriculum in Malawi. [PE

CORPS]

Afghanistan

In FY 1999 the Department of State's B

Population, Refugees and Migration pr

$3,140,000 in funding to non-governm

organizations to carry out health and ed

projects for Afghan women and girl ref

principally in Pakistan. These contribut

were in addition to those made to the S

Asia regional programs of the United N

High Commissioner for Refugees and I
5858 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

which include Afghan women and girls among

the beneficiaries. In addition to continuing

existing health and education programs with

Save the Children, Church World Service and

the International Rescue Committee

($1,700,000), major new initiatives included an

International Rescue Committee project to

expand and improve secondary education for

Afghan girls in Peshawar and nearby camps

($480,632); an International Rescue Committee

project to fund projects of local women’s nongovernmental organizations working to

improve women’s and girls’ health and

education ($349,603); and funding for the

Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and

Children to place a gender technical adviser in

Peshawar to help other non-governmental

organizations improve the treatment of Afghan

women in their projects ($199,301).

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
Women and Health

“Protecting family hea

just one way women are sh

the course of our nation.”

—Secretary of Health 

Human Services Donna E

Shalala, excerpted from he

speech to the Women’s Ca

National Women’s Health

Information Center,

October 7, 1998

C.
6060 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

he Platform defines health as a state

of complete physical, mental, and

social well-being and not merely the

absence of disease or infirmity. This

well-being is determined by more than

biology. It depends upon the social,

political, and economic context of

women’s lives. Women’s health needs

develop and change throughout the life

cycle and women must have high

standards of health and health care

throughout the life cycle. They often

suffer jointly from inadequate access to

health care of a high standard,

discrimination in their access to existing

health care, and lack of availability of

knowledge, research, treatment, and

services for health needs related to their

sexuality and reproductive systems

throughout their life cycles.

The Platform calls for increased access

for women throughout the life cycle to

quality health care, information, and

services; for preventive programs that

promote women’s health; for gender

sensitive initiatives that address sexually

transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and

sexual and reproductive health issues,

research and dissemination of

information of information on women’s

health, and increased resources and

monitoring for women’s health.

C.1. Increase women’s access throughout the

life cycle to appropriate, affordable and quality health care, information, and related services.

LEGAL ACCESS AND PROTECTION

Length of Hospital Stays Following

Childbirth

In October 1998, in conjunction with the

Department of the Treasury and the

Department of Health and Human Services, the

Department of Labor published interim

regulations under the Newborns’ and Mothers’

Health Protection Act, a law placing decisions

affecting the length of hospital stays following

childbirth in the hands of mothers and

attending providers. For more information, see

the Department of Labor’s Pension and Welfare

Benefits Administration’s website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/pwba/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES/ DEPARTMENT OF

THE TREASURY]

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

The National Institute on Drug Abuse

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has

developed a website (http://www.nida.nih.gov/

WHGD/WHGDDirRep13.html) dealing with

women, gender differences, and drug abuse.

The website, entitled Women’s Health and

Gender Differences, became operational on the

National Institute on Drug Abuse’s website in

April 1998. Topics on the website include an

overview of the National Institute on Drug

Abuse’s research program in this area, research

findings covering a wide range of topics, a list

of publications that either focus on this subject

or contain relevant information, and

information on funding opportunities in the

T
Women and Healt

Section C 

area of women and gender differences.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Women’s Health Benefits Information Day

In November 1998 the Secretary of Labor held

a Women’s Health Benefits Information Day.

She announced new initiatives, including

publications and a nationwide customer service

day, to help make women in America aware of

their new rights under recent health care laws

and to help them understand basic rules

affecting their health benefit programs. She

also announced new guidance and rights under

the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection

Act and Women’s Health and Cancer Rights

Act. As part of her work on these initiatives, the

Secretary held a press roundtable with

women’s magazines in order to reach women

health care consumers. The National Customer

Service Day was held March 20, 1999.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Publications on Health Care Benefits for

Women

The Department of Labor’s Pension and

Welfare Benefits Administration provides the

following information on health care benefits

for women:

• A booklet entitled Questions and Answers:

Recent Changes in Health Care Law, revised

in June 1999, which includes information on

the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health

Protection Act of 1996 and the Women’s

Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998;

• Brochures highlighting major life- and workcycle events and the health benefit laws to

consider at those times; and

• Fact sheets and other publications explaining

women’s rights to their health care benefits.

These publications are available free of charge

through Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration’s toll-free publication n

(1-800-998-7542) as well as on Pension 

Welfare Benefit Administration’s webs

http://www.dol.gov/dol/pwba/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Veterans Affairs Health Programs

The Women Veterans Health Program

specifically addresses the health care ne

eligible women veterans, providing

appropriate, timely, and compassionate 

care.

Based on the 1990 Census, approximat

million veterans, about four percent of 

veteran population, are women. Curren

women make up 14 percent of the activ

military force. The Department of Vete

Affairs health care facilities provided c

132,839 women veteran patients during 

1998, and 14,398 women veterans as

inpatients. Since 1992, the number of w

using the Department of Veterans Affai

services has shown an annual increase 

percent nationwide. By the year 2010, 

will comprise more than ten percent of 

veteran population. With growing

representation in the Military Services,

Congress authorized, in the Veterans H

Care Act of 1992, new and expanded se

for women veterans.

While supporting the overall mission o

Department of Veterans Affairs, and in

collaboration with the Department of V

Affairs’ Center for Women Veterans, th

Women Veterans Health Program speci

addresses the unique health care needs 

women veterans. In 1995 the program w
6262 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

given Special Emphasis Program status within

the Department’s Veterans Health

Administration. Programs include:

• Specific health services for women such as

Pap smears, mammography, and

• general reproductive health care;

• Maternity benefits; and

• Full-time women veterans coordinators.

The Department of Veterans Affairs equipped

its health care providers with increased

educational opportunities by including miniresidency programs on breast care, microscopic

examination of the cervix (colposcopy), and

mental health. The Women Veterans Health

Program developed an intraVA web page for

practitioners with information relevant to the

delivery of health care to women veterans. A

Women’s Health Software package was

developed and implemented to track women

veterans’ gender specific health care. A

Military Sexual Trauma Software tracking

mechanism has also been implemented to

ensure that consistent data are maintained on

treatment of victims of Military Sexual

Trauma.

With the passage of the Veterans’ Health Care

Act of 1992 and later the Veterans’ Health

Programs Extension Act of 1994, programs

have been established to improve health care

and support services available to women

veterans. Included among these programs is a

sexual trauma counseling and treatment

program. Although rates of sexual harassment

in the active duty military have declined in

recent years, there are still a significant number

of women veterans who seek and require the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ treatment for

sexual trauma experienced while on active

duty. More information on the Women’s Health

Science Division, its research programs, and

targeted areas of study, is available online at

http://www.dartmouth.edu/dms/ptsd.

As a result of Public Law 102-585, eight

Women Veterans Comprehensive Health

Centers have been established to develop new

and enhance existing programs that focus on

the unique health care needs of women

veterans. These Centers, strategically located

throughout the country, are structured under a

primary care model that provides a coordinated

approach to the provision of medical, surgical,

and psychological care for women patients.

These Centers are located at the Department of

Veterans Affairs medical facilities in

Minneapolis, MN; Chicago, IL; Tampa, FL;

Durham, NC; Los Angeles and San Francisco,

CA; Boston, MA; and Southeastern

Pennsylvania Network. [DEPARTMENT OF

VETERANS AFFAIRS]

Medical Education on Domestic Violence

The Department of Justice funded the

development of an interactive website to

educate medical professionals on how to

recognize and treat domestic violence. The

online curriculum allows health care

professionals to obtain continuing education

credits from remote sites. The Department also

funded the development of curricula and videos

for dentists and dental ancillary staff on

identifying and responding to domestic

violence. More information is available online

at http://www.amwa-doc.org.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

National Women's Health Information

Center

The National Women’s Health Information

Center, sponsored by the Office on Women’s

Health in the Department of Health and Human

Services, is a combined comprehensive health

website (http://www.4woman.gov) and toll-free
Women and Healt

Section C 

service (1-800-994-WOMAN). The website

provides links to more than 3,000 publications

and 2,000 reputable organizations on women's

health. The National Women’s Health

Information Center also provides answers to

frequently asked questions on top health issues

of concern to American women. The website

and toll-free service, both in operation for less

than a year, have already received more than

nine million hits and 10,000 phone calls,

respectively, from women seeking information

on a wide variety of women's health issues. The

toll-free number, operational from 9 a.m. to 6

p.m. eastern time, connects the caller to an

English- or Spanish-speaking health

information specialist who will refer the caller

to the right source of information. Women and

their health care providers can also order fact

sheets, brochures, and other printed materials

by phone. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

National Minority Women's Health

Conference

Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Partnerships to

Improve Minority Women's Health, a major

national health conference, was convened by

the Department of Health and Human Services

in January 1997, in Washington, D.C., to focus

critical attention on special health issues

affecting women of color and to develop

partnerships to improve the health of minority

women. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Young Women's Health Promotion Program

Get Real: Straight Talk on Women's Health is a

video kit that was developed in 1996 in

collaboration with the Society for the

Advancement of Women's Health Research by

the Office on Women’s Health. The video kit,

which includes a facilitator's guide, is designed

as a health promotion program for women

between the ages of 18 and 24. Focusing on this

age group provides an important opportunity

for education about not only the immediate

health issues for young women but also 

diseases that may strike later in life. Th

kit provides relevant health information 

encourages young women to practice h

behaviors (e.g. appropriate nutrition an

exercise, safe sex or abstinence, not sm

in order to prevent or lower their risk fo

developing these diseases and other hea

problems. The video and facilitator's gu

have been distributed widely across U.S

college campuses. The video is used in 

roundtable panels and discussion group

facilitated and funded by the Office on

Women’s Health, at colleges and unive

around the country to engage college a

women in awareness of healthy behavio

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Breast Cancer Pilot Projects

The National Action Plan on Breast Ca

Information Action Council has establi

Bridging the Gap Initiative pilot projec

helps community-based organizations l

informationally underserved women w

breast cancer information available thro

Internet. This two-year project is curren

the evaluation phase. More information 

this initiative and the four community s

available online at http://www.napbc.or

The Hereditary Susceptibility Working 

of the National Action Plan on Breast C

in partnership with many professional

organizations, developed an educationa

curriculum to provide high-quality, cus

education and training for health care

professionals on this complex and pres

issue. Hereditary Susceptibility to Brea

Ovarian Cancer: An Outline of Fundam

Knowledge Needed by All Health Care

Professionals is available online at

http://www.napbc.org. [DEPARTMEN

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
6464 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Women and Primary Care: An Agenda for

Change

In November 1998 Health Resources and

Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary

Health Care released a new strategy entitled

Women and Primary Care: An Agenda for

Change – Horizons for the 21st Century. The

Agenda provides a broad-based vision for

women’s health to ensure access to primary

care and eliminate health disparities for the

more than 4.8 million medically underserved

and minority women served annually by

programs funded by the Bureau of Primary

Health Care. The development of a national

multi-cultural women’s health practice

network, a national replication strategy for

innovative women’s health programs, and a

council of multi-cultural women’s health

education, training, and research are

components of the Agenda. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

ACCESS TO CARE

Access to Care for Rural Populations

Contact with rural populations to expand and

enhance the availability of essential health

services in rural areas remains an important

focus of the Health Resources and Services

Administration. Projects targeting pregnant

women and their children, migrant workers,

and the elderly are at the forefront of this

agenda. From FY 1995 to FY 1998, the Health

Resources and Services Administration’s

Office of Rural Health Policy funded a

coalition of four organizations in rural Ohio to

form the Rural Health Advantage to address the

issues of access to sexually transmitted disease

screening, mental health counseling, prevention

education, HIV case management, and migrant

health services for women and their families.

Another Office of Rural Health Policy project,

the Women’s Health and Managed Care

Education Initiative, is an ongoing

comprehensive program designed to educate

consumers, particularly middle- to low-income

women, about managed care. Educational

initiatives using local community meetings and

discussions empower women to advocate for

themselves and their families when interacting

with managed care providers and organizations

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

National Centers of Excellence in Women’s

Health

Seventeen National Centers of Excellence in

Women's Health around the country provide

state-of-the-art comprehensive and integrated

health care services, multi-disciplinary

research, and public and health care

professional education targeted toward the

special needs of women. In their academic

settings, they also foster the recruitment,

retention, and promotion of women in

academic medicine. Developed in 1996 and

supported by the Office of Women's Health in

the Department of Health and Human Services

the Centers serve as innovative national models

that can be evaluated and duplicated across the

country. In 1998 the Office on Women’s Health

established six new Centers of Excellence in

Women’s Health that focus especially on

minority women’s health. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Meeting the Needs of Women with

Disabilities: Blueprint for Change

The project studied the needs of women with

disabilities in accessing services from

mainstream social services programs, such as

those focusing on domestic violence, alcohol

and drug treatment, adoption, child protective

services, aid to families with dependent

children, reproductive rights, child care

programs, and programs providing services to

girls and older women. The target population

consisted of professional and service providers

Funding for the project, which ran from May

1994 to April 1997, was $125,000 per year.
Women and Healt

Section C 

More information is available online at

http://www.ncddr.org/doorways/women/

resources.html.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Self-Esteem and Women with Physical

Disabilities

The aim of this project is to develop a greater

understanding of self-esteem in women with

physical disabilities. The project is studying the

effectiveness of psycho-educational, peerfacilitated workshop interventions designed to

enhance the self-esteem of women with

physical disabilities and increase the skills they

need to build relationships. Other goals of the

project are to increase self-awareness and selfunderstanding, increase self-nurturance,

understand healthy relationships and

boundaries, learn about communication skills

and consumer advocacy, and integrate and

apply skills. The target population is women

with disabilities, independent living counselors,

and mental health professionals. Funding for

the project, from July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2002,

is $150,000 per year. More information is

available online at http://www.naric.com,

search for H133C50024. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

MEDICAID, CHILDREN’S HEALTH

INSURANCE PROGRAM, AND

MEDICARE

MEDICAID

The federal Medicaid law (Title XIX of the

Social Security Act) authorizes federal

matching funds to assist the states in providing

health care for certain low-income and

medically needy persons. The states have

considerable flexibility in structuring their

programs, and there are substantial variations

from state to state. Basic services must be

offered to the categorically needy population in

any state program.

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnos

Treatment is the child health componen

Medicaid program. Under this compon

states are required to provide a broad ra

medical and support services to eligible

children under age 21. In addition, state

perform certain activities, such as infor

eligible children and their families abou

and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and

Treatment and reporting data annually 

Health Care Financing Administration.

Approximately 31 million persons rece

health care in 1998 from the various sta

Medicaid programs. Approximately 60 

of these recipients were women. The m

groups that states are required to cover 

but are not limited to:

• Low-income families with dependent

children and whose family income re

are below standards set by states;

• The aged, blind, and disabled receivin

assistance from the federal Suppleme

Security Income program or eligible 

Medicaid under more restrictive state 

and

• Pregnant women and children up to a

whose family income does not exceed 

certain standard.

On average, federal funds account for

approximately 57 percent of the cost of 

Medicaid program. For FY 1997 the fe

share of Medicaid expenditures was

approximately $98.5 billion. State spen

Medicaid in FY 1997 was estimated at 

billion. Total Medicaid expenditures in 

1997, including state administrative cos

about $173 billion.

In the past, families who received Aid t

Families with Dependent Children cash

assistance were automatically eligible f
6666 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Medicaid. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996

eliminated the Aid to Families with Dependent

Children program and replaced it with a block

grant program for temporary assistance for

needy families. Receipt of cash assistance

under the temporary assistance for needy

families program does not automatically entitle

the family to Medicaid. However, under

welfare reform, a new Medicaid eligibility

program was established with eligibility

requirements linked to the old Aid to Families

with Dependent Children program as it existed

before the enactment of Welfare Reform on

July 16, 1996. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Children’s Health Insurance Program

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created Title

XXI of the Social Security Act, referred to as

the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

This program is a federal-state partnership that

allows states to expand health benefits to cover

low-income, uninsured children whose families

earn too much for Medicaid but too little to

afford private coverage. States may choose to

extend health coverage to uninsured children in

one of three ways: through a separate child

health insurance program, expanding their

Medicaid program, or creating a combination

of both.

States may cover children in families whose

incomes are above the Medicaid eligibility

threshold but less than 200 percent of poverty,

or within 50 percentage points over the state’s

current Medicaid income limit for children.

However, under the statute, states do have the

flexibility to define the income limit so that

more children may be covered.

Currently, all states and the territories have an

approved Children’s Health Insurance Program

plan—16 separate state child health plans, 26

Medicaid expansions, and 14 combination

plans. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

MEDICARE

Medicare is a nationwide, federally

administered health insurance program

authorized in 1965 to cover the cost of

hospitalization, medical care, and some related

services for most persons over age 65. In 1972

coverage was extended to people receiving

Social Security Disability Insurance for two

years and people with end-stage renal failure.

There are approximately 39 million Medicare

beneficiaries, 57 percent of whom are women.

Medicare currently provides health insurance

coverage for 97 percent of older Americans. In

1998 benefits paid for Medicare patients totaled

$207 billion. There are approximately 6.5

million people dually enrolled in both

Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare Part A, or the Hospital Insurance

program, helps pay for inpatient hospital

services, post-institutional home health care,

short-term care in skilled nursing facilities, and

hospice care for the aged and disabled. In 1998

the Hospital Insurance program provided

protection against the costs of hospital and

other medical care to more than 38 million

persons (33.4 million aged and five million

disabled persons).

Medicare Part B, or the Supplementary

Medical Insurance Program, pays for home

health care not covered by Part A, outpatient

hospital services, and other services for the

aged and disabled such as diagnostic tests,

medical equipment, and ambulance service.

Supplementary Medical Insurance Program

enrollees pay a monthly premium ($43.80 in

1998) for services. In 1998 the program

provided protection against the costs of

physician and other medical services to nearly

37 million persons (more than 32 million aged

and 4.5 million disabled persons).

Medicare and Medicaid are administered by the

Health Care Financing Administration. More
Women and Healt

Section C 

information about these programs can be found

on the Health Care Financing Administration

website at http://www.hcfa.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Heath Care Financing Administration

The Health Care Financing Administration is

the federal agency responsible for the oversight

and management of programs to assure access

to quality health care for children and adults

with low incomes, persons with disabilities,

and the aged. The specific programs

administered by the Health Care Financing

Administration are Medicaid, the Children’s

Health Insurance Program, and Medicare.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

CANCER SCREENING AND

TREATMENT

Mammography Quality Standards

The Food and Drug Administration published

the final rules for implementing the

Mammography Quality Standards Act in

October 1997, setting high standards for Food

and Drug Administration certification of

mammography facilities, including the

standards for equipment and personnel. The

names and locations of Food and Drug

Administration-certified facilities are available

at no charge by calling the National Cancer

Institute Cancer Information Service toll-free at

1-800-4-CANCER.

The Food and Drug Administration’s final

regulations, effective April of 1999, expanded

and strengthened protections that will improve

the quality of mammography at facilities in the

United States. These regulations require that

facilities follow the standards, be accredited by

a Food and Drug Administration-approved

accreditation body, and be inspected annually.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

New Mammography Law

The Food and Drug Administration has 

strengthened the Nation's standards for

mammography centers by requiring tha

women who have mammograms be dir

notified in writing about their results. T

provision was added to the final regulati

implement the Mammography Quality

Standards Act of 1992 and went into ef

April 28, 1999. A similar provision wa

incorporated into the statute by the

Mammography Quality Standards

Reauthorization Act of 1998. Although 

mammography facilities already provid

direct patient notification, the Food and 

Administration rule ensures that written

notification occurs promptly, in easy-to

understand language, and that it is prov

every mammography facility in the Un

States. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALT

HUMAN SERVICES]

Promoting Mammography for Older

Women

In May 1995 First Lady Hillary Rodha

Clinton, the Department of Health and 

Services, and the Health Care Financin

Administration initiated a campaign to 

women over 65 that mammographies s

lives. Research has shown that early de

decreases breast cancer death rates by 3

percent in this age group. With the enac

of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, M

expanded its mammography coverage. 

January 1, 1998, Medicare covers annu

mammograms for its beneficiaries at ag

and over. In addition to expanding the

coverage, the deductibles were changed 

ensure that cost is less of a barrier to ob

screening mammograms. The Medicare

educational campaign has also been ex

to target women beginning in their fort

theme is Mammograms: Not Just Once

a Lifetime. More information about thi

educational campaign and other Health 
6868 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Financing Administration programs can be

obtained from the Health Care Financing

Administration website at http://www.hcfa.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early

Detection Program

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality

Prevention Act of 1990 authorized the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention to establish

a national program to ensure that women for

whom screening is recommended receive

regular screening for breast and cervical cancer,

prompt follow-up if necessary, and assurance

that the tests are performed in accordance with

current recommendations. Such screening

measures could prevent approximately 15 to 30

percent of all deaths from breast cancer among

women over the age of 40 and virtually all

deaths from cervical cancer. The Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention’s National

Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection

Program is a landmark program that was

developed to offer free or low-cost critical

breast and cervical cancer screening services to

underserved women, including older women,

women with low incomes, and women of racial

and ethnic minority groups, including

American Indian/Alaska Native women. The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

support early detection programs in all 50

states, five U.S. territories, the District of

Columbia, and 15 American Indian/Alaska

Native organizations. The goal is to reduce

breast cancer deaths among these women by 30

percent and cervical cancer deaths by more

than 90 percent through increased

mammographies and Pap testing.

By October 1999 more than two million

screening tests were provided by the National

Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection

Program to more than 1.3 million women.

Through the program, 5,880 breast cancers,

31,266 cases of cervical intraepithelial

neoplasia (CIN) I, II, or III, and 508 cases of

invasive cervical cancer were diagnosed.

FY 1999 appropriations of approximately

$159,000,000 enable the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention to establish greater

access to screening and follow-up services,

increase educational programs for women and

health care providers, and improve quality

assurance measures for screening.

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention collaborate with state health

agencies, health care professionals and

organizations, human service and voluntary

organizations, and academia to establish and

promote increased access to breast and cervica

cancer screening among underserved women;

develop, implement, and evaluate national and

community-based interventions for cancer

prevention and early detection; and test new

methods and replicate proven strategies to

educate underserved women about breast and

cervical cancers. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Indian Women’s Health Initiative

From 1997 to 1999 the National Indian

Women’s Health Steering Committee has

focused on direct services that include

increasing the number of female providers,

improving access to women’s health clinics,

and promoting community programs for

prenatal care and immunizations. Partnerships

with other agencies have resulted in grants for

early detection of breast and cervical cancer

and the appointment of Indian women to the

Minority Women’s Panel of Experts. The

Committee advises and makes

recommendations to Indian Health Services on
Women and Healt

Section C 

Indian women’s issues and sponsors Indian

Women in Action, a community mobilization

training. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Home and Community-Based Care Cancer

Education for Older Women

Funded by the Administration on Aging, the

National Association of State Units on Aging

developed an initiative that demonstrates the

effectiveness of home and community-based

care programs and services to conduct breast

cancer education for older women. The project

goal was to activate home and communitybased care systems to deliver breast cancer

prevention to large numbers of active and

homebound older women, thus also providing a

replication model for prevention initiatives for

other cancers or chronic diseases. Specifically,

project staff is producing resource materials,

developing effective education strategies

appropriate for home and community-based

care service systems, identifying organizational

linkages for local screening referrals, and

conducting demonstrations. The National

Association of State Units on Aging developed

and tested a home and community-based care

breast cancer education kit in five low-income

and minority demonstration sites.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Food and Drug Administration Breast

Cancer Product Approvals

The Food and Drug Administration approved a

new indication for Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate)

of reducing the incidence of breast cancer in

women at high risk for developing the disease.

This new indication for tamoxifen, which has

been used as a breast cancer treatment for more

than 20 years, resulted from a recent study of

the drug, conducted by the National Cancer

Institute, in women who were judged to be at

increased risk of breast cancer. The study

showed that tamoxifen reduced the chance of

getting breast cancer by 44 percent. The data

also showed that tamoxifen treatment d

completely eliminate breast cancer risk

that its longer-term effects are not know

Trastuzumab (trade-name Herceptin), t

monoclonal antibody licensed for breas

was approved in September 1998 for u

for certain patients who have unsuccess

tried other chemotherapies, or as a first

treatment for metastatic disease when u

combination with paclitaxel (Taxol).

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTAN

ABUSE

The Substance Abuse and Mental He

Services Administration

The Substance Abuse and Mental Heal

Services Administration supports know

application grant programs for resident

substance abuse treatment for pregnant 

and women with dependent children. T

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Se

Administration also supports knowledg

development programs for women with

histories of violence and co-occurring m

health and substance abuse disorders.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Substance Abuse Prevention and Tre

Block Grant

Between 1998 and 1999 the Substance 

Prevention and Treatment Block Grant p

received a $225,000,000 increase, for a 

$1.6 billion, to support and maintain st

substance abuse prevention and treatme

systems. The Block Grant contains sev

provisions specifically related to women

must ensure that all pregnant women in 

state who seek or are referred to substa

abuse services and would benefit from 

services are given preference in admiss

treatment facilities receiving Block Gra
7070 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

funds. If no treatment facility has the capacity

to admit a pregnant woman, states must make

interim services available no later than 48 hours

after the woman seeks treatment. States are

required to maintain the level of Block Grant

funds allocated to services for pregnant women

and women with dependent children.

Through the Community Mental Health

Services Block Grant, funded by the Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration in FY 1999, the states develop

mental health plans that create strong networks

of families, providers, and consumers to direct

federal and non-federal funds to local needs.

Although this Block Grant does not contain

specific provisions for women’s services, it has

a major impact on women’s mental health due

to the proportion of individuals with mental

illness who are women. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Provision of Services

The Department of Health and Human Services

directly supports the provision of reproductive

health and family planning services through the

Title X (of the Public Service Health Act)

Family Planning program. Each year

approximately 4.5 million persons receive Title

X-supported services, 85 percent of them from

low-income households. In addition, other

programs such as Medicaid, Maternal and

Child Health, and Social Service Block Grants

provide some reproductive and family planning

services. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Improved Access to Information

The federal government took steps, beginning

in 1993, to ensure that all women cared for

through federal family planning programs have

access to complete and accurate information,

including pregnancy-options counseling when

requested, by suspending a 1988 rule

preventing federally funded clinics from

providing full information. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Research on Access to Contraceptive

Services and Prenatal Care

The National Institute of Child Health and

Human Development continues to fund several

studies to examine the relationship between

health care services and women's choice of

contraceptives. The National Institute of Child

Health and Human Development researchers

are also collaborating in a randomized,

controlled, clinical trial that compares a

modified system of prenatal care to a

conventional system of care currently in place

in developing countries. Because perinatal

experts and national groups have recommended

limiting prenatal visits for low-risk women to

conserve resources for women at high risk of

poor pregnancy outcomes, this study will help

determine the most cost-effective model of

prenatal care for low-risk women.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Fertility Clinic Report

Congress enacted Public Law 102-493, the

Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification

Act of 1992, to provide information to the

public concerning the success rates for

individual fertility clinics providing assisted

reproductive technology and to assure the

quality of services by associated embryology

laboratories, through inspection and

certification. In 1997 the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention worked closely with the

American Society for Reproductive Medicine,

the Society for Assisted Reproductive

Technology, and RESOLVE (a national

consumer organization for couples

experiencing infertility) to establish and adopt

pregnancy success rate reporting definitions

and procedures. The Centers for Disease
Women and Healt

Section C 

Control and Prevention completed analysis of

the 1995 data, and this transitional report was

jointly released in 1997. The 1995 annual

report consists of two parts: a national report

that provides consumers with in-depth

information about factors that may influence

their chances of pregnancy success and a clinicspecific report that gives consumers

information about pregnancy success rates and

services offered for individual clinics. The

report shows that the live birthrate after assisted

reproductive technology is about l9.6 percent

and that the age of the woman is the single

most important factor associated with success

rate. A second report based on 1996 data was

published in 1998. Both reports consist of:

• A national report that uses information from

all U.S. fertility clinics to provide an in-depth

national picture of assisted reproductive

technology;

• Fertility clinic tables that provide assisted

reproductive technology success rates for

each clinic that submitted and verified its

data; and

• An appendix containing a glossary of terms

and lists of reporting and non-reporting

clinics in the United States.

More than 20,600 babies were born as the

result of assisted reproductive technology being

performed in 1996. According to this latest

report, 300 clinics nationwide conducted

64,036 assisted reproductive technology cycles.

About one in four (22.6 percent) assisted

reproductive technology cycles resulted in

births for women using their own eggs.

According to the report, approximately three in

four (77.4 percent) assisted reproductive

technology attempts did not result in a birth.

The age of the woman was the single most

important factor associated with success rate.

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention have developed a website at

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/art.htm that

enables consumers to research fertility clinics

in their local area. In 1998 Consumer R

recognized this website for its contribu

educating consumers. [DEPARTMEN

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Freedom of Access to Reproductive H

Care

The Department of Justice prosecutes c

violations of the Freedom of Access to 

Entrances Act, the 1994 law created to 

women's access to reproductive health 

services and those providing such servi

Amid growing concern about acts of vi

against clinic staff, the Attorney Gener

established the National Task Force on

Violence Against Health Care Provider

1998 to coordinate investigation and

prosecution of cases and to train law

enforcement. Between 1997 and 1999, 

Department successfully prosecuted se

cases under the Freedom of Access law

including prosecutions for violent attac

clinic personnel, for physical obstructio

clinic entrances, and for threats of viole

against clinic staff and patients.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Food and Drug Administration Prod

Approvals

Osteoarthritis and Menstrual Pain

The Food and Drug Administration has

approved Vioxx (rofecoxib), a new dru

treatment of osteoarthritis and menstru

and for the management of acute pain in 

Vioxx is a non-steroidal anti-inflammat

drug and is the second approved versio

class of drugs commonly referred to as 

2 inhibitor.”

Contraception

A second emergency contraceptive call

PLAN B was approved on July 28, 199

tablet contains the hormone levonorges

the indication of emergency contracept

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]
7272 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH

BENEFITS PROGRAM:

MATERNITY, MASTECTOMY, AND

MAMMOGRAPHY

Coverage for HDC/ABMT High-Dose

Chemotherapy

As of the 1996 contract year, carriers in the

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

were required to cover high-dose chemotherapy

in conjunction with allogenic and autologous

bone marrow transplants for breast cancer,

multiple myeloma, and ovarian epithelial cell

tumors. The Office of Personnel Management

allowed these services to be limited to clinical

trials. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Maternity Length of Stay

Effective as of the 1998 contract year and in

accordance with Public Law 104-204, the

Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act

of 1996, under the Federal Employees Health

Benefits Program plans the mother has the

option of staying in the hospital for at least 48

hours after a regular delivery and 96 hours after

a cesarean delivery. Additionally, plans were

expected to provide benefits for inpatient

maternity stays for as long beyond the 48 or 96

hours as is medically necessary. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Mastectomy Admission and Length of Stay

The Office of Personnel Management

implemented policies in the 1998 contract year

to prevent women who must undergo

mastectomies from being required by their

health plans to have this surgery on an

outpatient basis or to leave the hospital

prematurely. All plans in the Federal

Employees Health Benefits Program were

required to provide mastectomy patients with

the option of having the procedure performed

on an inpatient basis and remaining in the

hospital for at least 48 hours after the

procedure. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of

1998

Public Law 105-277, the Women’s Health and

Cancer Rights Act of 1998, requires all health

insurance plans, including the Federal

Employees Health Benefits Program plans, tha

cover mastectomies to also cover:

• All stages of reconstruction of the breast on

which the mastectomy was performed;

• Surgery and reconstruction of the other breas

to produce a symmetrical appearance;

• Prostheses; and

• Treatment of physical complications of

mastectomy, including lymphedemas.

While most Federal Employee Health Benefits

Program plans were substantially in

compliance before enactment of the law,

effective January 1, 1999, all carriers were

required to cover the above categories relating

to mastectomy. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Direct Access to Obstetricians and

Gynecologists

The President’s Advisory Commission on

Consumer Protection and Quality drafted a

Consumer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

(Patients’ Bill of Rights). The Patients’ Bill of

Rights recommended that women should have

access to plan gynecologists, certified nurse

midwives, and other qualified providers for

routine and preventative women’s health care

services. For the 1999 contract year the Office

of Personnel Management required carriers to

increase the direct access to women’s health

care providers. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]
Women and Healt

Section C 

Federal Employees Life Insurance

Improvement Act

The Federal Employees Life Insurance

Improvement Act, enacted October 30, 1998,

made numerous changes broadening the

Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance

Program. The number of coverage multiples for

Option C insurance an employee may elect

increased from one to five multiples. Option C

insurance provides dependent coverage for

spouses ($5,000) and dependent children

($2,500 for each child). Changes include:

• The definition of “family members” was

expanded to include foster children under

Option C if they live with the employee or

annuitant in a regular parent-child

relationship.

• Employees enrolled for Additional Optional

insurance (offered in multiples of one to five

times basic pay) may elect to continue any

portion of this coverage that has been in force

for at least five years at time of separation

from federal service, at the same group rates

that apply to other program participants.

• Employees who are eligible to continue

Additional Optional insurance as a retiree

may at the time of retirement elect to pay

additional premiums for no post-retirement

reduction in coverage. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Federal Employees Group Long-Term Care

Insurance Act of 1999

H. R. 110, the Federal Employees Group LongTerm Care Insurance Act of 1999, was

introduced in Congress on January 6, 1999, and

authorizes the Office of Personnel Management

to purchase a policy or policies from one or

more carriers to make long-term care insurance

available to federal employees, retirees, parents

and parents-in-law, and other individuals

designated by the Office of Personnel

Management.

In keeping with the Office of Personnel

Management’s objective of providing h

resource management leadership, long-

care insurance represents a life-cycle b

that is appropriate for individuals plann

the possible need for long-term care ser

the future. Because these services are ty

not covered under medical plans or Me

offering a long-term care group benefit 

eligible individuals allows them to purc

coverage at rates that are expected to ra

from 15 to 20 percent lower than indivi

purchased policies in the private marke

Women spend a significant portion of t

caring for elderly relatives and make m

accommodations to their work and pers

schedules to provide care-giving activiti

benefit program will assist in alleviatin

caregiving responsibilities of employee

offering insurance protection to parents 

will provide the opportunity for women 

for their own long-term care needs thro

purchase of long-term care insurance.

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Department of Defense Mammograp

Standards

The requirements of the Mammograph

Quality Standards Act are met by 99.5 

of all Department of Defense health ca

facilities providing mammography. At 

active duty women undergo baseline

mammography that is also offered to el

beneficiaries. After age 50, annual

mammograms are performed. Screenin

schedules can be modified according to

individual risk factors as determined by 

health care provider. [DEPARTMENT 

DEFENSE]
7474 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Health Awareness and Access

Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts

around the world develop and implement

programs to expand awareness of health issues

and access to health care, and to strengthen

local health care sectors. Programs focus on

nutrition, child survival, maternal health,

communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS prevention,

substance abuse, dental health, vision and

hearing testing, cancer screening, and first aid.

Approximately 1,100 Volunteers in 36

countries are involved in health-related

projects, in addition to the more than 400

Volunteers working in water and sanitation

projects. More information can be found online

at http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/health.

An example includes:

• In 1998 Peace Corps Volunteers initiated a

joint project with the Moroccan Ministry of

Health to improve local prenatal care and

home birthing conditions and to educate

women on the danger signs of difficult labor

and delivery. Volunteers worked with

approximately 40 village midwives to help

assemble and distribute 600 “safe birthing”

kits, which contained clean birthing supplies

with low-literacy pictogram instructions. As

of September 1999, 16 traditional birth

attendants have been trained in use of the kits

and enlisted to conduct educational sessions

with local women. [PEACE CORPS]

Fostering Networks for Health

In 1998 the U.S. Agency for International

Development launched a ground-breaking

project entitled Non-Governmental

Organization Networks for Health. This effort

unites leaders in development and relief in an

effort to expand access to family planning

through community-based efforts to improve

maternal and child health and to prevent HIV/

AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The five-year, $51,000,000 project forms a

unique public-private partnership between Save

the Children, CARE, Childreach/PLAN

International, the Adventist Development and

Relief Agency, and Program for Appropriate

Technology in Health. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Department of State Programs

The Department of State supports programs

specifically designed to improve the quality of

women’s health care. Many of the programs are

run by women, and all use health care training

services as a means to promote awareness of

women’s heath issues and women’s

participation in community-based selfgovernment and development.

Bulgaria

In 1997 through 1998 the U.S. Embassy in

Bulgaria provided a Democracy Network

Program grant of $5,995 to fund an Animus

Association project entitled Good Practices for

Women in Mental Health. The project's

purpose was to research the social services

industry with a view toward women, form

expert groups of women professionals working

on programs in support of women, and identify

criteria for best practices in social work.

Afghanistan

In FY 1998 the Department of State funded

$3,300,000 worth of projects specifically

targeting Afghan women and girls, including

$1,500,000 for the education and health of

Afghan women and girls in Pakistan. These

programs are ongoing.

Burma

The Burma Democracy Grants Program targets

community-based health care projects in

Burma and Thailand. Since 1996 the

Department of State has awarded $2,988,000 to

six main grantees and multiple subgrantees,

including the International Rescue Committee

and the Organization for Women’s Education

for Advancement and Empowerment.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
Women and Healt

Section C 

C.2. Strengthen preventive programs that promote women’s health.

CANCER PREVENTION

Department of Defense Initiative

The Department of Defense Breast Cancer

Prevention, Education and Diagnosis initiative

was established by Congress in 1996 to

increase access to complete breast care,

develop and implement programs to educate

beneficiaries, and increase the emphasis on

prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

Since 1996 the program has received

$25,000,000 each fiscal year.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Protecting Women And Children From

Lead-Based Paint Poisoning

Lead poisoning is a serious threat to young

women and all children under six. In children

and developing fetuses, lead poisoning

permanently affects the development of the

brain and results in decreases in intelligence,

behavioral problems, and slowed growth. In

women, lead exposure can cause difficulties

during pregnancy, digestive problems, and

muscle and joint pain.

The Department of Housing and Urban

Development operates a Lead Hazard Control

grant program to assist state and local

governments in controlling and reducing lead

hazards in private housing. The target

population for the program includes lowincome families with children living in older

housing with lead-based paint hazards.

The Lead Hazard Control program was

authorized by Title X of the Housing and

Community Development Act of 1992. The

authorization of Title X reflected an improved

understanding of the causes and prevention of

lead poisoning to control lead hazards in the

home in more cost-effective ways that reach the

maximum number of families. The Department

of Housing and Urban Development’s Lead

Hazard Control program has had seven 

rounds of funding since 1993. To date, a 

$492,000,000 has been awarded to prot

women and children. State and local

governments have received grants rangi

$1,000,000 to $6,000,000.

To assist others conducting lead hazard 

the Department of Housing and Urban

Development has published a number o

and handbooks, including Guidelines fo

Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based 

Hazards in Housing. [DEPARTMENT 

HOUSING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT]

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

HEALTH

Preventing Work-Related Musculosk

Disorders

Each year more than 225,000 women m

work because of musculoskeletal injuri

related to their jobs. Women comprise 

percent of those suffering from carpal t

syndrome, a significant ergonomics pro

Nearly 90 percent of nursing aides, ord

and attendants and more than 90 percen

registered nurses are women; health ca

workers suffer an undue percentage of 

strains from lifting patients.

In February 1999 the Department of La

Occupational Safety and Health Admin

has made available for public comment 

proposed ergonomics programs rule de

to prevent work-related musculoskeleta

disorders. The Occupational Safety and 

Administration published its proposed

ergonomics rule in November 1999.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Initiatives to Improve the Health of H

Care Workers

Among Occupational Safety and Healt

Administration initiatives to improve th

and safety of health care workers, parti
7676 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

occupations where women dominate (for

example, registered nurses, licensed practical

nurses, nurses aides, health care aides, and

dental assistants), are actions to prevent

tuberculosis, injuries from needlesticks and

other sharp objects, and natural rubber latex

allergy.

• Preventing Tuberculosis

In 1996 the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration issued guidelines for the

prevention of tuberculosis. In 1997 the

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration published a proposal to

require employers to protect health care and

other workers from exposure to tuberculosis;

public hearings were held in 1998. The

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration is analyzing the rulemaking

record for tuberculosis and completing a final

standard on tuberculosis exposure. The

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration will continue to work with the

Department of Health and Human Services

(Centers for Disease Control, National

Institutes of Health, and the Surgeon

General’s Office of Smoking and Health) to

protect health care workers from contracting

tuberculosis.

• Preventing Injuries from Needlesticks and

Other Sharp Objects

Health care workers are at risk for injuries

from needlesticks, with nurses reporting the

most frequent exposure to accidental injury.

Injuries from contaminated needles may

result in the transmission of the human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B

virus, hepatitis C virus, and other bloodborne

pathogens. In order to assess the state-of-theart regarding safer needle devices and to

determine what additional actions may be

needed to protect health care workers, the

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration published a Request for

Information in the Federal Register in

September 1998. The Occupational Safety

and Health Administration received

approximately 400 comments in response to

this request, and using information gathered

from these comments, the agency is pursuing

several approaches to minimize risks from

needlestick injuries.

• Preventing Natural Rubber Latex Allergy

In 1999 the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration issued Technical Information

Bulletin: Potential for Allergy to Natural

Rubber Latex Gloves and Other Natural

Rubber Products. The use of natural rubber

latex products may result in several varieties

of reactions, including localized redness and

rash; nasal, sinus, and eye symptoms;

asthmatic manifestations, including cough,

wheeze, shortness of breath, and chest

tightness; and rarely, systemic reactions with

swelling of the face, lips, and airways that

may progress rapidly to shock and,

potentially, death. Natural rubber latex is

found in a variety of products, including

gloves, airway masks, medication vial tops,

anesthesia bags, various catheters, supplies

for intravenous drug use, dental dams,

balloons, and other products. In particular,

health care workers are exposed to natural

rubber latex, especially through the use of

natural rubber latex gloves. The Occupationa

Safety and Health Administration’s web page

is located at http://www.osha.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION

National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis

and Related Bone Diseases National

Resource Center

The National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis

and Related Bone Diseases National Resource

Center was initiated in September 1998 as a

cooperative agreement with a consortium of

three voluntary organizations by the National

Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Women and Healt

Section C 

Skin Diseases and six other agencies of the

federal government's Department of Health and

Human Services. With $600,000 per year, the

Center carries out a national educational and

information program about osteoporosis and

related bone diseases that:

• Makes research-based information available

via phone (1-800-624-BONE/ TTY: 202-466-

4315), fax (202-293-2356), e-mail

(orbdnrc@nof.org) and the Internet (http://

www.osteo.org), and explores new ways to

communicate;

• Documents educational barriers and test

strategies for health professionals to better

identify, diagnose, and treat osteoporosis and

related bone diseases;

• Targets high-risk populations and addresses

access-to-care issues, including cultural,

language, and educational barriers in specific

populations;

• Designs, implements, and evaluates bone

diseases education and information programs

in several regions of the United States; and

• Organizes working groups of medical experts

and consumer representatives to review data

and prepare publications relevant to

osteoporosis and related bone diseases

education. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

National Osteoporosis Campaign

Created by the Department of Health and

Human Service’s Office on Women’s Health,

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

and the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the

National Osteoporosis Campaign (now

renamed the National Bone Health Campaign)

was started on September 25, 1998. This public

health campaign targets adolescent girls ages 9

to 18 and promotes bone healthy behaviors,

such as increased calcium intake and increased

physical activity, as well as decreased

participation in health-compromising

behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol

consumption. By practicing bone health

behaviors, adolescent girls maximize th

bone mass and bone strength for osteop

prevention. A new campaign will be lau

in the fall of 1999. [DEPARTMENT O

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

TOBACCO USE AND WOMEN

Tobacco Use

Tobacco use is the single leading preve

cause of death in the United States. It ki

than 400,000 Americans each year. The

Department of Health and Human Serv

several initiatives to decrease tobacco u

women, adolescents, and children:

Research Efforts

The National Cancer Institute of the Na

Institutes of Health is focusing a major r

effort on lung cancer and other tobacco

cancers. Included in all areas of researc

studies addressing lung cancer in wome

investigate questions such as why wom

smokers are more likely than men are t

develop lung cancer. The National Can

Institute and the National Institute on D

Abuse will fund $14,500,000 annually 

years, beginning in late 1999, for the cr

of seven collaborative Transdisciplinary

Tobacco Research Centers, with an add

$14,000,000 from the Robert Wood Joh

Foundation. The Centers will use advan

molecular biology, genetics, and behav

science to study the tobacco problem in 

that will integrate biological and psych

models of tobacco and addiction.

Guidelines on Smoking Cessation

The Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research's guidelines on smoking cessa

based on a scientific review of what do

does not work to help people quit smok

are targeted for both clinicians and con

Guideline recommendations include
7878 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

involvement of a clinician, nicotine

replacement therapy, and interventions that

provide problem-solving techniques and social

support to help smokers. Copies are available in

several languages by calling 1-800-358-9295.

These guidelines are being updated by the

Public Health Service in 1999.

Children and Adolescents

Regulations have been issued to restrict the sale

and distribution of cigarettes and smokeless

tobacco to protect children and adolescents.

These regulations include the following:

• Prohibiting sale to persons under the age of

18;

• Banning vending machines and self-service

displays except in “adult” facilities where

persons under 18 are not allowed;

• Banning free samples;

• Prohibiting outdoor advertising within 1,000

feet of schools and public playgrounds;

• Permitting black and white text only in

advertising publications with significant

youth readership;

• Prohibiting sale and distribution of nontobacco items; and

• Limiting sponsorships of sporting and other

events to the corporate name.

On August 2, 1999, the Food and Drug

Administration launched a new advertising

campaign in five states and 11 media markets to

help ensure greater retailer compliance with the

Food and Drug Administration regulation that

makes the sale of tobacco products to minors

illegal.

The $5,000,000 advertising campaign will

reach more than 24 million people and

encourages retailers and clerks to do their part

to prevent young people from purchasing

tobacco products. The simple yet powerful For

a Reason campaign includes radio, print, and

outdoor advertising. A 30-second television

advertisement also is being pilot-tested in three

separate media markets. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

TEEN PREGNANCY

Department of Health and Human Services

Efforts

The Department of Health and Human

Services’ efforts to reduce teen pregnancy

include abstinence-focused demonstration

programs as well as support for communitywide coalitions to test innovative approaches.

The Department of Health and Human Services

has published a guidebook for communities,

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Promoting

Promising Strategies. In addition, the new

Welfare Reform Act includes provisions

requiring teen mothers to live at home and stay

in school. The Act also earmarks new funds for

teen pregnancy prevention programs and

requires at least 25 percent of communities to

have teen pregnancy prevention programs in

place. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

NUTRITION

The Milk Matters Campaign: National

Institute of Child Health and Human

Development

The average adolescent girl consumes only

about 800 mg of calcium per day, 500 mg less

than the current Dietary Reference Intake.

Adequate calcium, especially in the first two

decades of life, is critical to building strong

bones and ensuring future health. To help

prevent osteoporosis and the future disability

that results from this condition, the National

Institute of Child Health and Human

Development sponsors the Milk Matters

campaign. The Milk Matters campaign is a

public health initiative designed to increase

calcium consumption among children and

adolescents. The campaign provides a variety
Women and Healt

Section C 

of materials to professionals, parents, and

children to explain the importance of calcium

for strong and healthy bones.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Nutrition Programs for the Elderly

The Administration on Aging administers

Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs,

which provide nutritious meals in group

settings such as senior centers and in homes

(Meals on Wheels), as well as nutrition

education, nutrition counseling, and health

promotion/disease prevention activities to older

adults. Seventy percent of program participants

are older women. Program participants are

older, have lower incomes, and are more likely

to live alone than the overall over-60

population. Program participants have an

average of three chronic health conditions, are

at high-to-moderate nutritional risk, and are

functionally impaired. The programs serve

older minority populations in greater

proportion than the overall 60-plus population.

Adequate nutritional status is integral to

healthy aging and the prevention, delay,

treatment, and management of chronic disease

and disease-related disabilities. Adequate

nutritional status helps older adults remain at

home in the community, helping to avoid or

delay costly institutionalization and

maintaining improved quality of life.

Additional information about Older Americans

Act Nutrition Programs may be found online at

http://www.aoa.gov. The Administration on

Aging also funds the National Policy and

Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging,

whose mission is to work with the

Administration on Aging and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture to provide national

leadership in aging, nutrition and extension

networks, and place food and nutrition services

in the mainstream of home and communitybased social, health, and long-term care

delivery systems serving older individu

Information regarding the Center and th

services that it provides may be found o

http://www.fiu.edu/~nutreldr.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

NUTRITION EDUCATION

Food Assistance and Nutrition

The U.S. Department of Agriculture

administers food assistance programs t

provide nutrition and consumer educati

along with food, to help individuals and

families obtain a nutritious diet. The lin

between diet, nutrition, and health have 

well established by scientific research. 

income women often face particular pr

in achieving an adequate diet. The dire

benefit programs include the Food Stam

Program; the Women, Infants and Child

Program; and the National School Lunc

Breakfast Programs. [DEPARTMENT 

AGRICULTURE]

Breastfeeding Promoted by the Wom

Infants and Children Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture

continually works to ensure that the Wo

Infants and Children Program addresse

specific nutrition and health needs of th

women it serves. For example, breastfe

given high priority in the Women, Infan

Children Program, and participants are 

encouraged to breastfeed. Women who

breastfeed are favored in the priority sy

they receive a greater variety and quant

food than do non-breastfeeding women

they can participate in the program for 

period of time than non-breastfeeding

postpartum women. [DEPARTMENT 

AGRICULTURE]
8080 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND ECONOMIC

LINKS

International Conference on Women in

Agriculture

At the 1998 Second International Conference

on Women in Agriculture, women’s health,

nutrition, food safety, and links between

economics and nutrition were addressed fully

in more than ten sessions with professionals

from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and

the Department of Health and Human Services.

The follow-up to the conference has served as

an important networking and educational

vehicle. A new website was created to increase

communication and networking at

http://www.wia.usda.gov. [DEPARTMENT

OF AGRICULTURE/ DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

PREVENTIVE SERVICES

Women's Health: Take Time to Care

The Food and Drug Administration initiated a

major national public awareness program,

Women’s Health: Take Time To Care, in

October 1999 to bring important health

promotion messages to women. With women as

primary caregivers in the family, this program

seeks to bring attention to better health

practices among women and their families, in

order to reduce the annual cost of $75 billion in

doctors’ visits, hospitalizations, and lost wages

resulting from improper use of medicines.

In 1998 and 1999 the Food and Drug

Administration Office of Women’s Health has

reached more than 1.5 million Americans with

the important message “Use Medications

Wisely.” The Take Time To Care campaign has

been so successful that this year, with the

National Association of Chain Drug Stores as a

co-sponsor, the program hopes to reach at least

5 million women and their families about safe

use of medicine. Plans include the distribution

of the My Medicines brochure in more than

20,000 drug stores across the country, an easyto-read pamphlet about taking medicines

correctly that includes a medicine-tracking

chart. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Safe Motherhood

The global Safe Motherhood Initiative was

launched in 1987 to improve maternal health

and cut the number of maternal deaths in half

by the year 2000. It is led by co-sponsoring

agencies who work together to raise awareness

set priorities, stimulate research, mobilize

resources, provide technical assistance, and

share information. Their cooperation and

commitment helped governments and nongovernmental partners from more than 100

countries take action to make motherhood

safer. During the Initiative’s first decade, these

safe motherhood partners developed model

programs, tested new technologies, and

conducted research in a wide range of countries

and settings.

At the April 7, 1998, World Health Day

celebration in Washington, D.C., individuals

and groups who have made significant

contributions to the cause of Safe Motherhood

both in the United States and internationally,

were honored. The Centers for Disease Contro

and Prevention worked with the American

Association for World Health, as well as

representatives of professional and community

organizations and other government agencies,

to provide technical assistance for the World

Health Day activities in the United States. A

resource manual was designed to help

community groups, health departments, and

other groups plan a World Health Day activity

for their community. Fact sheets with

information for women on a variety of topics

related to safe motherhood, including
Women and Healt

Section C 

pregnancy planning, prenatal care, substance

use in pregnancy, and warning signs of

problems, were included in the book. For more

information, visit

http://www.safemotherhood.org/.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Water and Sanitation

Women in developing countries play key roles

in providing water and ensuring household

sanitation and health. Approximately 400

Peace Corps Volunteers work directly with

women to improve access to clean water and

strengthen local sanitation practices. They also

make a special effort to incorporate women in

decision-making processes that affect

sanitation and health. For example:

• In Ghana, Peace Corps Volunteers encourage

women to participate in local water and

sanitation committees in their communities.

As a result of this effort, 40 to 50 percent of

the water and sanitation committee members

in these communities are women as of

September 1999. The regular involvement of

women in hygiene education improves the

health of women and children, who are most

at risk for contracting communicable

diseases. [PEACE CORPS]

Expanding Health Awareness

Approximately 1,100 Peace Corps Volunteers

and their counterparts around the world

develop and implement programs to expand

awareness of health issues. Many of these

programs focus on women’s and children’s

health issues. More information is available

online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/health.

Examples include:

• In Poland, a Volunteer initiated and helped to

organize a “race for health” in 1997, to raise

local awareness about breast cancer. The

Polish Cancer Prevention Society and other

organizations funded the event, which

attracted approximately 2,000 people

National and local media covered the 

Cancer prevention information was

distributed throughout the day and lo

oncologists were on hand to answer

questions. The race has become a mo

similar races in neighboring towns.

• In 1999 a Volunteer in Kazakhstan ob

the publisher’s permission to reprint 7

copies of Our Bodies, Ourselves in R

for participants at an International W

Development conference. Distributio

book was a conference highlight, as c

and easily understood health informa

difficult to find. The participants retu

their various sites and helped to disse

this much-needed knowledge by dona

copies of the book to their local libra

[PEACE CORPS]

C.3. Undertake gender-sensitive initia

that address sexually transmitted disea

HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproducti

health issues.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUALLY

TRANSMITTED DISEASES

Women and AIDS

Women accounted for only seven perce

AIDS cases in 1985, but this figure incr

23 percent in 1998. AIDS is now the fo

leading cause of death among women a

to 44. AIDS is increasing faster among 

than among men, especially among min

women. Women of childbearing age ac

for the vast majority of these cases. Ma

operational divisions and offices within 

Department of Health and Human Serv

have initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS a

addressing other sexually transmitted d

that also have a lasting impact on wom

health. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALT

HUMAN SERVICES]
8282 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

White House Efforts

President Clinton instituted the White House

Office of National AIDS Policy to bring greater

focus to the war on AIDS. He called on the

Office’s director to undertake a fact-finding

mission to Africa that determined that AIDS is

responsible for the death of 5,500 African

women and children each day. The President

responded by announcing $100,000,000 funded

by the U.S. Agency for International

Development, the Department of Health and

Human Services, and the Department of

Defense to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in

Africa that disproportionately affects women.

The Office of National AIDS Policy held a

meeting of women leaders to engage them in

the fight against AIDS, served as a liaison

between the federal agencies working on HIV/

AIDS initiatives to encourage the inclusion of

women in clinical trials of AIDS drugs, and

worked for increased funding for research

prevention technologies that would allow

women to protect themselves against HIV.

[WHITE HOUSE]

Initiative on Women and HIV/AIDS

The Department of Health and Human Services

has established a cross-agency

intergovernmental collaboration for women's

treatment, research, and care needs called the

Secretary’s Workgroup on Women and HIV/

AIDS. As part of this effort, a series of

conferences in the ten Department of Health

and Human Services regions were held on HIVrelated issues and included a focus on women.

A report summarizing the result of each of the

regional conferences is available. Questions

about HIV and sexually transmitted disease

prevention for women are answered through

various resources, including the National

Women’s Health Network operated by the

Office on Women’s Health and the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention. The latter

includes the National AIDS Hotline

(1-800-342-AIDS or 1-800-344-SIDA for

Spanish) and Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention National STD Hotline (1-800-227-

8922). The National AIDS Clearinghouse (1-

800-458-5231) assists those groups and

organizations who provide women and HIV

prevention services to locate information and

services at the national, state, and community

level. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

HIV/AIDS Bureau at the Health Resources

and Services Administration

The Health Resources and Services

Administration has consolidated all of its HIV/

AIDS programs under the HIV/AIDS Bureau.

All titles of the Ryan White Care Act are now

centralized to coordinate HIV services and

create a family-centered system of care for

infected and affected men, women, children,

youth, and their families. The Title IV program

and its projects, which serve children, youth,

and women living with HIV, have made great

strides in reaching these vulnerable populations

and enrolling HIV-positive women in care

programs. Women can now access new, highly

active antiretroviral therapies and clinical trials

In addition, pregnant women have access to

proven treatment regimens with a high success

rate in preventing the transmission of HIV to

newborns. Title IV received $46,000,000 of

funding in 1999. The Health Resources and

Services Administration also administers

programs to the states for AIDS Drug

Assistance Programs, which provide needed

funding for antiretroviral therapies and

therapies to prevent or treat opportunistic

infections.

The Health Resources and Services

Administration’s new initiatives have been

created to specifically target vulnerable

populations such as HIV-positive and at-risk

African American women and children,

migrant farm workers, adolescents, and female

substance abusers. The Health Resources and
Women and Healt

Section C 

Services Administration’s AIDS Education and

Training Centers provide education, training,

and guidance for health care providers on

reducing perinatal transmission of HIV and

increasing treatment adherence among HIVpositive women. Through its demonstration

projects, initiatives, and model programs, the

Health Resources and Services Administration

is demonstrating how to provide HIV-positive

women and their families with culturally

appropriate HIV prevention and support

services that address the particular social,

behavioral, and economic cofactors involved in

HIV transmission. On Title I Planning

Councils, Title II Consortia, and Consumer

Advisory Boards throughout the country, HIVpositive women are provided with training and

empowerment to fully participate in planning

their care and their lives. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Medicaid and HIV/AIDS

Medicaid is the largest single payer of direct

medical services to persons living with AIDS.

The Medicaid program pays for the care of

more than 50 percent of all persons living with

AIDS and up to 90 percent of those persons

under 18 years of age living with AIDS. In

addition, Medicaid pays for the care of about

60,000 persons with HIV who have not yet

progressed to AIDS. Estimated combined

federal and state Medicaid expenditures for

AIDS-related medical care were $3.5 billion in

FY 1998. Currently, all states cover Food and

Drug Administration-approved prescribed

drugs, including various drugs for prophylactic

treatment of AIDS-related opportunistic

infections, and drugs for treatment of primary

HIV disease, such as protease inhibitors and

reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as

zidovudine.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Maternal HIV Consumer Informatio

Project

The Health Care and Financing Admin

developed the Maternal HIV Consumer

Information Project to increase patient 

provider knowledge about the availabil

drugs that reduce HIV transmission and 

expand knowledge of Medicaid eligibil

coverage of prenatal care. In this projec

Health Care and Financing Administra

works with state Medicaid agencies and

Departments of Health to provide wom

childbearing age with information rega

HIV testing and counseling that, in the 

woman is HIV positive, enables her to m

informed decision about preventing

transmission of HIV disease to her bab

drugs, when properly prescribed, can h

prevent transmission of HIV to infants. 

project also stresses that Medicaid pays 

HIV counseling, testing, treatment, and

medications to prevent transmission of 

from mother to child. Because a high

percentage of minority women receive

Medicaid, the Health Care and Financi

Administration also believes this projec

have a positive impact on minority wom

health outcomes. Of 18 million Medica

eligible women, approximately 32,000 

infected; approximately 3,000 are HIV 

and pregnant. Given that virtually all ne

infections in children are transmitted

perinatally, ways to overcome and prev

infection in this age group must target b

mother and infant. [DEPARTMENT O

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HIV/AIDS Research Supported by th

Centers for Disease Control and Prev

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention support HIV/AIDS surveilla

activities through cooperative agreemen

state health departments. These surveil
8484 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

activities provide, among other data,

descriptive information on the number and

characteristics of persons reported with AIDS

in all states and HIV in some states. The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

also have commissioned several studies to

assess adherence of HIV-positive drug users to

drug treatment regimes, define the spectrum of

HIV/AIDS, assess the adherence and barriers to

adherence of using ZDV (AZT) during

pregnancy, and conduct heterosexual partner

research. Epidemiological research into the

natural history of HIV disease in women is also

being conducted. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Food and Drug Administration Clinical

Trials

The Food and Drug Administration is

responsible for the approval of all new drugs

and other therapies for the treatment of HIV/

AIDS. There are ongoing vaccine trials, and

home test kits for HIV/AIDS detection are

being developed. Through the clinical trials

process, the Food and Drug Administration has

approved maternal ZDV use to reduce

transmission of HIV to the infant, development

of microbicides, and new technologies in

testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Topical Microbicide Initiative

At the 11th International Conference on AIDS

in 1996, the Secretary of Health and Human

Services announced a new Department-wide

effort to develop safe and effective topical

microbicides to help women protect themselves

against HIV infection and sexually transmitted

diseases. The initiative included a

$100,000,000 commitment to research and

development at the National Institutes of

Health and the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention over four years. In FY 1997 and

1998 the Department spent $24,700,000 and

$23,200,000, respectively, to support progress

on microbicide research. About 60 candidate

compounds have been evaluated in pre-clinical

or phase I and II safety trials, and phase III

effectiveness trials are underway for at least

two compounds. In addition, development,

implementation, and evaluation of increasingly

sensitive and non-invasive methods of

diagnosing sexually transmitted diseases that

promote HIV transmission has resulted in

declines in sexually transmitted disease

incidence and complications.

Statistics indicate that 72 percent of AIDS

cases in women may be attributed to

intravenous drug use, either through direct use

of intravenous drugs or through heterosexual

contact with intravenous drug users. The

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Administration Services has several grant

programs that focus on the relationship

between HIV/AIDS, substance abuse and

mental illness, and the increasing impact on

those disproportionately affected including

women, youth, and communities of color.

These programs support the development of

effective prevention and intervention strategies

training for caregivers, community programs,

and programs linking primary care, mental

health, and substance abuse services.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Special Projects of National Significance

Funded through the Health Resources and

Services Administration’s Ryan White Care

Act programs, seven Special Projects of

National Significance grants are supporting

implementation of innovative models of care

for women living with HIV/AIDS. Key

elements include integration and coordination

of care, care for substance abusers, client

education, and counseling and testing.
Women and Healt

Section C 

Many programs and initiatives within the

National Institutes of Health are dedicated to

HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases in

women. The Office of AIDS Research

coordinated the development and funding of

such programs and initiatives across the

National Institutes of Health, including those

related to such areas as breast-feeding

associated with HIV transmission, herpes

simplex shedding and HIV plasma load,

mother-to-child transmission, sexually

transmitted disease prevention, treatment for

HIV, mucosal immunity in the female

reproductive tract, and women-focused

behavioral interventions for HIV prevention.

More than $300,000,000 was allocated in

FY 1999 for research specifically targeting HIV

and women. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Improved HIV/Sexually Transmitted

Disease Screening for Women in

Correctional Facilities

Ad hoc studies show that prevalence of

gonococcal and chlamydial infection is high

among women admitted to corrections

facilities; however, screening for these

infections has been very limited in this setting

because of a lack of resources to perform pelvic

examinations. In 1998 the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention initiated a study,

Detecting Gonorrhea and Chlamydia where

Morbidity is High: Screening Women in Jails,

to evaluate the acceptability of urine-based

sexually transmitted disease testing among

women admitted to correctional institutions.

The study will also provide estimates of the

prevalence of gonorrhea and chlamydia in this

population, determine the percentage of women

testing positive who leave the facility before

test results are available, and assess state and

local health departments' ability to locate and

treat infected women. The study also includes

pregnancy testing and referral to prenatal care.

For women diagnosed with HIV or other

sexually transmitted diseases, appropri

counseling, referral, and treatment are

provided. Results of this study will be u

develop a framework for expanding sex

transmitted disease screening programs 

incarcerated women. [DEPARTMENT 

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Educating Federal Prisoners

The Department of Justice trains all fed

prison personnel on responding to sexu

abuse, focusing on mandatory reporting

safeguarding victims, investigating cas

following medical protocols, including

protocols for sexually transmitted disea

testing. The Department provides all fe

inmates with a comprehensive, mandat

education on HIV/AIDS and other sexu

transmitted diseases, with a strong emp

universal precautions.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Covering the Cost of Testing in Rape 

Under the 1994 Violence Against Wom

the Attorney General must ensure that t

Department of Justice (and not the vict

covers the costs of testing for sexually

transmitted diseases in sexual assault c

under federal jurisdiction. The Departm

established a payment system through t

offices of the 94 U. S. Attorneys to imp

the law and directed prosecutors and vi

witness coordinators to advise victims 

new rights. [DEPARTMENT OF JUS

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Fighting to Protect A Women’s Righ

Choose and Women’s Reproductive H

The President’s budget has recommend

increased support for reproductive heal

every year, and the Clinton Administra

FY 2000 budget recommended another

significant increase in family planning 

support clinics providing reproductive 
8686 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

services and clinical care to more than five

million low-income women, and to provide

contraceptive coverage for federal employees.

The President and Mrs. Clinton have both

spoken out for the right to choose, and the

President has vetoed bills that attempt to

restrict this right.

Hillary Rodham Clinton has worked to build

support for women’s reproductive health

around the world, focusing world attention and

support on women’s health clinics in Bolivia,

Mexico, Brazil, Tanzania, and Russia. She

organized a group of foundation leaders to

provide more support for family planning

centers in Haiti. [WHITE HOUSE]

Perinatal Alcohol and Other Substance

Abuse Prevention

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can

contribute to low birth weight, but more

importantly it can result in mental retardation,

severe alcohol-related neurobehavioral deficits,

and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The National

Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has

published a guide for primary health care

providers entitled Identification of At Risk

Drinking and Intervention with Women of

Childbearing Age. This publication will be

tested in prenatal settings as the foundation for

increasing physician awareness and for the

screening and referral of at-risk drinkers. The

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism recently awarded seven grants

resulting from a request for applications on the

Prevention of At Risk Drinking in Pregnancy.

These grantees will be collaborating to assure

that valuable information will be made

available quickly. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Reproductive Health and Family Planning

Services

These services, under the Title X Family

Planning Program, are provided to

approximately 4.5 million people each year,

nearly one-third of whom are under 20 years of

age and 85 percent of whom are from lowincome households. Services provided under

this Program include medical care related to

contraception, infertility, sexually transmitted

diseases, and HIV, as well as general

reproductive health care and education,

counseling, and referral services. To address

male involvement in preventing unintended

pregnancy, the Title X Family Planning

Program is supporting community-based

programs to develop effective approaches for

providing family planning education and

services to males.

The Department of Health and Human Services

supports a variety of programs to help women

plan and prepare for pregnancy as well as to

promote healthy pregnancies and births. It

sponsors a wide range of research activities

including efforts to enhance understanding and

treatment of conditions that affect women's

reproductive health across their lifespan, as

well as during pregnancy; to develop new

methods of contraception that prevent

pregnancy and protect against sexually

transmitted diseases; and ultimately to improve

and safeguard the health and well-being of

women. Ongoing educational activities

supported by the Department of Health and

Human Services promote women's

reproductive health. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Maternal and Child Health—Healthy Start

Initiative Program

Based on 1990 Census data, more than 3.4

million women of childbearing age live in the

75 high-risk urban, rural, and Tribal

communities funded in 1998 by the

Department of Health and Human Services’

Healthy Start Initiative Program. Eligibility for

Healthy Start funding is dependent on average

infant mortality rates exceeding 1.5 times the

national average of 7.6 deaths per 1,000 live

births (1996 rate). A broad array of
Women and Healt

Section C 

collaborative, community-based interventions

help reduce infant mortality, reduce racial

disparities in perinatal health, increase the

adequacy of prenatal care, and improve the

health of women, infants, and their families.

The 20 projects initially funded in the

demonstration phase of the Healthy Start

Initiative Program provide mentoring to newly

established projects as well as to other

interested agencies. The Healthy Start National

Resource Center serves as a vital channel to the

public for disseminating prior work

experiences, current information, and reference

materials developed and tested during the

demonstration phase. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Women’s and Children’s Health Policy

Center

The Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Maternal and Child Health

Bureau, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins

University School of Hygiene and Public

Health, established the Women’s and

Children’s Health Policy Center in the

Department of Population and Family Health

Sciences in 1996. The Center is involved in a

number of initiatives that identify, develop, and

analyze information to assist policymakers at

the national, state, and local levels in their

efforts to enhance the health status of and

service delivery to women of childbearing age.

An initial project of the Center addressed

program and policy areas for women’s health

and perinatal health through a two-volume

compendium entitled Charting a Course for the

Future of Women’s and Perinatal Health.

Central to the report is a lifespan and holistic

approach to women’s health and the

acknowledgment of the many social roles

women perform. Information on ordering the

two-volume set is available through National

Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse,

703-356-1964, or on their website at

http://www.nmchc.org. [DEPARTMEN

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Medicaid

States are required to provide Medicaid

coverage to all pregnant women with in

below 133 percent of the federal povert

States may choose to expand eligibility 

pregnant women with incomes up to 18

percent of the poverty level or higher.

Currently, 37 states provide Medicaid c

to pregnant women above the federally

mandated level to help them receive pre

care and other pregnancy-related servic

Many states have also enhanced the pre

care services that are reimbursable thro

Medicaid. As of 1993, 44 state Medica

programs paid for an enhanced package 

prenatal services to pregnant women un

services arrangements. Medicaid eligib

continues automatically for up to 90 da

delivery, and, depending on the state, m

continue for one year after delivery.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

RU-486

Action by the Department of Health an

Human Services helped facilitate the tra

U.S. patent rights for mifepristone (RU

drug used in France for non-surgical

termination of pregnancy, from a Frenc

pharmaceutical firm to an American no

organization. This transfer made it poss

the drug to be submitted to the Food an

Administration for approval for U.S.

marketing. In 1996 the Food and Drug

Administration determined that submit

clinical data demonstrate the safety and

efficacy of mifepristone in combination 

misoprostol when used under close me

supervision. [DEPARTMENT OF HE

AND HUMAN SERVICES]
8888 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Availability Of Emergency Contraception

The Food and Drug Administration approved

an application in September 1998 to market the

Preven Emergency Contraceptive Kit

containing a small number of oral contraceptive

pills. This product provides information on the

appropriate regimen for this use on the labeling

for both physicians and patients.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Contraceptive Coverage

Portions of Public Law 105-277, the Omnibus

Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental

Appropriations Act, 1999, require that carriers

participating in the Federal Employees Health

Benefits Program cover all prescription drugs

and devices for birth control approved by the

Food and Drug Administration. Effective

January 1, 1999, carriers in the Federal

Employees Health Benefits Program were

required to offer the full range of Food and

Drug Administration-approved prescription

drugs and devices for birth control under the

plan’s existing prescription drug benefit

structure. In addition, the law prohibits plans

from discriminating against plan doctors or

other providers whose religious beliefs or

moral convictions prevent them from

prescribing contraceptives. Pursuant to this law

and the President’s signing statement, the

Office of Personnel Management concluded a

contract amendment with all non-exempt health

plans under which each plan will cover the full

range of contraceptive drugs and devices

approved by the Food and Drug

Administration.

In addition, the Office of Personnel

Management directed plans to permit enrollees

whose plan doctors hold religious beliefs or

moral convictions that prevent them from

prescribing contraceptive methods to use

another plan doctor. To ensure enrollees were

aware of this coverage, the Office of Personnel

Management instructed each carrier and federa

employing agencies to issue an advisory

through its normal channels of communication

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

HIV/AIDS Programming in Africa

Since the mid-1980s the Peace Corps has

worked in a number of projects in Africa aimed

at the care and prevention of HIV/AIDS. As of

September 1999 approximately 550 Volunteers

are working in 19 health and water sanitation

projects that seek to educate women and youth

about HIV/AIDS. In addition, many other

Volunteers working in education, environment

or small business sectors have active HIV/

AIDS secondary activities. Some project

activities include:

• Burkina Faso

In 1998, 60 Volunteers initiated an AIDS

awareness competition throughout the

country. The objective was to enable local

communities to develop their own messages

adapted to their local contexts, culture,

language, environment, and economic

standing. Volunteers continue to work with

the theater groups formed for the competition

that perform for more than 150 villages,

raising awareness about HIV/AIDS.

• Guinea

Sixty Volunteers organize HIV/AIDS

awareness events such as soccer games and

raffles. Women’s soccer games have been

effective in drawing large crowds, with HIV/

AIDS messages being delivered during halftime breaks. [PEACE CORPS]
Women and Healt

Section C 

Gender-Sensitive Health Education

As part of the Peace Corps’ program for health

education, Volunteers and their counterparts are

involved in gender-sensitive health education.

More information is available online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/health.

For example:

• The Morocco Ministry of Health and Peace

Corps Volunteers designed research questions

aimed at determining women’s knowledge

and attitudes toward both modern and

traditional reproductive health practices.

Volunteers worked with health staff and local

leaders to identify a representative crosssection of married women of reproductive

age. Volunteers interviewed a total of 60

married women, ages 15 to 49, regarding

reproductive health issues. The tapes of their

conversations are being transcribed, and data

results will be analyzed and presented to the

Ministry officials in early 2000. The

information will be used to tailor future

health education activities.

• A Peace Corps Volunteer assigned to work

with a local non-governmental organization

in Guinea helped to produce and organize

performances of an original play designed to

increase community awareness of the serious

health issues related to female genital

mutilation. The play was performed during

1998 for more than 6,000 people in 16 cities.

[PEACE CORPS]

Worldwide HIV/AIDS Prevention

The U.S. Agency for International

Development has funded both regional and

country-specific HIV/AIDS prevention

programs in 22 countries in Africa, 12 in Latin

America and the Caribbean, nine in Asia, and

two in Europe and the Newly Independent

States. Examples since 1995 include the

following:

• In Uganda, the use of radio spots, voluntary

counseling, and testing has encouraged

young women ages 15 to 24 to delay the

onset of sexual activity and engage in 

sex practices. As a result, their HIV

prevalence has declined by 35 percen

• In Kenya, an AIDSWatch newspaper 

reached 700,000 readers each week. A

same time, 62 episodes of a radio soa

dealing with HIV/AIDS and broadcas

local languages generated 27,000 lette

listeners.

• In Thailand, three regional Centers fo

Excellence for HIV/AIDS prevention 

set up to ensure that existing and new

prevention programs continue to reac

people who need them.

• In Latin America, the U.S. Agency fo

International Development first test-m

female condoms in 1995. Since then, 

Agency for International Developmen

supported programs have sold severa

hundred thousand female condoms to 

and low-income women in Bolivia, B

and Haiti. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPME

Female Genital Mutilation—Senegal

In 1998 First Lady Hillary Rodham Cli

participated in a roundtable in Dakar, S

with women working to educate the pu

about the harmful health effects of fem

genital mutilation and to eradicate this p

The roundtable included 20 women fro

village of Malicounda Bambara, which 

abolished the practice of female genital

mutilation in 1997. [WHITE HOUSE

Democracy and Human Rights Fund

Program Projects on Female Genital

Mutilation

Over the past five years, the Departmen

State’s Democracy and Human Rights 

Program has provided funding for proje

focusing on female genital mutilation. 

1999, for example, these projects inclu

• Chad—Implementation of a plan to c

female genital mutilation;
9090 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Djibouti—Anti-female genital mutilation

consensus building;

• Ethiopia—National Committee on

Traditional Practices – media campaign to

discourage female genital mutilation and

forced child marriage;

• Senegal—The World Association of

Community Radio Broadcasters—use of

theatre to combat female genital mutilation;

• Somalia—Anti-female genital mutilation

education; and

• Togo—Inter-African Committee campaign

against female genital mutilation.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

INTERNATIONAL POPULATION

POLICY

Program of Action

The United States has played an active role in

furthering the implementation of the Program

of Action of the International Conference on

Population and Development held in Cairo,

Egypt, in 1994. Through public events,

international diplomacy, and United Nationssponsored meetings in 1998 and 1999, the

Department of State’s Bureau of Population,

Refugees and Migration led U.S. government

efforts to reaffirm international commitments to

the Program of Action during the five-year

review of the International Conference on

Population and Development.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

REFUGEE PROGRAMS

Reproductive Health Care for Refugees

Since 1995 the U.S. government has led

international efforts to help refugees and

persons in refugee-like settings have free and

voluntary access to comprehensive sexual and

reproductive health information and services,

including family planning, safe delivery,

protection from sexually transmitted diseases

and HIV/AIDS, and protection from violence

and sexual abuse.

For the past five years, the Department of

State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration has been active in promoting

comprehensive quality sexual and reproductive

health care for refugees and displaced persons

and has sponsored many initiatives aimed at

meeting their reproductive health needs. The

Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration

has participated actively with the office of the

United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees, United Nations Population Fund,

other international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations on the InterAgency Working Group on Refugee

Reproductive Health, which has established

guidelines and policies to meet the sexual and

reproductive health needs of refugees. The

Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration

has also funded a reproductive health

consultant position in the office of the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and

advocated for an integration of this position

into the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees.

The Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration has also funded specific initiatives to

meet these needs through non-governmental

organizations. In 1998 and 1999 the Bureau

provided more than $515,000 through the

International Rescue Committee for programs

to address the reproductive health care needs of

Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea and of

Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration is

supporting CARE’s Reproductive Health

Services Program for Kosovo, contributing

$535,000 to provide reproductive health

training for health providers and health

educators in Kosovo. The Bureau has provided

funding to the United Nations Relief and Works

Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near Eas

for reproductive health services and training for

reproductive health counselors, and has

contributed more than $3,000,000 since 1996 to

the International Rescue Committee for its
Women and Healt

Section C 

comprehensive health and community services

projects in refugee camps in Tanzania, which

include reproductive health services.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

C.4. Promote research and disseminate information on women’s health.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Reproductive Health and Women's Lives

Research findings from a five-year Women's

Studies Project funded by the U.S. Agency for

International Development and carried out in

ten countries have led to reproductive health

programs that better reflect the reality of

women's lives. In Bolivia, for example, the

project assisted a coalition of public sector and

non-governmental organization representatives

to devise gender guidelines for reproductive

health services, as well as performance

measures to hold service providers and donors

accountable. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

New Researchers in Women’s Health

To help advance research in women’s

reproductive health, 12 centers were awarded a

total of $4,000,000 in October 1998 to support

early research careers in the field of obstetrics

and gynecology. The centers will provide

universities and hospitals with the opportunity

to build national programs for developing new

investigators in women’s health research. The

centers, funded by the National Institute of

Child Health and Human Development and the

Office of Research on Women’s Health at the

National Institutes of Health, will help build the

next generation of investigators in obstetrics

and gynecology by giving clinicians the

experience needed to become researchers.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Building Interdisciplinary Research C

in Women’s Health

The Office of Research on Women’s He

several Institutes in the National Institu

Health are collaborating with the Agen

Health Care Policy and Research to spo

Building Interdisciplinary Research Ca

Women’s Health Career Development

Programs. Beginning in the summer of 

they will award applicants with funding 

support their research career developm

women’s health. The goal of this initiat

promote research benefiting the health 

women. The Career Development Prog

will accomplish this by combining adv

training with research independence, as 

by bridging scientific disciplines. The B

Programs will increase the number and 

investigators at awardee institutions thr

mentored research experience leading t

independent scientific career addressing

women’s health concerns. [DEPARTM

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVI

Food and Drug Administration’s Offi

Women’s Health Sponsors Intramur

Research On Women’s Health

The Food and Drug Administration’s O

Women’s Health funds scientific resear

pressing women’s health issues. Throug

competitive peer review process, the Of

funded more than 70 scientific projects

including research in the following area

breast and ovarian cancer, women and 

women and cardiovascular disease,

osteoporosis, breast implant safety, the 

of estrogen, and women and autoimmu

disease. Total funding is $6,700,000.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]
9292 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Federal Multi-Agency Consortium on

Imaging and Other Technologies to Improve

Women's Health

The Office on Women's Health has expanded

technology transfer efforts through the

establishment and coordination of this

Consortium in March 1996. The Office on

Women’s Health chairs the Consortium of

representatives from the Department of

Defense, the Department of Commerce, the

Department of Energy, the Department of

Health and Human Services, the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the

Central Intelligence Agency. It is developing

collaborations to improve imaging technologies

for the early detection of diseases in women.

An inventory of imaging technologies from

these agencies that have the potential to be

applied to improve disease detection has been

prepared. The activities of this Consortium

have been critical for sharing expertise,

resources, and technologies by multiple

government agencies for advancement of the

critical areas of breast imaging technologies for

early detection of cancer, such as digital

mammography, magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI), ultrasound, and Nuclear Medicine and

Positron Emission Tomography. In addition,

these cross-cutting government collaborations

have been critical for facilitated integration of

early breast cancer detection with staging,

biologic characterization, and treatment

planning and monitoring. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Imaging Technology

The Office on Women's Health provides

leadership for facilitating technology transfer

from laboratories to improve quality, access,

and cost-effectiveness of women’s health care.

The Office on Women’s Health is working with

federal agencies, including the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration, the

Department of Defense, and the Central

Intelligence Agency, as well as private

companies, to adapt high-tech imaging

technology to improve the early detection of

cancer in women. Currently, several novel

breast imaging technologies are under

development and testing for improved breast

cancer diagnosis, including such promising

modalities as digital x-ray mammography and

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the

breast. These digital imaging technologies offer

several potential advantages compared to filmbased mammography, including improved

image quality and therefore lesion detection at

lower radiation dose. In addition, these

technologies may open new avenues for

improved lesion identification, including

computer-aided diagnosis for enhanced

radiologic interpretation and

telemammography for facilitated expert

consultation.

In September 1997 the Office on Women’s

Health entered into an inter-agency agreement

with National Cancer Institute to achieve the

following goals in breast cancer: to define the

current state-of-the-art and priority needs in

research and development of novel imaging

technologies; and to explore how national

investment in the research and development of

defense, space, energy, and intelligence

technologies can be used for facilitated

advancement of breast imaging.

The importance of multi-agency collaborations

is also demonstrated in a joint project by the

Office on Women’s Health, the National Cancer

Institute, and the Department of Defense

entitled Mobil Breast Cancer Center. The goal

of the project is to develop and test the Mobil

Breast Cancer Center, a mobil unit of advanced
Women and Healt

Section C 

imaging and telecommunications technologies,

as the means of improving access of remote

and underserved populations to state-of-the-art

clinical care, including high-quality images and

world-class image interpretation expertise. The

Office on Women’s Health provided leadership

for the consensus conference of the government

leaders, academic experts, community groups,

and consumer groups that developed a strategic

plan for the design and clinical testing of Mobil

Breast Cancer Center in July and August, 1996.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES/ DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE/ CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

AGENCY]

T-Scan 2000

The Food and Drug Administration approved a

new imaging device, the T-Scan 2000, that will

help radiologists determine whether a woman

should be evaluated further when the results of

her mammograms are ambiguous. It is not

intended for use for patients with clear

mammographic or non-mammographic

indications for biopsy. The device has the

potential to reduce the number of negative

biopsies, thus saving women worry about

breast lesions that turn out to be non-cancerous.

It also has the potential to increase the

identification of women who should be referred

for early biopsy. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Mammography Research

Women undergoing mammography exams at

accredited U.S. facilities have improved

assurance of receiving proper x-ray exposures

due to a radiation standard and instrument

calibration facility that opened in 1996 at the

Commerce Department’s National Institute of

Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg,

MD. One of the critical parameters in

mammographic procedures is the x-ray

exposure to the breast. The radiation exposure

to the breast should be kept to a minim

while ensuring adequate diagnostic qua

the recorded image. This facility allow

operators and inspectors of more than 1

U.S. mammography centers to trace the

accuracy of their x-ray exposure measu

to the primary mammography x-ray sta

at the National Institute of Standards an

Technology, part of the Commerce

Department’s Technology Administrati

calibration facility was established to a

U.S. Food and Drug Administration in

implementing the Mammography Qual

Standards Act of 1992. This law requir

Food and Drug Administration to set up 

certification and inspection program fo

U.S. mammography clinics. The instru

used by the inspectors to measure the x

exposure from the clinics are calibrated 

standards traceable to National Institute 

Standards and Technology reference x-

beams. The work was funded in the mi

by the Food and Drug Administration (

percent) and the National Institute of St

and Technology (40 percent), and curre

calibration services are supported by us

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Medical Imaging for Breast Cancer

Researchers at the Department of Energ

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator 

are collaborating with a small private c

and with several medical institutions on 

medical imaging device that improves

scintimammography, a nuclear medicin

method of breast tumor detection. Som

advantages of scintimammography are

improved evaluation of positive mamm

differentiation between benign and mal

tissue, detection of small tumors in case

mammograms are difficult or impossib

read, possible reduction in the need for 

and allowance of diagnostic imaging w

none was possible before. Unlike stand
9494 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

devices, this compact and dedicated imaging

detector is capable of capturing close views of

the tumor and increasing accuracy in detection

and localization of small lesions.

The medical imaging project is spearheaded by

the Jefferson Facility's Detector Development

Group. The group is made up of specialists in

the field of detector development for particle

physics research. For the past five years, in

addition to detector development for basic

nuclear physics, the group has been applying

radiation detection techniques to nuclear

medicine problems. While exploring several

solutions to nuclear medicine imaging

challenges for scintimammography, the group

has obtained several patents. A small high-tech

company based in Newport News, VA, has

licensed technology from the Jefferson Facility

and has entered into a cooperative research

agreement with the goal of developing a

commercial device to make this technology

available to the medical community.

Basic research involving improved breast

cancer detection has been ongoing since 1994

and the collaboration with industry has been

ongoing since 1997. Any woman considered at

risk for breast cancer, premenopausal women,

or women who are biopsy candidates because

of a suspicious mammogram could benefit

from improved diagnostics as provided through

dedicated scintimammography.

The project is funded through the Department

of Energy Cooperative Research and

Development Agreement. The new grant,

beginning on July 1, 1999, from the

Department of Energy’s Biotechnology Office

in the Office of Science, in partnership with

Duke University, provides resources for

construction of the next-generation improved

breast imager to detect even smaller cancerous

lesions. [DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Listeriosis Education Campaign

In 1998 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

Food Safety and Inspection Service launched

an extensive public education campaign about

Listeriosis, an illness caused by eating foods

contaminated with bacteria. The campaign

targeted high-risk groups including pregnant

women. The Food Safety and Inspection

Service issued a consumer press release and a

video news release with special information

targeted to pregnant women. In addition, e-mai

alerts were sent to various organizations

serving at-risk populations including the

American College of Obstetricians and

Gynecologists and the Le Leche League.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]

Current and upcoming U.S. Department of

Agriculture research projects include:

• Examination of the role of specific nutrients

in women’s diets (zinc in pregnancy);

• Dietary behaviors and outcomes (milk

avoidance and calcium in fat intake);

• Food safety knowledge (consumer awareness

of safe food-handling practices);

• Nutrition-program-related needs (special

needs of adolescents and pregnant

adolescents in the Women, Infants and

Children’s Program); and

• The links between economics and nutrition

(economic benefits of breastfeeding).

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]

Pesticides and Food: Right-to-Know

Consumer Brochure and Website

In 1999 the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency released a right-to-know pesticide

brochure informing consumers and their

families of practical steps to reduce their

exposure to pesticides used on food. The

Environmental Protection Agency distributed
Women and Healt

Section C 

more than four million brochures and launched

a related website at http://www.epa.gov/

pesticides/food. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Pesticide Regulatory Decisions Affecting

Women and Children

The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 has

prohibited the use of multiple pesticides shown

to have harmful effects on humans, including

vulnerable population subgroups such as

women and children. The Environmental

Protection Agency’s regulatory decisions have

increased protections for women and provided

an extra margin of safety for children through

prohibition of pesticides that are linked to

reproductive and developmental effects, cancer

of the reproductive system, and neurotoxicity.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

Protecting Women and Children in the

Migrant Farm Worker Environment

The U.S. government estimates that as many as

five million migrant and seasonal farm workers

labor each year to produce food in the United

States. Entire families often travel and work

together in the fields. Housing is often located

near or even in the fields, which exposes entire

farm worker families to one of the greatest

hazards in agriculture—pesticides. Recent

Environmental Protection Agency activities

benefiting women and children in farm worker

families include a pesticide safety video geared

toward migrant worker communities, student

workbooks on pesticide safety, the

Environmental Protection Agency’s

involvement in related workgroups, and further

research into the effects of pesticides in

children. More information can be found online

at http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/safety.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

Fish Consumption Advisory Program

The Environmental Protection Agency has

demonstrated special concern about susceptible

populations including children, pregnant

women, and nursing infants. States and 

have primary responsibility for protecti

residents from the health risks of consu

contaminated, non-commercial fish by 

fish advisories. The Environmental Pro

Agency is increasingly working with st

Tribes to ensure that appropriate, inform

advisories are issued, particularly addre

the needs of sensitive populations.

In December 1998 the U.S. Environme

Protection Agency and the Agency for 

Substances and Disease Registry provid

brochure to health care professionals ab

health consequences of high consumpti

contaminated non-commercial fish. Mo

information is available online at

http://www.epa.gov/OST/fish.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIO

AGENCY]

CLEAN AIR

Results of the Environmental Protect

Agency’s National Ambient Air Qua

Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Ag

air quality standards were final in July 

The first update in 20 years for ozone (

and the first in ten years for particulate 

(soot), the new standards will protect 1

million Americans, including 35 millio

children, from the health hazards of air

pollution. Each year, these new, update

standards will prevent approximately 1

premature deaths; 350,000 cases of agg

asthma; and one million cases of signifi

decreased lung function in children.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIO

AGENCY]

Results of the Environmental Protect

Agency’s Integrated Urban Air Toxic

Strategy

The Environmental Protection Agency 

the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strateg

1999 required by the Clean Air Act. Th

strategy developed a broad framework 
9696 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

addressing the risks posed by emissions of air

toxics. Hazardous air pollutants, referred to as

“air toxics,” are pollutants known to cause or be

suspected of causing cancer or other serious

human health effects or ecosystem damage.

The different health effects that may be caused

by air toxics include cancer; neurological,

cardiovascular, and respiratory effects; effects

on the liver, kidneys, immune system and

reproductive system; and effects on fetal and

child development. Available data indicate that

about a third of these pollutants affect

development or reproduction, which means that

exposure of a fetus or young child may prevent

normal development into a healthy adult. Other

such critical exposures may affect the ability to

conceive or give birth to a healthy child. The

strategy identifies 33 hazardous air pollutants

posing the greatest threats to public health in

urban areas, a list of the various categories of

area sources, and a strategy to achieve

substantial risk reductions, including a 75

percent reduction in estimated cancer incidence

resulting from exposures to hazardous air

pollutants. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Efforts to Protect Women and Children

from the Effects of Mercury

Exposure to high levels of mercury has been

associated with serious neurological and

developmental problems in humans. The U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, under

authority of the Clean Air Act, is working to

control mercury emissions and to conduct

assessments to increase understanding of how

mercury affects the environment. The

developing human nervous system is

particularly sensitive to mercury; women of

childbearing age and young children are among

the most affected. Mercury is transported

through the air and deposited in water where

humans are exposed to it and ingest it by eating

contaminated fish.

To combat this problem, the Environmental

Protection Agency has completed multiple

actions to significantly reduce mercury

emissions such as the establishment of

stringent emission limits for a variety of waste

incinerators and plants using mercury and a

study of emissions (to be completed in

December 2000) from coal-fired electric power

plants to determine if control of mercury

emissions from this source is appropriate and

necessary. Additionally, the Agency, in

conjunction with the Department of Energy, the

U.S. Geological Survey, and the Electric Power

Research Institute, is in the process of

developing promising mercury control

technologies. The Environmental Protection

Agency is also funding a review by the

National Academy of Sciences of recent

research concerning the health effects of

mercury on fetuses and children.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY/ DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

ASSURING CONTINUED UNIVERSAL

ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER

AND SANITATION

Infrastructure Investments

One of the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency’s most important missions is to help

ensure that this Nation’s water quality

infrastructure provides clean and safe water. In

addition to the obvious health benefits of

preventing disease, particularly in women of

childbearing age, sound wastewater treatment

and drinking water supply infrastructures

contribute to society’s economic,

environmental, and social well-being. Since the

1972 enactment of the Clean Water Act, the

Environmental Protection Agency has provided

$70 billion in federal grants to states,

communities, and Tribes for the construction of

publicly owned wastewater treatment plants.

As a result, 188 million people today are served
Women and Healt

Section C 

by public wastewater treatment systems that

provide secondary or greater treatment. In 1996

Congress created a new federal program

enabling the Environmental Protection Agency

to support the construction of needed public

drinking water systems. Since 1997 Congress

has appropriated $2.7 billion for states and

Tribes, much of which provides low-cost loans

and other assistance to states for the creation or

improvement of eligible local systems. As of

September 1999, 45 Tribes have received

support for constructing systems and all 50

states and Puerto Rico have received financial

assistance.

In addition, the Environmental Protection

Agency developed a program of infrastructure

investments for treating wastewater and

drinking water along the United States-Mexico

border. Projects for the management of

municipal solid waste are also being conducted

under this program. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Safe Drinking Water Act: Protection for

Children and Pregnant Women

The Environmental Protection Agency

implements the Safe Drinking Water Act,

which calls for considering special populations

such as pregnant women, children, the elderly,

and people with compromised immune systems

to ensure stronger health protection under

drinking water standards. The Environmental

Protection Agency provides more available

information regarding the quality of drinking

water than ever before. Furthermore, the law

calls for stronger preventative action by

assessing pollution threats to local sources of

water. More information is available online at

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

Water Quality Criteria: Protection fo

Children and Pregnant Women

In August 1998 the Environmental Prot

Agency proposed revisions to its metho

for developing water quality criteria tha

included, among other items, revisions 

enhance the protection of children and 

of childbearing age. These criteria guid

and Tribes as they set standards to prot

quality of the waters within their jurisd

These standards ultimately form the ba

controlling discharges or releases of po

More information is available online at

http://www.epa.gov/ost/standards/

wqcriteria.html. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

The Environmental Protection Agenc

Local And State Partners Working T

Nitrate Ground Water Contaminatio

High levels of nitrate in drinking water 

cause a serious, potentially fatal, blood 

in infants called “blue baby syndrome” 

methemoglobinemia. Pregnant women 

be at risk for adverse birth outcomes fr

exposure to nitrate above the federal dr

water standard. The Environmental Pro

Agency Region 10 is working closely w

numerous federal, state, and local partn

develop long-term solutions to an area-

ground water quality problem in the Co

Basin of eastern Washington state from

activities that cause nitrate contaminati

Environmental Protection Agency is sup

a locally driven Ground Water Manage

Area program that specifically addresse

widespread nitrate contamination of aq

that serve as the area’s principal source 

drinking water. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]
9898 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

COMBATING CHILDHOOD ASTHMA

Reaching Children with Asthma

Nearly one in 13 school-aged children has

asthma, and the percentage of children with

asthma is rising rapidly among preschoolers.

The Environmental Protection Agency is

currently developing campaigns targeted

toward women and other caregivers to improve

indoor environments to help prevent childhood

asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency

distributed a fact sheet to these groups entitled

Asthma, Air Quality, and Environmental

Justice: EPA’s role in Asthma Education and

Prevention. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Environmental factors such as airborne

allergens and environmental tobacco smoke

may play a major role in the onset of asthma in

children. The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency has developed a National Second-hand

Smoke Campaign that includes publications

designed to inform parents and caregivers

about the risks of secondhand smoke to

children and to increase the number of smokefree homes. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

The Environmental Protection Agency’s

Public Information On The Internet Related

To Exposure Risks And Asthma

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s

Community Right-to-Know Initiative included

providing real-time air quality information to

the public via the Internet and other media.

This information is of interest to those groups

of people, particularly children and asthmatic

children, who are at risk from exposure to

ozone and particulate matter. In the first two

years of the program (FY 1998 and FY 1999),

it was successfully implemented in 30 states

and in Washington, D.C., through the ozone

mapping project. The AIRNOW website

received more than 1.9 million accesses in the

summer of 1998 and more than 1 million

accesses per month in the summer of 1999. The

Environmental Protection Agency plans to

build infrastructure in the remaining states to

allow for real-time reporting in all states by the

year 2001. More information is available online

at http://www.epa.gov/airprogm/oar/oaqps/

airnow. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

The Black Pearls Program

In FY 2000 the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, Region 2 (New York) will provide

$20,000 to the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban

Health for their Black Pearls program. This

program is designed to educate African

American women about risk factors and

symptoms associated with significant health

issues that are preventable or curable if

detected, diagnosed, and treated early. Women

will learn about the dangerous health impacts

of tobacco smoke on their children and about

the links between tobacco smoke exposure and

asthma. Clients will be given information abou

actions that can be taken to reduce tobacco

smoke exposure, as well as to reduce or

eliminate asthma triggers found in the home

setting. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

COMBATING LEAD POISONING

National Ambient Air Quality Standards:

Strategy Related to Lead

As part of the Environmental Protection

Agency’s overall lead strategy, the National

Ambient Air Quality Standards attainment

strategy related to lead, released in August

1990, seeks to reduce public exposure to lead to

the fullest extent, with emphasis on the

continuing high risk to children and pregnant

women. Exposure to lead occurs mainly

through inhalation and ingestion of lead in

food, water, soil, or dust. It accumulates in the

blood, bones, and soft tissues and can adversely

affect the kidneys, liver, nervous system, and

other organs. Excessive exposure to lead may

cause neurological impairments such as
Women and Healt

Section C 

seizures, mental retardation, and/or behavioral

disorders. At low doses, fetuses and children

may suffer from central nervous system

damage. Recent studies show that lead may be

a factor in high blood pressure and subsequent

heart disease and also indicate that neurobehavioral changes may result from lead

exposure during the child’s first years of life.

Twenty years ago, automotive sources were the

major contributor of lead emissions to the

atmosphere. As a result of the Environmental

Protection Agency’s regulatory efforts to

remove lead from gasoline, the contribution

from the transportation sector has dramatically

declined. Currently, the National Ambient Air

Quality Standards strategy related to lead

targets airborne emissions from stationary

sources of lead and focuses on attainment of

the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The result is a program that aggressively

implements existing requirements for lead by

expanding the monitoring network around

sources of concern, followed by inspections of

any facility where violations of the National

Ambient Air Quality Standards are detected by

the monitoring network. The progress of this

approach to the management of ambient lead

levels has been tracked in the Lead

Management Report. This report tracks current

compliance, implementation activity, and the

status of the monitoring networks. Between

1988 and 1997, maximum quarterly average

ambient lead concentrations decreased by 67

percent and lead emissions decreased 44

percent. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Section 1018 Compliance Assistance Pilot in

New York and New Jersey

Real estate disclosure regulations enacted

under Title IV of the Toxic Substances Control

Act require the disclosure of lead-paint and

paint hazards before leasing or selling

residential property. In addition, the regulations

afford prospective buyers the right to conduct a

lead inspection before being obligated to a

contract. The Environmental Protection

Agency’s Region 2 (New York) implem

pilot study of the realty community tha

primarily affected by these regulations. 

study included onsite compliance assis

visits to realtors in New York and New 

to ensure that they are informing seller

landlords of their responsibilities and a

properly conducting disclosure to buye

lessees. Compliance can have a profoun

on residential property transfers, especi

families with small children, due to lea

devastating effects on children under ag

and pregnant women. Information from 

study is being used to develop similar

compliance/enforcement programs in o

regions. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

CLINICAL TRIALS

Legally Mandated Inclusion of Wom

Minorities as Subjects of Research

The Department of Health and Human S

agencies have long encouraged the incl

women as subjects in clinical research. 

inclusion of women and minorities is m

in section 492B of the Public Health Se

Act, as added by section 141 of the Nat

Institutes of Health Revitalization Act o

(42 United States Code 289a-2). In resp

the National Institutes of Health revised 

existing policy and published Guidelin

the Inclusion of Women and Minorities 

Clinical Research in 1994. These polic

monitored by the National Institutes of H

Office of Research on Women's Health. 

policies and procedures exist for other

Department of Health and Human Serv

agencies, such as the Food and Drug

Administration's Guideline for Study an

Evaluation of Gender Differences in th

Clinical Evaluation of Drugs.

In 1999 the National Institutes of Healt

released Requests for Applications for 

major women’s health research project
100 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

first, from the National Institute of Child Health

and Human Development in conjunction with

the National Institutes of Health’s Office of

Research on Women's Health, is on pelvic floor

disorders, which are one of the most common

forms of maternal morbidity and include a wide

variety of clinical conditions. The other, in

conjunction with the Agency for Health Care

Policy and Research, will support the research

career development of Interdisciplinary

Women’s Health Research Scholars.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Special Initiatives

The Department of Health and Human Services

established an internal interagency advisory

council on AIDS research and women to

review research and develop strategies to

enhance the care of women. Other Department

of Health and Human Services studies that

focus on increasing the representation of

women in clinical trials include:

• Trials of hormone replacement therapy to

reduce heart disease risk factors in

postmenopausal women;

• Calcium supplementation;

• Use of tamoxifen to prevent coronary heart

disease in postmenopausal women;

• Trials of vitamin E, beta-carotene, and aspirin

for primary prevention of cardiovascular

disease in women;

• Use of non-pharmacological interventions to

prevent the rise of cholesterol in menopausal

women; and

• Organ transplantation.

Sometimes the topic of the study is of such

relevance that the patient population will

consist primarily or entirely of women, such as:

• Studies of diet, nutrition, and obesity in

African American women;

• Treatment strategies for osteoporosis;

• Effects of exercise on pregnancy;

• Studies of premenstrual syndrome; and

• The effect of Norplant on risk factors for

cardiovascular disease.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

CANCER RESEARCH

Cancer Statistics

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in

American women. In 1995 an estimated

1,252,000 new cancers were diagnosed and

547,000 persons died of this disease. About 46

percent of the new cancer cases and 47 percent

of cancer deaths occurred in women.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer

The mission of the National Action Plan on

Breast Cancer is to stimulate rapid progress in

eradicating breast cancer by advancing

knowledge, research, policy, and services. Six

working groups have been established to

identify and implement specific initiatives:

National Biological Resource Banks, Clinical

Trials Accessibility, Consumer Involvement,

Breast Cancer Etiology, Hereditary

Susceptibility, and the Information Action

Council. More information on the National

Action Plan on Breast Cancer and working

group products can be found online at

http://www.napbc.org. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Rapid Response Project

The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer

Etiology Working Group has completed and

posted on its website (http://www.napbc.org)

the state and federal Resources for Breast

Cancer Incidence and Mortality Data. This

database provides contact information for state

and federal resources that can be used to obtain

information on local breast cancer rates to aid

researchers examining potential breast cancer

clusters. Responsibility for investigating breast
Women and Health 1

Section C 

cancer clusters is shared among agencies

within state and federal governments. These

agencies also are responsible for responding to

public concerns about reports of possible

cancer clusters. For each state and territory,

links are provided to the state epidemiologist,

whose office collects incidence and mortality

data for all types of diseases; the state contact

person for the Breast and Cervical Cancer

Early Detection Program, a project of the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that

provides breast cancer screening and

surveillance; and the contact person for the

state cancer registry, which collects

information on cases of all types of cancer. This

site also includes links to federal agencies that

provide incidence and mortality data and other

information, including the Surveillance,

Epidemiology, and End Results project of the

National Cancer Institute; the National Center

for Health Statistics; the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention; and the National

Cancer Institute.

In December 1998 the Office on Women's

Health hosted the second national workshop to

address the research and policy issues related to

the investigation of high rate areas of breast

cancer. This workshop brought together

scientists and activists to share information on

current approaches to investigating breast

cancer clusters and to develop

recommendations for improving this process.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Office of Cancer Survivorship at the

National Institutes of Health

The increasing number of cancer survivors has

provided a new challenge—determining how

best to serve the needs of more than ten million

cancer survivors, with more than seven million

of those being long-term survivors. The

National Cancer Institute has met this

challenge head-on through the establishment of

the Office of Cancer Survivorship, which will

explore the physical, physiological,

psychological, and economic well-bein

survivors. The Office will support resea

covering the spectrum of issues facing 

survivors including long-term medical 

psychosocial effects of treatment, facto

predispose survivors to second maligna

reproductive problems following treatm

insurance/employment issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Pesticides And Breast Cancer

Breast cancer incidence rates in women 

been steadily increasing over the last 20 

and breast cancer is now the most comm

of cancer among women in many West

countries. Much scientific research is b

conducted to understand the causes of t

disease. The U.S. Environmental Prote

Agency seeks to prevent exposures to a

chemical, physical, biological, or other

causative agents that might be found to 

the burden of disease. Some highlights 

Environmental Protection Agency’s cur

research and regulatory activities with r

pesticides and breast cancer include:

• The Environmental Protection Agenc

conducting a review of all older pesti

evaluate their health and environmen

effects and make decisions about thei

appropriate future use. These pesticid

be tested for cancer-causing potential

• The Endocrine Disrupter Screening P

created under authority from the 1996 

Quality Protection Act, will detect th

potential of chemicals to produce a nu

endocrine-related effects in addition t

cancer, including reproductive disord

birth defects, and other harmful effec

Environmental Protection Agency is

currently establishing a process for se

chemicals to be subjected to screenin

testing, developing endocrine disrupt
102 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

screening and testing methods, and

standardizing and validating the screening

and testing methods for regulatory programs.

• The Environmental Protection Agency

participates in the Long Island Breast Cancer

Study Project, a comprehensive,

multi-agency research program led by the

National Cancer Institute and the National

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Mandated by Congress at the request of the

Long Island communities, the study’s

purpose is to examine the causes of breast

cancer in that area. The New York area

medical research center, 41 Long Island

hospitals, and more than 3,000 Long Island

women are involved in the epidemiological

studies. Study results are expected to be

published in 2001. More information is

available online at http://wwwdccps.ims.nci.nih.gov/LIBCSP/index.html.

• The Agricultural Health Study, a

collaborative effort between the

Environmental Protection Agency, the

National Cancer Institute, and National

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,

offers important opportunities to examine

potential links between breast cancer and

environmental risk factors. This research

program has a study group of 90,000 certified

pesticide applicators and their families from

North Carolina and Iowa, and it will provide

an unprecedented amount of new information

on pesticide exposures for both residential

and worker settings.

• The Rapid Response Project of the

President’s National Action Plan on Breast

Cancer is a collaboration between the

Environmental Protection Agency, the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

the Department of Health and Human

Services, and other federal agencies. In an

effort to provide health information to

persons in areas with high breast cancer

incidence and mortality, these federal

agencies, working with advocacy groups who

have breast cancer expertise, are conducting a

project to provide information on breast

cancer treatment and resources for several

high-priority areas—San Francisco, CA; the

state of Illinois; the New York metropolitan

area; the state of Hawaii; and the region of

Cape Cod, MA. This project involves

maintaining a website that enables citizens to

quickly locate breast cancer surveillance

workers, as well as breast cancer control and

prevention programs. More information is

available online at http://www.napbc.org/.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

WOMEN AND AGING

National Study of the Major Causes of

Death, Disability, and Frailty in PostMenopausal Women

The Department of Health and Human

Services' National Institutes of Health Women's

Health Initiative, with $733,200,000 in funding

over 15 years and 40 sites, is one of the largest

prevention studies of its kind. It examines the

major causes of death, disability, and frailty in

post-menopausal women, including a clinical

trial of promising approaches to prevention, an

observational study to identify predictors of

disease, and a study of community approaches

to developing healthful behaviors. The

community prevention trial portion of the

study, being conducted with the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, will evaluate

strategies for adoption of healthful behaviors

including improved diet, nutritional

supplementation, smoking cessation, increased

physical activity, and early detection for

women of diverse races, ethnic groups, and

socio-economic groups. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]
Women and Health 1

Section C 

Research on Diseases and Conditions of

Older Women

Women comprise 60 percent of the aged 65-

and-over population, and the percentage is

growing. Although women's life expectancy is

seven years longer than that of men, they have

higher rates of chronic disease, disability, and

use of medical care later in life. The

Department of Health and Human Services

sponsors research programs on health

conditions of older women, including:

• Osteoporosis

The Department of Health and Human

Services is sponsoring research into the

underlying causes, diagnosis, prevention, and

treatment of osteoporosis and related bone

disorders, such as osteoarthritis. There is also

an epidemiological study to evaluate the role

of personal factors in the occurrence of

injuries from falls. The Agency for Health

Care Policy and Research is supporting an

evidence report on diagnosis and

management of osteoporosis.

• Cardiovascular disease

Heart disease and stroke are, respectively, the

first and third leading causes of death in

American women. Ongoing research studies

the influence of age, gender, race, and risk

factors on cardiovascular disease, as well as

programs targeted to assessing the risk of

cardiovascular disease among African

American women.

• Menopause

The Department of Health and Human

Services is sponsoring comprehensive multidisciplinary research on the natural history of

menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy in

post-menopausal women is being studied in

its relation to prevention of osteoporosis,

cardiovascular disease, and even Alzheimer's

disease. It is also supporting research on

contemporary and alternative therapies,

including study of the effects of botanical

products and macrobiotic diet on postmenopausal health.

• Cancer

An example of ongoing research is a s

the effectiveness and cost of alternati

therapies in the treatment of breast ca

• Reproductive and Urinary Tract Sy

These systems show changes in biolo

function with aging.

• Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy, the second most frequ

performed major operation in the Un

States, involves removal of the uterus

Because very little is known about the 

history of menopause, a high priority 

examine appropriate indications for

performing hysterectomy. The Agenc

Health Care Policy and Research is

undertaking two large clinical studies 

alternatives to hysterectomy for the tr

of benign conditions of the uterus. Th

will compare the effectiveness of

pharmaceutical and other less invasiv

treatments to hysterectomy.

• Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a condition th

greatly affects the quality of life of ol

women. The Department has an effor

increase knowledge among providers 

public regarding treatment of urinary

incontinence, as well as basic researc

bladder conditions. [DEPARTMENT 

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE

RESEARCH ON POVERTY-RELAT

DISEASE

Welfare Reform and Women’s Healt

The Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Maternal and Child H

Bureau is collecting data to address the 

how women use health services and he

information in their daily lives. Policy

implications from analysis of these dat

assist with health insurance reform mea

designs for health care delivery system

responsive to women’s needs, and impr

health provider education.
104 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Maternal and Child Health

Bureau, in collaboration with the Johns

Hopkins University Women’s and Children’s

Health Policy Center, is analyzing an existing

national data set to examine the longitudinal

effects of welfare and poverty on selected

physical and mental health problems

experienced by women. Analyses will be used

to project the possible effects of welfare reform

on health status. State and territorial women’s

health contacts will also be surveyed to gauge

attention to health consequences and to

determine the extent of monitoring activities.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

OTHER RESEARCH

Veterans Affairs Research On Women’s

Health

Scientists from the Department’s Central

Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and its

affiliate, the University of Arkansas for

Medical Sciences, published research that

could lead to clinical trials of a boneregenerating pill in as little as three years, and

to an osteoporosis cure within the decade. The

study on bone regeneration appeared in the

August 16, 1999, issue of The Journal of

Clinical Investigation and examined the role of

parathyroid hormone in reversing bone loss.

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

Partner Violence and HIV Testing

In order to investigate the associations between

women's HIV testing decisions and partner

violence, as well as their experience with and

beliefs about partner notification, the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention initiated

Studies Characterizing the Risk of Partner

Violence in Women Associated with HIV and

STD Partner Notification. An additional focus

of this investigation is to investigate the

frequency and severity of partner violence

among women who have HIV or infectious

syphilis and whose partners are contacted

through Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention-funded Partner Notification

programs. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health Research and Information

Dissemination

The National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health is studying several women’s

occupational health issues, including the link

between occupational exposures and breast and

cervical cancers, and latex allergies;

determining ergonomic risks of home health

care work; and identifying job stressors of

particular impact on women workers. In

collaboration with the Federal Aviation

Administration (at the Department of

Transportation), studies are identifying

possible reproductive hazards for female flight

attendants. This year, the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health published the

pamphlet, The Effects of Workplace Hazards on

Female Reproductive Health.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES/ DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Autoimmune Diseases

In the United States autoimmune diseases

afflict about eight million people, or one in 20

Americans; approximately 75 percent of them

are women, usually in their childbearing years

Autoimmunity may be the cause of 50 to 60

percent of unexplained cases of infertility and

is also a major cause of miscarriages. Thus

autoimmune diseases are a major health

concern for women.

In September 1997 several National Institutes

of Health institutes and the Office of Women's

Health Research initiated a research program

focusing on genetic susceptibility to

autoimmune diseases. In 1998 the National
Women and Health 1

Section C 

Institutes of Health established an autoimmune

diseases coordinating committee to help

facilitate and monitor the research being done

at the various Institutes. In addition, for several

years, the National Institutes of Health has

supported a multi-Institute research program on

the mechanisms of immunotherapy for

autoimmune diseases and a research program

for autoimmunity centers for excellence.

In FY 1999 Congress appropriated an

additional $30,000,000 to boost research of

autoimmune diseases. More information on

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious

Diseases-sponsored research and meetings on

autoimmunity can be found on the National

Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

website at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

EDUCATION/INFORMATION

DISSEMINATION

National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants Preserving The Accomplishments Of

Women In Medicine

The National Endowment for the Humanities

has supported projects that develop, preserve,

and promote the contributions of women to

medicine. Projects include a film documentary

on Margaret Sanger and her fight for the

improvement of women’s health and

reproductive care and the preservation of her

papers (grants in 1995 of $750,000, 1996 of

$125,000, and 1998 of $155,000). The

preservation of a diary of a 17th century midwife, a website, and a film will document the

importance of women in the role as caretaker in

early American history, showing that her family

and the entire community relied on her skills

and knowledge (grant of $903,000 in 1995).

The National Endowment for the Humanities

also gave $30,000 in 1997 to support a research

fellowship that will examine women an

commercialization of contraception in 

United States from 1873 to 1973. Anot

fellowship grant for $30,000 was given 

for research on the history of Fetal Alc

Syndrome. Recent Summer Stipend gra

funded research that looked at the impa

family planning in public health and we

women in the 20th century ($4,000 in 1

and DES Daughters who are being trea

cancer ($4,000 in 1995). [NATIONAL

ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMAN

Veterans Affairs Special Fellowships

Program

In 1994 the Department of Veterans Af

instituted a Special Fellowships Progra

Health Issues of Women Veterans. The

fellowships provide two years of postresidency research, education, and clini

learning opportunities to prepare eligib

physicians for academic careers in this 

Fellows spend approximately 75 percen

their time in research and education an

percent in clinical care at competitively

selected Department of Veterans Affair

Between 1995 and 1999, the Departme

Veterans Affairs expended approximate

$2,000,000 funding 28 fellows.

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

Census Special Research Reports an

Working Papers on Gender Issues

The International Programs Center of t

Census Bureau publishes two series tha

specifically focus on women. The Gend

Aging Series is a four-part series addre

topics related to gender and aging. The 

focus on demographic dimensions, mor

and health, caregiving, and economic s

This series is funded by the National In

on Aging. The Women of the World se

examines the status of women in differ

countries. Reports include Women in Po
106 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

(1995); Gender and Aging: Caregiving (1998);

Women's Education in India (1998); Women

and the Economy in India (1999); and Women's

Health in India (1998). Reports are available

online at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/

publist.html.

Various branches of the Census Bureau

undertake research and publish the results in

special studies series and working paper series.

Selected examples include Women's Labor

Force Attachment Patterns and Maternity

Leave: A Review of the Literature (1999);

Timing of First Births: 1930-34 to 1990-94

(1998); and Trends in Marital Status of U.S.

Women at First Birth: 1930 to 1994 (1998).

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Healthy Heart Handbook for Women

One of the National Heart, Lung and Blood

Institute’s most popular publications is the

Healthy Heart Handbook for Women, a

comprehensive, up-to-date guide for women on

preventing and controlling the risk factors for

cardiovascular disease. An update of the 100-

page book now contains additional information

on hormone replacement therapy, vitamin

supplements, and treatment for high blood

cholesterol, as well as heart-healthy recipes.

The book has been disseminated widely and is

consistently among the top ten best sellers at

the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s

Information Center. In the spring of 1999 the

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and

General Mills collaborated in a dissemination

project involving the Healthy Heart Handbook

for Women. Two million boxes of Oatmeal

Crisp cereal featured heart-healthy lifestyle tips

and a coupon to order the book at a reduced

price. A television media tour featured an

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

spokeswoman discussing how women can

reduce their risk of dying from the Nation’s

number-one killer—heart disease.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Guidelines for Vaccinating Pregnant Women

Guidelines for Vaccinating Pregnant Women

abstracted from the October 1998

Recommendations of the Advisory Committee

on Immunization Practices are now available

through the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. The guidelines are most

appropriate for health care providers who treat

women of childbearing age. To order a copy,

call the National Immunization Information

Hotline (1-800-232-2522) or visit the website

at http://www.cdc.gov/nip. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

National Survey of Family Growth

In May 1997 the National Center for Health

Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention released its 1995 National

Survey of Family Growth, which provides the

latest and most comprehensive national data on

fertility, contraception, marriage and

cohabitation, infertility, adoption, maternity

leave, medical services, breast feeding,

smoking, and other factors that affect both

teenage and adult women and the health and

well-being of their children. Copies of the

reports detailing the survey methodology and

results are available online at

http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/ or by

contacting the National Center for Health

Statistics at 301-458-4636. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Closing the Gap

Closing the Gap is a monthly publication

prepared by the Office of Minority Health that

focuses on minority health issues. In 1998 it

devoted an entire report to the health concerns

of minority women, and in every issue it

includes articles that cover women’s health

concerning the respective theme/topic.

Examples of such coverage include:

• Tips for New and Expectant Moms (July

1999);
Women and Health 1

Section C 

• Blacks, Women Less Likely to be Referred for

High-Tech Cardiac Tests, According to Study

(May/June 1999); and

• Increased STD Risk Seen in HIV-Infected

Women (April 1999) [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Community Pediatric Units Specializing in

Environmental Medicine

In 1997 the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency and the Department of Health and

Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances

and Disease Registry jointly established

pediatric health units in communities exposed

to environmental pollutants. These units focus

on pediatric environmental medicine,

education, training, and expert consultation, as

well as clinical-specialty referrals for children.

As a result, negative health impacts on young

women and girls in these areas are expected to

decrease. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Children’s Health Protection Website

The Office of Children’s Health Protection has

designed a Children’s Health Protection

website to provide current comprehensive

information about children’s environmental

health threats. The website offers simple

information for parents to protect children from

environmental risks. More information is

available online at http://www.epa.gov/

children/. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Centers of Excellence in Children’s

Environmental Health and Disease

Prevention Research

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

and the Department of Health and Human

Services established eight research centers

dedicated to the study of children’s

environmental health hazards. These centers

perform targeted research into children’s

environmental health and translate their

scientific findings into intervention and

prevention strategies by working direct

communities. The eight centers address 

important areas of children’s environm

health—the causes of asthma and the e

pesticide exposure. [ENVIRONMENT

PROTECTION AGENCY/ DEPART

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVI

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

Defense Women’s Health Research P

The Defense Women's Health Research

Program was established in the FY 199

National Defense Authorization Act. T

Program establishes a coordinating offi

multi-disciplinary and multi-institution

research within the Department on wom

health issues related to service in the A

Forces. Future research within the Defe

Women’s Health Research Project will 

directed according to the 1995

recommendations of the Institute of Me

of the National Academy of Sciences. T

identified areas of research and a curren

funded project within each category are

• Factors affecting health and work

performance—Naval Health Research 

study, Countermeasures to Heat Stres

Women: A Survey of Women’s Health 

Needs on Navy Ships.

• Psychological and health issues relate

integration of women into a hierarchic

environment or related to women and 

living and working together in close

quarters—Walter Reed Army Institut

Research, Integration of Women Into M

Units: Impact of Gender Bias and Sex

Harassment; Intimate Partner Violen

Among U.S. Army Soldiers in an Arct

Environment.
108 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Health promotion and disease prevention—

U.S. Army Institute of Environmental

Medicine, Assessment of Iron Status and

Dietary Intake of Female Army Soldiers,

Breast Care Initiative

• Access to and delivery of health care—

Brooks Air Force Base, Availability,

Accessibility, and Adequacy of Health Care

Provided to USAF Active Duty Women during

Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

The U.S. Navy’s Women’s Health Website

The U.S. Navy’s Women’s Health website

serves as a resource for health and policy issues

related to women’s health in the Navy and the

Department of Defense. This information can

be accessed online through the Navy website at

http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Women’s Health CD-ROM

Women’s Health CD-ROM provides resources

on women’s health for operational forces.

Information includes Navy, Marine Corps,

Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard materials.

The updated version is expected to be released

in January 2000. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE]

Physician Training In The Major Health

Issues Of Women With Disabilities:

Learning To Act In Partnership

Women with disabilities report that their health

needs are often overlooked or poorly addressed

by physicians who demonstrate unfamiliarity

with, and negative attitudes toward, people with

disabilities. This project developed and tested a

training module to introduce medical students

to the health issues of women with disabilities.

The target population consisted of medical

students and women health activists with

disabilities. Funding for the project from

January 1, 1996, to December 31, 1998, was

$125,000 per year. More information is

available online at http://www.naric.com,

search for H133G50059. [DEPARTMENT

OF EDUCATION]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

International Lead Risk Reduction

Although not designed to focus solely on

women and girls, the Environmental Protection

Agency’s Office of International Activities’

worldwide lead risk reduction program

effectively targets women in the developing

world. Studies show that women may be more

vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead

poisoning because lead absorbed during

childhood is released back into the blood

system during pregnancy, harming the

developing fetus as well as the mother.

Moreover, significant lead exposure is from

sources used primarily by women such as the

solder present on food cans, ceramic glazes,

and cosmetics.

The Environmental Protection Agency is

involved in multiple activities to reduce lead

exposure. The Office of International Activities

sponsored a two-day policy planning workshop

in Bangkok, Thailand, on achieving the benefits

of lead poisoning prevention and to outline a

regional approach for such activities in Asia. In

Bangalore, India, the Environmental Protection

Agency sponsored and participated in an

international conference on the prevention and

treatment of lead poisoning and sponsored a

training course related to secondary smelting of

lead acid batteries in Guatemala City,

Guatemala. Working through a grant to the Pan

American Health Organization, the

Environmental Protection Agency supported a

non-gasoline lead inventory project to identify

and prioritize sources of lead exposure in

Brazil. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]
Women and Health 1

Section C 

C.5. Increase resources and monitor followup for women’s health.

BREAST CANCER

Increase Breast Cancer Awareness

For the past seven years, First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton has been engaged in a multifaceted campaign to increase awareness about

breast cancer and raise resources to combat this

devastating disease. She has hosted White

House events, appeared in public service

announcements about the Medicare

Mammography campaign, and unveiled a

Breast Cancer Stamp at a White House

ceremony. [WHITE HOUSE]

Funding for Breast Cancer Research

The Department of Health and Human

Services’ funding for breast cancer research

and programs increased from about

$90,000,000 in 1990 to more than

$598,000,000 in FY 1999. Breast cancer

funding has more than doubled in the last six

years alone, from $283,000,000 in FY 1993.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Breast Cancer Research

The 1998 Defense Appropriations Act provided

$111,000,000 to continue the Department of

Defense Breast Cancer Research Program

administered by the U.S. Army Medical

Research and Materiel Command.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

OTHER WOMEN’S HEALTH ISSUES

A National Focus on Women's Health

The Department of Health and Human Services

has focused increased resources and national

attention on women's health issues. A new

senior-level position, the Deputy Assist

Secretary for Health (Women’s Health)

established to direct the Office on Wom

Health, which coordinates and stimulat

women’s health research, service delive

education programs across the Departm

Women's Health Coordinators, Senior

Advisors, or offices have been designat

Department of Health and Human Serv

agencies to monitor the progress in the

advancement of women's health. For FY 

women’s health expenditures in the Dep

of Health and Human Services are estim

$5 billion. [DEPARTMENT OF HEA

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration Data Collec

Activities

The Substance Abuse and Mental Heal

Services Administration funds numerou

collection activities that are relevant fo

income women and women with or at r

addictive and mental disorders. These a

include the National Household Survey 

Drug Abuse, which produces national e

on the use of illicit drugs and the non-m

use of prescription drugs and collects d

periodically on important related specia

such as mental illness, criminal behavio

treatment, and attitudes about drugs. Th

National Household Survey on Drug A

also collects information on participatio

public programs as well as information 

income, family structure, employment,

insurance status, and mental and substa

abuse treatment utilization. The Substa

Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration is currently developing 

women's report based on the Survey's fi

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]
110 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Minority Women's Health Panel of Experts

The Office on Women’s Health established the

Minority Women’s Health Panel of Experts in

response to its conference entitled Bridging the

Gap: Enhancing Partnerships to Improve

Minority Women’s Health, held in January

1997.

The mission of the Minority Women’s Health

Panel of Experts is to provide input to and serve

as a resource for the Office on Women’s Health

in support of the Office’s goals to improve the

health of women and in the development of

minority women’s health initiatives; to provide

input to the Department of Health and Human

Services on Departmental/Secretarial

initiatives; and to provide input on

recommendations that address Office on

Women’s Health or Department of Health and

Human Services initiatives from the Bridging

the Gap conference of 1997, targeted to

enhance the health of minority women in the

U.S. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Health Training and Testing

Many Peace Corps health projects work to

enhance the capacity of local health

professionals through direct health education,

training in health care techniques, activities to

raise awareness of health issues, and efforts to

strengthen local institutions. More information

can be found online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/health.

Several examples include:

• In 1997 the Peace Corps signed a four-year

agreement with the government of Nepal to

establish the Auxiliary Health Training

Project. The Project assists the Council of

Technical Education and Vocational Training

Ministry of Education in its efforts to

increase the number of appropriately trained

female nurse midwives in the rural areas. The

focus is on young women between the ages of

16 and 20 who have passed 10th grade.

Volunteers have worked at ten campuses

located in remote areas of Nepal and have

taught approximately 620 young women.

• In 1999 Peace Corps Uzbekistan opened a

Community Health Project, focusing on

community health education, especially

maternal and child health care. Eight

Volunteers—all female—are assigned to rura

health clinics and work with clinic staff to

provide health education to the local

community. It is anticipated that more than

80 percent of the beneficiaries of this project

both community members and clinic staff,

will be women. Approximately 30 additional

Volunteers are expected to join the project in

early 2000.

• Since 1998 the Peace Corps has identified

medical resources within the countries where

Volunteers are serving (77 as of September

1999) that can provide safe and reliable

mammogram testing for women over 50

years of age. This step is important in

allowing the Peace Corps to meet standards

of practice in the detection and prompt

treatment of breast cancer among Volunteers

[PEACE CORPS]
Violence Against Women

“We must give voice to

women plagued by violenc

all its forms. It doesn’t ma

it’s by law or custom, igno

or inaction. It doesn’t mat

it’s in war or peace, in our

homes or our streets. No wo

should ever be degraded by 

lence. And violence again

women must never again 

pushed aside as trivial or

explained away as cultura

us call it what it is. Violen

against women is a violat

human rights.”

—First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton, excerpte

from her remarks on

International Women’s Da

March 11, 1998.

D.
112 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

omen experience violence in the

form of physical, sexual, and

psychological abuse in all societies

across all lines of income, class, and

culture. The Platform defines violence

against women as any act of genderbased violence resulting in or likely to

result in physical, sexual, or

psychological harm, including acts of

coercion or arbitrary deprivation of

liberty, whether occurring in public or

private life. These forms of violence

include acts committed in the family,

such as battering, sexual abuse of female

children in the household, marital rape,

dowry related violence, female genital

mutilation, and other harmful traditional

practices; violence within the general

community, including sexual abuse,

sexual intimidation or harassment at

work, at educational institutions, and

elsewhere, and violence condoned by

the Nation’s government.

The Platform calls for measures to

prevent and eliminate violence against

women, study of the causes and

consequences of violence against

women and the effectiveness of

preventive measures, elimination of

trafficking of women, and assistance to

victims of violence due to prostitution

and trafficking.

D.1. Take integrated measures to prevent and

eliminate violence against women.

LEGISLATION

Violence Against Women Act

In 1994 the U.S. Congress enacted the Violence

Against Women Act, which changed how the

nation viewed and treated crimes of domestic

violence, sexual assault, and stalking of

women. Until 1994 very few communities had

implemented comprehensive, coordinated

responses to these crimes. Since 1994,

however, the Department of Justice has

awarded more than $800,000,000 through gran

programs established under the Violence

Against Women Act to support collaborative

efforts involving community-based social

services and medical professionals; educators

and religious groups; police, prosecutors, and

judges; athletes; and crime victims. The new

law also was the impetus for forging

partnerships among federal, state, and local

governments and between the criminal justice

system and victim advocates.

The 1994 law also created new federal crimina

offenses for violent acts against women and

strengthened penalties for existing crimes. The

law prohibits crossing state borders to stalk

someone, to commit an act of domestic

violence, or to violate a court order of

protection and bans gun ownership by anyone

under a protection order or ever convicted of a

misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. It

provides a civil rights remedy for victims of

gender-motivated violence, enabling them to

bring a civil action for damages against their

W
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

attackers in either state or federal court. The

Department of Justice enforces these

provisions, working closely with state and local

criminal justice systems, and defends their

constitutionality when challenged.

The Violence Against Women Act called for

the establishment of a national advisory council

to guide implementation of the new law and

bring public attention to domestic violence and

sexual assault crimes. Created in 1995, the

National Advisory Council on Violence

Against Women is co-chaired by Attorney

General Janet Reno and Secretary of Health

and Human Services Donna E. Shalala and

includes approximately 45 presidentially

appointed experts in the fields of domestic

violence and sexual assault, including

researchers, practitioners, survivors, and

representatives from the media, education,

religious groups, sports industry, business, and

health care professions. The Council published

A Community Checklist: Important Steps

Communities Can Take to End Violence

Against Women in October 1996. Early in the

year 2000, the Council will release an Agenda

for the Nation on Violence Against Women that

will be both a call to action and a guide to

specific strategies for ending gender-based acts

of violence. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Full Faith And Credit To Court Orders Of

Protection

Until passage of the Violence Against Women

Act in 1994, a woman holding a valid order of

protection from a court in one state could not

be certain the order would be enforced by

another state. The Violence Against Women

Act requires under its full faith and credit

provision that states honor one another’s

protection orders and enforce them as if they

were their own. Before enactment of the 1994

law, a battered woman residing in a state other

than the one in which she obtained an o

protection would have to wait for an inc

occur before she could get a new order

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

GRANTS

Training and Technical Assistance G

Using funds drawn from the grant prog

created by the Violence Against Wome

the Department of Justice works to buil

capacity of national criminal justice and 

advocacy organizations to foster comm

partnerships and to respond effectively 

violence against women. The Departme

sponsors mentoring efforts and peer-to-

consultations, making it possible for pe

who want to establish effective program

their communities to visit other commu

and learn from experts in the field.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Department of Health and Human S

Grants under the Violence Against W

Act

Department of Health and Human Serv

grant programs include:

• Battered Women’s Shelters

Through the Family Violence Preven

Services Act authorized within the V

Against Women Act legislation, state

agencies, territories, and Native Ame

Tribes and Alaskan Native Villages re

grants for the provision of emergency 

services to domestic violence victims 

their family members. In addition, fun

be used for related services such as

counseling relating to family violence

assistance through civil and criminal 

child care services for victims of fam

violence, and other prevention-focuse

activities. In 1999 the Department of 
114 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and Human Services awarded $71,000,000 to

states, territories, and Native American

Tribes and Alaskan Native Villages for

shelters and related assistance.

• State Domestic Violence Coalitions

In 1999 the Department of Health and Human

Services awarded $8,800,000 in statewide

grants to private non-profit domestic violence

coalitions to conduct activities that promote

domestic violence intervention and

prevention, and increase public awareness of

domestic violence issues. State coalitions

reaffirm a federal commitment to reducing

family and intimate violence and urge states,

localities, cities, and the private sector to

become more involved in state and local

family violence prevention planning efforts.

Specific areas of focus for state coalitions are

systems advocacy, statewide planning,

administration, direct services, and public

awareness and community education.

• Discretionary Programs and Activities

Discretionary funding supports public

agencies and non-profit organizations in

establishing, maintaining, and expanding

programs and projects to prevent incidents of

family violence and provide immediate

shelter and related assistance for victims of

violence and their family members.

Furthermore, the collective efforts of these

entities contribute to the overall improved

systems response to domestic violence at the

state and local levels. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

RESEARCH

Cyberstalking

At the request of Vice President Gore, the

Department of Justice has studied the problem

of cyberstalking, or harassment via the Internet

or email, and will develop recommendations on

how to protect people from this threat.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

DNA Diagnostics

In order for DNA testing to gain acceptance in

courtrooms, the U.S. Department of Justice

asked the National Institute of Standards and

Technology, within the Commerce

Department’s Technology Administration, to

develop a standard protocol by which

laboratories performing DNA tests can ensure

accuracy. National Institute of Standards and

Technology researchers produced, in essence, a

biochemical SAT. Laboratories that carry out

tests with the DNA, cells, and other materials

provided in the kit and that get results agreeing

with the certified values from the National

Institute of Standards and Technology know

they are performing the analysis accurately. If

the results differ, however, the National

Institute of Standards and Technology profiling

standard can help identify where problems are

occurring. Two areas of particular interest to

women are paternity determination and

identification of rapists. In FY 1999 the

Department of Justice provided $500,000 for

this work, which began in the late 1980s. The

related standard reference materials are feesupported; sales of these materials in FY 1999

were approximately $27,500.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

The Response of the Civil Justice System to

Violence Against Women

The Department of Justice is developing a

strategy to raise awareness of domestic and

sexual violence issues in civil matters, provide

training to civil justice system personnel, and

improve coordination among different civil

courts hearing matters involving the same

family and between criminal and civil courts

where domestic and sexual violence issues are

present. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Worker Exploitation Task Force

In early 1998 the President tapped the Solicitor

of Labor and the Acting Assistant Attorney

General for Civil Rights to serve as co-chairs of

his Worker Exploitation Task Force. This Task

Force meets regularly and has been developing

a strategy for combating egregious cases of

worker exploitation. Examples of such cases

are those in which female workers have been

exploited and those in which undocumented

foreign nationals have been lured into the

United States and then abused. These cases also

frequently involve allegations of involuntary

servitude. Serving on the Task Force in

addition to the co-chairs are other

representatives of the Department of Justice

(Civil Rights Division, Violence Against

Women Office, Office for Victims of Crime,

Federal Bureau of Investigation, and

Immigration and Naturalization Service) and

the Department of Labor, as well as the State

Department. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Female Genital Mutilation/Female Genital

Cutting

The Department of Health and Human Services

is conducting activities within the United States

to affected communities to educate the public

about health issues associated with female

genital mutilation.

The Department of Health and Human S

is carrying out activities in three areas re

female genital mutilation:

• Data Estimates

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention have developed estimates 

on U.S. Census data and female genit

mutilation rates for African countries 

derive an estimate for the U.S. popula

risk of this procedure. The Centers fo

Disease Control and Prevention foun

168,000 women and girls either had o

at risk of female genital mutilation. O

48,000 were girls under the age of 18

estimates were published in Public H

Reports in September/October 1997.

• Community Meetings

Community meetings were held in sev

cities where major concentrations of 

groups that traditionally practice fem

genital mutilation reside. Reports and

recommendations have been synthesi

• Training materials

The Department supported publicatio

new technical manual for health care

providers entitled Caring for Women 

Circumcision by the Research, Action 

Information Network for Bodily Integ

Women (RAINBO), an organization

recognized as one of the technical ex

this issue. The manual, published in J

1999, fulfills part of a recent Congres

directive to the Department to develo

recommendations for the education o

medical and osteopathic students rega

female genital mutilation and compli

arising from such practices, and the

dissemination of this information to s

schools. The training manual serves a

clinical guide for health practitioners 

to manage physical complications of 

circumcision/female genital mutilatio

also includes discussion on culturally
116 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

sensitive counseling, educational

information, legal issues of concern, and

special concerns of adolescent young women.

To date, the guide has been disseminated to

schools of medicine, nursing, and public

health, as well as a number of allied health

professional organizations. Requests for the

training manual can be made to the Office on

Women’s Health at 202-690-7650.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Violence in the Workplace

Homicide is the leading cause of work-related

death for women. The Occupational Safety and

Health Administration issued Guidelines for

Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care

and Social Service Workers in 1996 and

Recommendations for Workplace Violence

Prevention Programs in Late Night Retail

Establishments in 1998. The Occupational

Safety and Health Administration continues to

conduct educational efforts to assist employers

in protecting their establishments from

violence. The Occupational Safety and Health

Administration’s workplace violence

homepage has the most up-to-date statistics and

links to other sites on this topic. More

information can be found online at

http://www.osha.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

SERVICES AND TRAINING

Social Workers Initiative

The Office on Women’s Health is collaborating

with national social worker organizations to

coordinate a national effort to address Violence

Against Women issues. The Office on Women’s

Health plans to support a national conference

on this issue and is also preparing to

collaborate with the Howard University School

of Social Work on the role of minority social

service professionals in Violence Against

Women prevention and intervention. The Office

on Women’s Health is also working with the

social workers to plan a summit for the year

2000 to develop a national action plan for

continuing and strengthening their

collaboration. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Efforts to Combat

Domestic Violence

In July 1998, as part of an Agency-wide

initiative to combat domestic violence, the

Health Resources and Services Administration

released its Action Plan to Prevent Family and

Intimate Partner Violence. The Action Plan

includes five components: policy, training,

service delivery, family education and

prevention promotion, and research and

evaluation. The top priority areas for FY 1998

and FY 1999 under the Health Resources and

Services Administration’s Action Plan have

been the training of health care providers and

the incorporation of domestic violence

screening and intervention strategies into

service delivery at sites funded by the Health

Resources and Services Administration. Copies

of the Action Plan are available through the

Health Resources and Services Administration

Office of Minority Health, 301-443-2964, or

online at

http://www.hrsa.gov/hrsa/omh/omh.htm.

The Health Resources and Services

Administration is currently developing a threepart Distance-Based Learning Domestic

Violence Project that will primarily target

service delivery grantees, such as community

and migrant health centers, area health

education centers, HIV/AIDS service delivery

sites, maternal and child health care sites, and

rural health centers. The primary purpose of

this training effort is to increase the skills of

providers at the Health Resources and Services

Administration’s service delivery sites to

identify and intervene in cases of domestic
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

violence and participate effectively as members

of a coordinated community response team.

Seventeen states receiving maternal and child

health block grants have incorporated domestic

violence performance measures into their

programs to collect data from maternal and

child health service sites within their states.

The measures will yield information on types

of abuse, numbers of abused women, abuse

during pregnancy, and other related

information.

The Health Resources and Services

Administration provided the Better Homes

Fund with approximately $48,000 one-time

funding in FY 1998 to develop a diagnostic

screening tool to identify homeless women

who have suffered abuse or are in current

abusive situations. The Fund will complete a

manual in FY 1999 to accompany the screening

tool that instructs providers on violence and

homeless women. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

The Administration for Children and

Families

The Administration for Children and Families

administers the Family Violence Prevention

and Services program. In FY 1999 it made

$70,000,000 available to states and Tribes for

the provision of shelters and services to victims

of family violence and their dependents. The

Administration for Children and Families also

funds the State Domestic Violence Coalitions

(membership organizations in each state

consisting of a majority of shelter operators and

domestic violence service providers) and the

domestic violence resource center network.

The resource center network consists of the

National Resource Center on Domestic

Violence, the Battered Women's Justice Project,

the Resource Center on Child Custody and

Protection, the Health Resource Center on

Domestic Violence, and the Resource Center

for Native American Women (The Sacred

Circle). The National Domestic Violen

Hotline is also an entity in the resource 

network and is supported through grant 

to the Texas Council on Family Violenc

National Hotline is a toll-free number (

799-SAFE) available 24 hours a day, se

days a week. Issues for youth were high

in a Report to Congress, Youth Educati

Domestic Violence Model Programs, in 

the Administration for Children and Fa

recommended five programs as potenti

models for the Nation. [DEPARTMEN

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Policy For Obtaining A New Social S

Number

On November 4, 1998, Vice President A

announced a change in the Social Secu

Administration’s policy regarding assig

of new Social Security numbers to vict

domestic violence to make it easier for 

battered women to obtain a new Social 

number. A new number can help abuse

women establish new identities and the

elude their abusers, reducing the risk of 

violence.

Under the new policy, a victim of dome

violence can receive a new Social Secu

number by providing written affirmatio

domestic abuse from a third party, such 

local shelter, treating physician, or law

enforcement official. Social Security

employees in field offices nationwide w

closely with local domestic violence sh

the police, the courts, treating physician

medical facilities, and psychologists to 

victims of domestic violence get the

documentation necessary to secure a ne

number.

To further improve its services to victim

domestic violence, the agency posted o

website the steps a victim needs to take 

receive a new Social Security number. 

website, located at http://www.ssa.gov, 
118 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

includes the agency’s and the National

Domestic Violence Hotline’s toll-free numbers.

[SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

National Domestic Violence Hotline

In February 1996 President Clinton announced

the opening of the 24-hour, toll-free National

Domestic Violence Hotline to provide crisis

assistance and local shelter referrals to victims

of domestic violence throughout the country.

The Hotline was funded through a Department

of Health and Human Services grant to the

Texas Council on Family Violence. The hotline

number is 1-800-799-SAFE. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Families at Risk

The Department of Health and Human Services

administers the program Promoting Safe and

Stable Families and assists state child welfare

agencies and Tribes to fund family preservation

services, family support services, time-limited

family reunification services, and adoption

promotion and support services. It was created

in 1993 (funding began FY 1994) and funding

for FY 1999 is $275,000,000.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Treatment Improvement Protocol on

Substance Abuse Treatment and Domestic

Violence

In January 1998 the Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services Administration

released a Treatment Improvement Protocol on

Substance Abuse Treatment and Domestic

Violence (TIP 25). The Treatment

Improvement Protocol series is a compendium

of best practice guides produced for substance

abuse service and treatment providers. The

report recommends that providers of treatment

services for alcohol and drug abusers and for

victims of domestic violence move toward

more linked systems of delivering services to

provide more effective care. The volume

provides diagnostic tools to help drug addiction

counselors recognize when clients are victims

or perpetrators of domestic violence, and also

to aid those who counsel abused women to

recognize drug and alcohol addiction. The

Treatment Improvement Protocol also includes

a chapter on legal issues, the federal rules of

confidentiality for patients, and state laws

requiring professionals to report abuse,

particularly suspected child abuse. Treatment

Improvement Protocols are available online at

http://www.samhsa.gov, or they can be ordered

by contacting the National Clearinghouse for

Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-

6686; TDD (for hearing impaired), 1-800-487-

4889. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

New Parent Support Program

Each Military Service sponsors programs to

provide home visiting support, reinforce

parenting skills and strengths, strengthen the

parents’ emotional readiness for parenthood,

identify families at risk for problems, and

provide information about and referrals to

community resources. These services are

available to every military family and are

delivered through military medical treatment

facilities or family centers. Additional and/or

more intensive services are available to families

with special needs and high-risk families.

Evaluations of high-risk families participating

in the program found fewer child abuse and

spouse abuse incidents. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE]
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

Taking Measures To Prevent And Eliminate

Violence Against Women

The U.S. government continues to reaffirm its

commitment to reduce the threat of workplace

and domestic violence for federally employed

women. For the last several years, the Office of

Personnel Management has taken the lead to

develop several approaches to facilitate highquality workplace violence programs

throughout the federal government to help

prevent and eliminate violence against women.

The Office of Personnel Management

established an Interagency Working Group on

Violence in the Workplace, which has created

models and procedures for workplace violence

program development. The Office of Personnel

Management organized a variety of seminars

that allow agencies to share their successes and

problems in an informal, cooperative format.

An information exchange and program of

informal consultation have enabled

organizations to help one another, both with

program development and with emergency

situations. Formal presentations by group

members have introduced their findings to a

variety of professional and governmental

organizations. Although the primary customer

is the federal government, many of the

products, procedures, and insights of the group

have been disseminated to state and local

governments and other organizations.

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Providing Work Site Tools For Federal

Employers And Employees On Dealing With

Workplace And Domestic Violence

The Office of Personnel Management produced

the following handbooks to provide guidance

on issues such as how to develop a loca

workplace violence plan, how to suppo

employees in a variety of traumatic situ

and how to help victims of domestic vi

• Handling Traumatic Events: A Mana

Handbook (December 1996)

This handbook provides concrete sug

for the manager on how to respond

effectively to traumatic events affecti

workforce. It emphasizes the importa

supportive, respectful workplace in h

employees recover from highly stress

events. It also shows how manageme

such as granting leave, reassigning sp

structuring the work day, providing

information to employees, or listenin

employees can help employees deal w

traumatic events and return to effectiv

performance. To view this publication

http://www.opm.gov/ehs/traugdpg.htm

• Dealing with Workplace Violence: A 

for Agency Planners (February 1998)

This publication was developed with

guidance from an inter-agency, multi

disciplinary working group. The hand

guides an organization through the pr

developing a workplace violence pro

that fits its own unique security issue

mission, and organizational culture. I

explains how to form a planning grou

develop a policy statement, and devel

preventive approaches. A comprehen

of case studies introduces key issues 

agency must consider, and can be use

training and needs assessment.

To help members of different profe

work together in a collegial spirit, b

ground information is provided on 

ber of technical fields, such as

investigations, threat assessment, em

relations, employee assistance, wor

security, and organizational recover
120 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

review this publication, visit http://

www.opm.gov/workplac/index.html-ssi.

• Responding to Domestic Violence—Where

Federal Employees Can Find Help (February

1999)

On November 4, 1998, President Clinton

directed the Office of Personnel Management

to prepare a handbook on domestic violence

for federal employees and supervisors.

Partnering with the Department of Justice’s

Violence Against Women Office, the Family

Violence Prevention Fund, the National

Organization of Women’s Legal Defense and

Education Fund, and other non-profit

organizations, the Office of Personnel

Management staff developed a highly

practical guidebook designed for on-the-spot

problem solving. Sections address the victim

of domestic violence, the victim’s supervisor,

and the victim’s friends and co-workers. Each

section gives concrete suggestions on how to

keep the victim safe and direct her to expert

resources. Rather than create a new program

or regulations, the guidebook explains how

the existing flexibilities and support systems

already in the federal workplace can be used

to keep the victim safe and help her respond

to a stressful and dangerous situation. When

the guidebook was issued, 104,000 copies

were ordered in the first two months, and the

website averages 400 to 500 hits per week. To

view Responding to Domestic Violence—

Where Federal Employees Can Find Help,

visit http://www.opm.gov/workplac/html/

domestic.html-ssi. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Military Family Clearinghouse

The Military Family Clearinghouse collects

and maintains family advocacy-related

resource and research materials including

comprehensive bibliographies on assault/rape/

harassment, spouse abuse, and child abuse.

These materials are available on request.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Department of Defense Training Programs

The Department of Defense has initiated a

comprehensive victim/witness assistance

program that provides for notification to all

victims, including women, of their rights and

assistance available to them at each stage of the

entire criminal justice process. Several

Department of Defense-wide training sessions

have been held in cooperation with the

Department of Justice to ensure vigorous

implementation of this program. The training

programs have been provided to installations

throughout the world. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE/ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Armed Forces Center for Child Protection

An Armed Forces Center for Child Protection

was established in 1998 at the National Naval

Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. This Center

provides a central point of contact and referral

source for obtaining assistance in cases of

physical or sexual abuse. [DEPARTMENT

OF DEFENSE]

Adapting Military Sex Crime Investigations

to Changing Times

A recently published report, Adapting Military

Sex Crime Investigations to Changing Times,

has highlighted a need to further educate

investigators when sex crimes are alleged.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Lunchtime Seminars

The Social Security Administration sponsors

lunchtime seminars on domestic violence to

help employees know what to do and where to

go for help. Experts on domestic violence serve

as speakers and provide guidance on techniques
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

and services. Also, printed materials and

videotapes are available, in addition to personal

counseling. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Safety and Security Guidance for Peace

Corps Volunteers Worldwide

Throughout the Volunteer cycle, from

recruitment and training through completion of

service, staff and Volunteers strive to reduce the

many safety risks Volunteers are likely to face.

Individual Volunteers have the primary

responsibility for their personal safety, and

Peace Corps staff can best support Volunteer

efforts through thoughtful policy formulation,

provision of appropriate resources and training,

open communication, and crisis response and

management. In the late 1990s, Peace Corps

Headquarters has issued a number of

handbooks and videos to help overseas staff

and Volunteers increase their level of safety and

handle violence when it does occur. Handbooks

include:

• Guidelines for Personal Safety Training

(1995);

• Volunteer Safety – Best Practices (1996);

• Risk Management Training Module (1997);

• Slice of Life – Coping with Unwanted

Attention (1997), video;

• Crisis Management Handbook (1997);

• Rape Response Handbook (1998);

• Personal Safety Awareness Training Module

(1999); and

• Evacuation Support Guide (1999) [PEACE

CORPS]

Department of Health and Human Services

Employee Domestic Violence Policy

Released in October 1998, this action guide is

written as an addendum to the Workplace

Violence Training Guidelines that were issued

in May 1997. This document informs

Department of Health and Human Serv

employees of the measures that can be 

they suspect a domestic violence situat

exists. The guide also includes example

possible physical security precautions a

policies and procedures others have fou

helpful in preventing domestic violence

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

Protection of Female Peace Corps

Volunteers Worldwide

During the late 1990s the Peace Corps 

encouraged authorities in countries wh

Volunteers serve to recognize and supp

rights of female victims of sexual haras

physical assault, and rape. The Peace C

assists local authorities as they pursue

investigations, collect and preserve evid

and apprehend and prosecute suspects.

[PEACE CORPS]

Office of the Senior Coordinator for

International Women’s Issues

Within the Department of State, the Of

the Senior Coordinator for Internationa

Women’s Issues is taking the lead in pu

issue of violence against women into U

foreign policy. This issue is of major co

President Clinton, First Lady Hillary R

Clinton, and Secretary of State Madele

Albright. They have repeatedly raised th

of violence against women in major sp

and with leaders of governments aroun

world. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Training in El Salvador

In May and July 1999, three U.S. exper

conducted training conferences on sex 

analysis and prosecution sponsored by 

Agency for International Development
122 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Approximately 350 prosecutors, forensic

medical practitioners, justices of the peace, and

police officers—40 percent of whom were

women—participated in the training. In

addition, justices of the peace, prosecutors, and

public defenders have been trained in how to

enforce El Salvador's new family and criminal

laws. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Grants in Bulgaria

Another example of efforts supported by the

U.S. Agency for International Development to

prevent and eliminate violence against women

has been the awarding of a $100,000 grant for a

violence-against-women prevention program in

Bulgaria. The grant resulted in the formation of

new anti-domestic violence groups and

counseling centers, organized by the Gender

Project for Bulgaria Foundation and the

Bulgarian Center for Human Rights. Another

program, the Democracy Network, awards

small grants such as the following:

• The Animus Association of Sofia received

$6,000 to promote best practices in

supporting abused women in three Bulgarian

cities.

• The Women’s Association ROMA, located in

Plovdiv, received $5,000 to strengthen its

capacity to assist the Roma community,

particularly women and children.

• The Women with a Future Association in

Sofia received $7,000 for a six-month project

to prevent sexual harassment of women. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Female Genital Mutilation Interagency

Working Group

The Department of State is responsible for

coordinating U.S. government responses to

international women’s issues. Female genital

mutilation is one such issue. The Office of the

Senior Coordinator for International Women’s

Issues heads an Interagency Working Group

that coordinates U.S. government efforts on

this subject. The Working Group includes

representatives from the U.S. Agency for

International Development, the Department of

Health and Human Services, the Treasury

Department, the Immigration and

Naturalization Service, the U.S. Information

Agency, and various offices and bureaus within

the Department of State. The Group also meets

with representatives of American and African

non-governmental organizations involved in

these issues. The United States has been

working to support local community

organizations in countries where female genita

mutilation is practiced to provide information

and education about the harmful effects of the

practice and for its eradication. The Office of

the Senior Coordinator for International

Women’s Issues and the Office of Asylum

Affairs have developed papers on the practice

in countries where it is commonly carried out.

During her visit to Senegal on April 2, 1998,

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton held a

roundtable discussion about female genital

mutilation with 20 women from the village of

Malicounda Bambara, which, following a basic

education course of the non-governmental

organization, Tostan, abolished this practice in

1997. The First Lady participated in a

roundtable discussion on Human Rights:

Women and the Girl Child on May 15, 1998, at

the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in

Geneva. One of the subjects discussed was

female genital mutilation. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

Female Genital Cutting

The U.S. Agency for International

Development is committed to halting the

practice of female genital cutting; however, the

Agency recognizes that the solution must
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

involve entire communities. Legal prohibition

of female genital cutting is important, but the

practice will continue unless customs change.

Prevention efforts must be culturally sensitive

and appropriate to each target group.

An intra-Agency working group ensures

attention to female genital cutting and plans

and implements U.S. Agency for International

Development support in this area. In May 1997,

in collaboration with the Research, Action, and

Information Network for Bodily Integrity of

Women, the U.S. Agency for International

Development published Program Guidelines

for Integrating Activities to Eradicate Female

Genital Mutilation into USAID Programs.

These guidelines are now being implemented.

A special module on female genital cutting has

been included in U.S. Agency for International

Development-funded Demographic and Health

Surveys in eight countries. In Egypt, for

example, findings from the survey led to an

ambitious new strategy by a non-governmental

organization task force to eradicate female

genital cutting by educating and mobilizing

support from all sectors of Egyptian society.

Other efforts supported by the U.S. Agency for

International Development include working

with local women's groups and nongovernmental organizations in Guinea, the

Gambia, and Senegal on education and

advocacy campaigns and operations research to

develop and test community-level interventions

to prevent female genital cutting.

Supplementing these efforts has been wide

distribution by the Office of Women in

Development of an information bulletin

entitled Female Genital Mutilation and the

Summer 1997 issue of the Africa Bureau's

African Voices newsletter. The Intra-Agency

Working Group on female genital cutting has

also published several key documents,

including Female Genital Cutting: USA

Background Paper. [U.S. AGENCY FO

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMEN

State Department’s Bureau Of Popul

Refugees And Migration Programs

Refugee women are at great risk of sex

violence. Rape of refugee women, in pa

is a serious problem from both a protec

health perspective. The Department of 

Bureau of Population, Refugees and M

has worked closely with the United Na

High Commissioner for Refugees to ra

awareness of this issue at all levels and 

supported many specific programs that 

sexual and gender-based violence.

Kosovo

In Kosovo the Bureau of Population, R

and Migration is working with the Unit

Nations High Commissioner for Refug

UNFPA, the International Organization 

Migration, and several non-governmen

organizations to enhance psychosocial

responses to the recent conflict, includi

appropriate treatment for survivors of s

violence, as well broader communityawareness raising about sexual and gen

based violence. [DEPARTMENT OF 

Russia

The Department of State collaborates w

governmental organizations, communit

governments to plan an active role in re

violence against women by raising awa

promoting legal and judicial reforms, a

providing training for law enforcement

In October 1998 the United States and 

governments jointly sponsored a confer

Moscow to address family violence aga

women. Organized by the Office of the 

Coordinator for International Women’s 

in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy 

Moscow, this conference marked the fir
124 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

in raising the profile of the issue of domestic

violence in Russia and set a platform for the

Russia government and non-governmental

organizations to discuss this issue.

In FY 1998 the Department of State’s Bureau

for International Narcotics and Law

Enforcement supported approximately

$1,700,000 in programs to combat domestic

violence against women in Russia and the

Newly Independent States. These programs use

a multi-disciplinary approach involving law

enforcement, judges, prosecutors, doctors,

psychologists, social workers, and crisis center

personnel to combat domestic violence. The

Bureau will continue these multi-disciplinary

programs in FY 1999 and FY 2000.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Zimbabwe

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe's Democracy

and Human Rights Fund Program has

increasingly focused on helping to eliminate

violence against women. The Musasa project in

1999, the only national women's organization

in Zimbabwe that addresses domestic violence

issues, was granted $17,000 from Democracy

and Human Rights Fund resources to support

shelter services and to launch an educational

campaign to enhance public acceptability of

shelters for victims of domestic violence. The

Training and Research Support Center received

$10,000 to conduct research, provide

information, hold fora, and institute seminars

on child sexual abuse, rape, and domestic

violence, with the goals of reducing these

human rights violations in Zimbabwe. In

addition, the Training and Research Support

Center was granted $5,000 for the publication

of a training manual on sexual harassment in

the workplace and recently conducted the first

training seminar for judges and other court

personnel on incorporating gender sensitivity in

the adjudication of cases. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

East Asia and the Pacific

In FY 1997 a $1,000,000 grant from the

Department of State’s regional Democracy and

Human Rights Economic Support Fund to the

Asia Foundation initiated ground-breaking

efforts to combat violence against women,

including domestic violence, rape, and

trafficking in women and girls, in Cambodia,

Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and the

Solomon Islands. This grant was awarded to

the Asia Foundation to expand its ongoing

activities with U.S. Agency for International

Development’s Global Women in Politics

program. Activities undertaken with these

funds primarily addressed violence against

women but also addressed support for

constitutional reform, economic rights, labor

rights, and other human rights issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Violence Against Women Regional Initiative

In East Asia and Pacific

The Violence Against Women Regional

Initiative strengthens the capacity of domestic

violence organizations to plan and implement

future initiatives. It consists of four countrylevel training workshops and two regional

meetings to bring together activists and experts

and develop region-wide networks. The goal of

the workshops is to strengthen evaluative,

analytical, and strategic planning skills in

response to domestic violence. Nongovernmental organizations in Mongolia,

Cambodia, the Philippines, and Indonesia are

trained on how to improve their effectiveness in

advocacy to get laws against domestic violence

passed and in community activities to let the

community know there are organizations

available to help. The regional meetings were

held in Manila in October 1999 and January

2000. The Initiative is implemented through the

Asia Foundation. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

India and Pakistan

Women and girls, particularly those with low

incomes, are frequently victims of domestic

violence. Honor killings in Pakistan, dowry

burnings in India, and other forms of domestic

violence have created a harsh climate for

women and girls that many human rights

groups claim is inadequately addressed by the

governments. The Department of State has

reported extensively on violence against

women and girls, including trafficking in

women and children, in its annual Human

Rights Reports and has made trafficking an

issue in its bilateral and multi-lateral

diplomatic engagement in the region.

Over the past five years in India, the U.S.

Embassy has expanded funding for advocacy

and service delivery networks aimed at

empowering Indian women. It has also funded

studies on trends in domestic violence and the

best practices in responding to it.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Anti-Domestic Violence and Trafficking

Grant Programs in Russia and the Newly

Independent States

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of

International Narcotics and Law Enforcement

Affairs is currently supporting grants to

Connect/United States-Russia, Project

Harmony, Sister Cities International, and

Florida State University to conduct antidomestic violence programs in several cities in

Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, and

Kazakhstan. These programs are multidisciplinary (involving prosecutors, judges, law

enforcement, psychologists, social workers,

and physicians) and are conducted in the

United States and/or in the target country. In

FY 1999 grants were awarded to Winrock

International, Connect/United States-Russia,

Project Harmony, and Sister Cities

International. The new programs will be

expanded to include Uzbekistan, Georgia, and

Armenia. Winrock International’s progr

address both domestic violence and tra

in women by increasing the capacity of 

governmental organizations to train law

enforcement and other criminal justice

officials, and institutionalize cooperatio

The Bureau for International Narcotics 

Law Enforcement Affairs began these

programs as a result the U.S. Senate’s F

request to train law enforcement and he

service providers to address domestic v

in Russia. Since then, this Bureau’s dom

violence program has expanded to othe

countries in the Newly Independent Sta

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

D.2. Study the causes and consequenc

violence against women and the effect

of preventive measures.

RESEARCH AND STATISTICS

National Institute of Justice and Bur

Justice Statistics

Through its National Institute of Justice 

Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Depart

Justice supports research to understand 

nature, scope, causes, and consequence

violence against women and to develop

strategies for responding to and preven

violence against women. The Departme

Justice also participates in an inter-agen

consortium for research on women batt

sexual assault, and stalking and strongl

supports community-driven evaluations 

promote partnerships between research

practitioners. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE]

Research on Violence Against Wome

In January 1996 the Office of Behavior

Social Sciences Research of the Nation

Institutes of Health announced a special 

for applications focusing on Research o
126 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Violence Against Women and Violence within

the Family. The request especially encouraged

research on the abuse of children and the

elderly, partner violence, sexual violence, and

perpetrators and victims of multiple episodes of

family violence (for example, abused children

who witness parental domestic violence).

Coordinated by the Office of Behavioral and

Social Sciences Research, this program was cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health

Office of Research on Women’s Health, the

National Institutes of Health Office of Research

on Minority Health, the National Institute on

Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol

Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute

of Mental Health, the National Institute on

Aging, the National Institute of Justice, the

National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect,

and the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. This request represents the first

inter-departmental and trans-National Institutes

of Health research funding program on

violence. It was intended to bring together

perspectives of the participating agencies,

encompassing criminal justice, mental health,

public health and prevention, alcohol and drug

abuse, and child development perspectives, to

advance the knowledge of family violence and

violence against women. Support for these

efforts is approximately $7,000,000 per year.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR

FAMILIES

Domestic Violence Task Force

In FY 2000 the Department of Defense will

convene a task force composed of military and

civilian members representing all aspects of the

domestic violence community to review and

make policy recommendations to the

Department of Defense program.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Automated Department of Defense Central

Registry for Child Abuse and Spouse Abuse

Reports

The Department of Defense has developed and

implemented an automated joint-Service

central registry on incidents of child and spouse

abuse in military families. The incident-based

data identify individuals who have been victims

of family violence and their alleged abusers.

This new system facilitates inter-Service

background checks on applicants for positions

that provide care to children and also provides

joint-Service research on the frequency of

abuse and the effectiveness of treatment.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Department of Defense Studies Of Spouse

And Child Abuse

Navy research is assessing entering recruits for

their personal history of child abuse and

assaultive behavior. The research follows them

over time to determine how childhood trauma

affects attrition and leads to other negative

consequences including suicide, sexually

aggressive behavior, further victimization, and

alcohol abuse. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE]

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

Reducing Risk Factors for Abuse among

Low-Income Minority Women with

Disabilities

The National Institute on Disability and

Rehabilitation Research created this project in

order to continue to address issues of abuse

against women with disabilities. This project

developed strategies to reach women with

disabilities at all stages of resolving abusive

situations by identifying risk factors for

emotional, physical, and sexual abuse faced by

women with disabilities; assessing the ability

of rehabilitation and independent living

counselors to identify women in abusive
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

situations and refer them to appropriate

community services; developing and testing

models for programs that reduce the risk of

abuse for women with disabilities, particularly

among women with disabilities from lowincome, minority backgrounds where the

incidence of abuse is highest; and establishing

an agenda for future research on women with

disabilities using a national advisory panel.

Funding for the project from September 30,

1996, to August 31, 1999, was $250,000 per

year. More information can be found online at

http://www.naric.com, search for H133A60045

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

A Multi-Level Analysis of the Relationship

Between Domestic Violence and Disability

This project studies the intersection between

domestic violence and disabilities through the

perspective of female adult victims of domestic

violence. These women will be interviewed and

observed in routine activities to develop an

understanding of the relationships and

consequences of domestic violence and

disability. The target population consists of

policymakers, service providers, and

consumers. Funding for the project from

September 1, 1999, to August 31, 2002, is

$150,000 per year. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

Women's Personal Assistance Services

Abuse Research Project

The project seeks to increase the identification,

assessment, and response to abuse by formal

and informal personal assistance service

providers of women with physical and

cognitive disabilities living independently in

the community. The aim of the project is to

develop a comprehensive package of personal

assistance services’ abuse prevention materials.

The target population consists of service

providers and women with disabilities. F

for the project from July 1, 1997, to Jun

2000, is $125,000 per year. More inform

can be found online at http://www.naric

search for H133G70154. [DEPARTME

OF EDUCATION]

HEALTH INITIATIVES

National Institute of Child Health an

Human Development

The National Institute of Child Health 

Human Development supports several r

studies on violence against women, wit

specific studies focusing on the impact 

domestic violence on pregnancy outcom

well as factors contributing to the devel

of violent behavior in adolescence.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

National Institute on Drug Abuse

The National Institute on Drug Abuse i

member of the Interagency Consortium 

Violence Against Women and Family V

Research and serves as the administrato

$5,200,000 in grants funded under this

Consortium. Other National Institute on 

Abuse initiatives regarding violence ag

women and within the family include r

on drug treatment for women who have 

exposed to violence and have a diagnos

post-traumatic stress disorder; research 

prevent violence and to intervene after

exposure to prevent substance abuse; an

amendment to all relevant National Inst

Drug Abuse program announcements t

include research on the co-occurrence a

health consequences of violence, drug 

and HIV/AIDS; and the National Instit

Drug Abuse Research Program on the E

and Consequences of Drug Abuse Amo
128 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Women, which supports a wide range of studies

on violence against women, gender differences

in child abuse and child neglect, and women

both as victim and as perpetrator of violence.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The National Institute on Aging

The National Institute on Aging is supporting

research on factors that enhance or mitigate the

potential abuse or neglect of older women. This

study is in its final phase. In FY 2000 the

National Institute on Aging is also supporting a

multi-agency initiative to develop methodology

and design for a national prevalence and risk

factor survey on elder abuse. [DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Violence Against the Elderly

The Administration on Aging administers the

Older Americans Act, Title VII, and Vulnerable

Elder Rights Protection Activities, and

provides formula grant funds to state units on

aging to support state elder abuse prevention

activities in areas such as professional training,

coordination among state service systems and

among service providers, technical assistance,

and public education. In 1998 the

Administration on Aging and the

Administration on Children and Families

announced the release of the National Elder

Abuse Incidence Study conducted by the

National Center for Elder Abuse at the

American Public Human Services Association,

in collaboration with Westate, Inc. The study is

located online at http://www.aoa.gov/abuse/

report. The Administration on Aging supports

the National Center on Elder Abuse as a

resource for public and private agencies,

professionals, service providers, and

individuals interested in elder abuse prevention

information, training, technical assistance, and

research. A three-year cooperative agreement

was awarded to the National Association of

State Units on Aging to administer the Nationa

Center on Elder abuse. The National

Association of State Units on Aging has been a

partner in the operation of the Center since its

inception. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Research and Demonstration Projects

Injuries are a leading cause of death for women

in the United States. The Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention's projects include

research and demonstration on injuries, both

intentional and unintentional, as well as those

caused by violence. The Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention support activities for

the prevention of family violence, sexual

assault, abuse of older women, workplace

violence, health communications activities to

promote public awareness, and training

programs for health care providers.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

• Additional Studies by the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention

• Studies by the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention include:

• Comparison of the use and costs of the

medical care system by women who are

identified as abused and those who are not

abused;

• Evaluation of training programs for health

care professionals;

• Establishment of a uniform definition of

violence against women;

• Evaluation of a community-based project

addressing date violence in North Carolina;

• Extramural research grants to identify risk

factors associated with family and intimate

violence;

• An inventory of surveillance systems;
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

• A project on informative communications

research to determine attitudes, beliefs, and

behaviors of inner-city youth concerning

relationships and dating violence;

• Projects to identify successful delivery of

violence interventions;

• A study on the characteristics and assessment

of family violence interventions; and

• Development of a research agenda on the

understanding and control of violence against

women. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Additional Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention Initiatives

Initiatives by the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention include:

• A national awareness campaign;

• Development of a newsletter to enhance

communications;

• Development of a “violence against women”

module to be included in the Pregnancy RiskAssessment Monitoring system;

• An intramural study to identify risk factors

for escalation of violence and protective

factors for cessation of violence within

partner relationships;

• Migrant farm workers women's training

project;

• Sexual assault prevention projects; and

• An ongoing consensus-building process to

develop an action agenda for violence and

reproductive health. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Assessment of Domestic

Violence in Community-Based Primary

Health Care Settings

The Health Resources and Services

Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health

Care supports community-based primary health

care service sites that have developed and

implemented domestic violence interventions

for underserved individuals, with an em

on women. In FY 2000 the Health Reso

and Services Administration will be con

a comprehensive review of existing dom

violence protocols to determine interve

models that can be adapted to and share

community-based health service provid

primary care sites that serve women, in

partners, and other family members.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

National Institutes of Health Researc

Initiatives

The National Institutes of Health suppo

violence research initiatives through se

its Institutes:

The National Institute on Alcohol Abu

Alcoholism has a multi-disciplinary res

program on alcohol and violence. It is c

studying men and women with a histor

inflicting physical abuse to provide a ba

the development of prevention strategie

supports research examining the recipr

relationship between the effects of alco

family violence.

• The National Institute of Mental Hea

supporting research on the psycholog

biological effects of violence and trau

developmental trajectories, on later

interpersonal relationships, and on m

outcomes.

• The National Institute on Aging is

participating in a trans-National Insti

Health request for proposals to spons

research on factors that enhance or m

the potential abuse or neglect of older

women.
130 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• The Office of Research on Women's Health at

the National Institutes of Health co-funds

new programs on interventions for battered

women and children to reduce the cycle of

violence, domestic abuse among Latina

women in the cultural context, interventions

for older women abuse by their family

members, partner violence, and alcohol use

as factors leading to violence among Native

Americans. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Study on Violence Against Women with

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Problems

In October 1998 the Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services Administration

awarded $7,300,000 in Knowledge

Development Application grants to 14

community-based programs in ten states for a

study of women with substance abuse and

mental health problems who are victims of

violence. A Data Coordinating Center was

awarded $1,200,000 to provide guidance and

direction to the grantees in program

development. The Women and Violence Study

will generate valuable knowledge on the

confluence of violence and co-occurring

substance abuse and mental health disorders

affecting women and their children. The

program focuses on women age 18 and above

with co-occurring disorders who have histories

of physical and/or sexual abuse and who have

experienced at least two treatment episodes

within either substance abuse or mental health

systems. If these women are mothers, their

dependent children will also be included in the

program. This initiative evolved out of research

that has shown that existing health care systems

are not designed or prepared to adequately

address the problem of these co-occurring

disorders in women and associated violence, as

well as its effects on their children.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The Violence Against Women Program

The majority of women who have been treated

for addiction and mental disorders have

experienced physical and/or sexual abuse at

some point in their lives. This 1999 crosscutting initiative provides an additional

opportunity for Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration’s Centers to

work collaboratively to promote and improve

the integrated service delivery system for

women and their children affected by violence

The initiative has three major components: to

provide cross-training for service providers

from diverse backgrounds; to communicate

information regarding new service approaches

and improved service delivery systems; and to

expand current assessment and evaluation

programs to assess the effectiveness of

substance abuse/mental health treatment

programs in addressing health consequences of

domestic and sexual violence.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

CONNECT/U.S.-RUSSIA

CONNECT/U.S.-RUSSIA (CONNECT), in

collaboration with the Psychological Center for

Families and the non-governmental

organization initiative (both in Arzamas,

Russia), conducted a women’s leadership

training program with a focus on prevention of

domestic violence using a $119,922 grant

award in 1999 from the United States

Information Agency. Participants, selected

through a merit-based application process, will

form teams of one professional and one

volunteer each. The program consists of four

components: an 11-day program in

Minneapolis for eight women, with workshops

and site visits covering issues of domestic

violence, techniques of intervention and

education, leadership and networking skills,
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

and recruiting and training volunteers; selected

curricula and materials translated and copied

by CONNECT for use in subsequent in-country

programs; a four-day training seminar for eight

teams who work with students and young

parents; and a project director’s travel to

Arzamas for evaluation and development of

follow-up activities approximately seven

months after the four-day seminar. [UNITED

STATES INFORMATION AGENCY]

Mali

As part of its celebration of the 50th

anniversary of the United Nations Declaration

on Human Rights, U.S. Information Agency

Mali participated in the November 24, 1997,

Africa Journal broadcast, Stop the Violence

against Women. The audience participants

included a broad spectrum of Malian

organizations dedicated to the defense and

furtherance of women’s rights, including the

Association for the Advancement and Defense

of Women, the Action Committee for the

Rights of Children and Women, the Malian

Women Jurist Association, the Lawyers Union,

the Chief of Staff of the Ministry for Women,

and leading journalists. A strong consensus

emerged from this discussion, as well as

agreement on concrete steps the participants

would pursue toward the goal of countering

domestic violence. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Togo

In cooperation with several Togolese nongovernmental organizations, United States

Information Service Lome hosted a two-day

conference on December 8 and 9, 1997, on

combating domestic violence. This conference

was part of the activities marking a campaign

launched by the non-governmental

organizations to commemorate International

Human Rights Day. The conference met its

objective of educating traditional leaders and

community authorities, as well as the police, on

the importance of the full human rights 

women and their participation in societ

politics. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

East Asia and Pacific

The Department of State’s regional Dem

and Human Rights Economic Support F

provided funding to the Asia Foundatio

programs including:

• Indonesia

In partnership with Rifka Annisa Wo

Crisis Center, Yogyakarta, this progra

promoted dialogue with other nongovernmental organizations to modif

and special procedures for handling d

violence cases. A book was published

documenting cases of domestic viole

women’s rights to support the analysi

policy needs.

• Mongolia

In partnership with the Mongolian Na

University’s Population Teaching and

Research Center and the Women’s La

Association, this program conducted 

nationwide survey on domestic violen

processed and analyzed the data, and

compared the data with a baseline of 

surveys to assist in drafting domestic

violence legislation for Mongolia.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

D.3. Eliminate trafficking in women an

victims of violence due to prostitution 

trafficking.

United States Efforts to Combat Traf

On March 11, 1998, at a White House

ceremony attended by First Lady Hillar

Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State Ma

K. Albright, Attorney General Janet Re

United Nations Secretary General Kofi 

President Clinton issued a directive

establishing the United States’ strategy 
132 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

combat the trafficking of persons around the

world. This Presidential memorandum outlines

a strategy that involves prevention, protection

for and reintegration of victims, and

prosecution and enforcement against

traffickers. The United States views trafficking

as a global problem that must be addressed

through country-specific, anti-trafficking

initiatives as well as by regional cooperation.

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women coordinates the U.S. government’s

response on trafficking in women and girls and

works with the Department of Justice, the

Department of State, and the Department of

Labor to combat the problem of trafficking. For

more information, please visit the President’s

Interagency Council on Women’s website on

trafficking at http://secretary.state.gov/www/

picw/trafficking/index.html. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Review of U.S. Laws and Victim Programs

The Department of Justice has reviewed laws

and victim programs relating to trafficking in

women and children and will report back to the

President. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Protection and Assistance for Trafficking

Victims

The Department of Justice is funding a pilot

project using a network of community-based

organizations to provide culturally appropriate

and language-specific services, such as mental

health counseling, emergency shelter, and

referrals for medical care, to Asian victims of

trafficking in the Los Angeles area. The

Department is also planning regional meetings

with service providers from across the country

on addressing the needs of trafficking victims

through appropriate services. Additionally, the

Department’s Civil Rights Division has

established a worker exploitation complaint

line to receive calls about workers who have

been recruited or transported into the United

States and then forced to work under abusive

conditions.

The Department of Justice has conducted and

continues to conduct workshops and training

sessions at federal, state, and local conferences

across the United States to raise awareness of

the needs of trafficking victims, to train law

enforcement and prosecutors on victims’ rights

and to assist in the development of service

networks for trafficking victims. The

Department has also developed training videos

for federal law enforcement, including the

Immigration and Naturalization Service, on the

needs of victims in trafficking cases, the details

of victims’ rights laws, and steps law

enforcement must take to assist victims. It also

facilitates meetings between non-governmenta

and governmental agencies on youth

trafficking, such as the April 1999 meeting for

government agencies to promote victim suppor

services for trafficking victims. Finally, the

Department of Justice is working with the

Department of State and other agencies to

increase awareness of the problems associated

with international matchmaking organizations

with respect to trafficking. [DEPARTMENT

OF JUSTICE/ DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Department of Justice Trafficking Working

Groups

U.S. federal law prohibits slavery and

involuntary servitude, the traveling across state

or national borders for the purposes of

prostitution or other criminal sexual activity,

and certain immigration fraud that is often part

of trafficking schemes. The Department of

Justice enforces all of these statutes and has

established an internal working group, as well

as an interagency task force chaired by the

Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil

Rights and the Solicitor of Labor, to ensure an

effective federal response to worker

exploitation and sex trafficking.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

Prosecuting Cases

In April 1998 the Justice Department indicted

16 individuals who had orchestrated a scheme

to recruit young women from Mexico and force

them into prostitution. In November 1998 three

individuals were indicted in the Northern

Mariana Islands for luring women from China

with promises of waitressing jobs and then

forcing them to work as “bargirls” and have sex

with customers. All three pled guilty in October

1999. In Chicago, two traffickers have been

prosecuted for locking five Latvian women in

an apartment and forcing them to work as

strippers. Both traffickers have been charged

with violations of federal law, including the

involuntary servitude statute, and one trafficker

has pled guilty to the federal charges.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Efforts Focusing on Sexual Trafficking of

Children

Through the Department of Justice’s Child

Protection Initiative, the Department is

assisting in coordinating a national network on

youth prostitution whose goal is to track the

activities of traffickers and follow through on

prosecutions. The Department is also involved

in the network's services to victims of

traffickers and sex travelers, assisting girls in

leaving the prostitution business and providing

them with rehabilitation services. The

Department also consults with the Department

of State on the protocol on sexual exploitation

for the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This Convention includes provisions on

prostitution of youth within and across

international borders. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE/ DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Trafficking As An International Crime

The Department of Justice is working with the

Federal Bureau of Investigation Legal Attaches

in several countries and with the State

Department to review potential cases fo

prosecution under the sex tourism statu

Department of Justice's activities also i

representation on the Interpol Standing

Working Party on Offenses Against Ch

The Department continues follow-up an

implementation projects from the First 

Congress Against the Sexual Exploitati

Children in Stockholm, Sweden, in Au

1996. The Department was one of three 

government agencies serving as observ

the European Union Conference on Tra

of Women in Vienna, Austria, in June 1

The Department participated in an Apr

seminar for Russian judges and other c

justice officials held in Washington, D.

entitled Combating the Sexual Exploita

Women and Children: Investigation, Ju

Concern, and Organized Crime.

As a follow-up to the April 1997 meeti

Department met with Russian officials 

governmental organizations in Moscow

Russia, in October 1997. At that time, t

Department made presentations to two

committees in the Duma, the Russian H

Parliament. The Department also coord

symposium for Romanian delegates in

Washington, D.C., in July 1998 on the 

exploitation of women and children and

provided training on investigative techn

trafficking cases to Polish, Lithuanian, 

Latvian representatives in Warsaw, Pola

Department continues to contribute to t

protocol on trafficking for the United N

Organized Crime Convention and parti

in meetings in Vienna, Austria, on that 

The Department also contributes to the

Interagency Working Group on Traffick

by the President’s Interagency Council 

Women, which coordinates interdepartm

activities on trafficking, including legis
134 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The United States/Italy working group on

trafficking is a by-product of the Interagency

Working Group. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE/ DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Combating Trafficking in Russia

American University’s Center for the Study of

Transnational Crime and Corruption received a

$120,000 grant from the United States

Information Agency Citizen Exchanges

Program to conduct an integrated program

(prevention, protection, prosecution) on law

enforcement and legal issues of trafficking,

including informational programs, victim

assistance, and enhancement of law

enforcement capacity. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Anti-Trafficking Program for Russia and

Ukraine

The United States Information Agency made a

$120,000 grant to MiraMed to conduct a

program on prevention of trafficking in women

and girls in Russia and Ukraine. The program

builds on established relationships and existing

materials, expands the scope of the current

information campaign from six to 12 oblasts in

Russia, and incorporates experience, expertise,

and lessons learned from the more established

campaign in Ukraine. The program includes

multi-regional media training and the

establishment of an all-Russia anti-trafficking

coalition. Two Internet conferences will be

used for coalition building, education, training,

and information sharing. (MiraMed’s March

1999 Internet conference on trafficking and

violence linked together more than 3,000

people from the former Soviet Union and

Mongolia.) Training workshops for 24 Russian

participants, to be held in Ukraine using

Ukraine’s best trainers on prevention of

trafficking, will conclude with a third Internet

conference. The program design is based on

past successes and corresponds to information

derived from a comprehensive survey from the

March 1999 program. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

National Campaign in Ukraine

In 1998 the government of Ukraine invited the

U.S. government to help develop a national

anti-trafficking campaign focused on

prevention, protection, and prosecution. The

U.S. Agency for International Development

committed $3,100,000 for programs in this

area. Prevention has consisted of public

information campaigns, including a television

docu-drama featuring Ukrainian television

stars, and job training centers that provide

women with legitimate employment (since

traffickers often trick women with fake offers

of employment). Legal services and a

telephone hotline are among the services

created to protect women who cooperate with

authorities against retaliation by traffickers. To

expedite prosecution of traffickers, the United

States is helping train Ukrainian law

enforcement officials, as well as U.S.

Immigration and Naturalization Services

border patrol agents, to detect trafficking

transport patterns and fraudulent travel

documentation.

The February 1999 issue of Gender Matters

Quarterly, entitled Women as Chattel: The

Emerging Global Market in Trafficking,

published by the Office of Women in

Development, was devoted to trafficking and

international responses to stop it. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Asia

Trafficking is particularly heavy throughout

South and Southeast Asia. The U.S. Agency for

International Development has provided more

than $1,000,000 from 1996 through 1999 to

country-level and regional programs to prevent

trafficking and provide services to victims. For

example, funding has supported a national

network of non-governmental organizations in

Bangladesh to provide legal aid to victims,

train police officers to recognize trafficking
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

victims, and conduct public awareness

campaigns.

[U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Luxembourg

In 1999 the U.S. Embassy provided law

enforcement information to the Luxembourg

authorities concerning the trafficking in Eastern

European women to several Western European

countries, including Luxembourg.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

INFORMATION AWARENESS

CAMPAIGNS

Preventing Trafficking

In 1998 the State Department’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration provided

funding to the International Organization for

Migration for two programs with the goal of

preventing the trafficking of women and

children. One effort directed Bureau of

Population, Migration and Refugees funding of

$100,000 toward the Mekong Region

(including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and

Laos) in order to provide return and

reintegration assistance directly to the

trafficked women and children. Within the

context of the New Transatlantic Agenda, the

United States worked with the European Union

in 1998 to develop and implement coordinated

information campaigns in Ukraine and Poland

to prevent trafficking in women. The United

States funded the campaign in Ukraine, while

the European Union funded a campaign in

Poland. The information campaigns targeted

potential victims to warn them of methods used

by traffickers. It also provided information to

local border and consular officials to help them

recognize and deter trafficking in women from

third countries through the region. Proven

techniques such as group discussions with

potential victims, public service messages

broadcast on radio and television, poster and

pamphlet distributions, and magazine and

newspaper articles were used. The cam

was implemented from April through J

1998. The Bureau of Population, Migra

Refugees contributed $382,789 to the

International Organization for Migratio

implement the campaign in Ukraine, w

focused on potential trafficking victims 

as government officials. At the Decemb

United States – European Union summ

United States and the European Union f

agreed to extend the information campa

Bulgaria (United States lead) and Hung

(European Union lead). Planning began 

October 1999, with projected implemen

in early 2000. The Bureau of Populatio

Migration and Refugees will contribute

$400,000 to the International Organiza

Migration to implement the campaign i

Bulgaria. [DEPARTMENT OF STAT

Czech Republic

In 1999 the Bureau of Population, Mig

and Refugees provided $400,000 to the

International Organization for Migratio

information campaign in the Czech Rep

warn potential victims of methods used 

traffickers. It also provides information 

government officials to help them deter

trafficking in women and work with loc

governmental organizations. [DEPART

OF STATE]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Bureau of Population, Migration a

Refugees is supporting the Internationa

Organization for Migration's pilot proje

the return of trafficked migrants from B

and Herzegovina. The project will put i

mechanisms and procedures for the ord

safe, and dignified return of trafficked m

and to seek to break the cycle of traffick

re-trafficking of women who have been

entrapped in the sex industry. The Bure

Population, Migration and Refugees is 

this initiative with $280,000.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
136 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

United States-Italy Partnership to Combat

Trafficking in Women and Children

At the 1997 Denver meeting of the G-8

countries, Secretary of State Albright initially

raised the issue of trafficking in women and

children with the Italian Foreign Minister. In

May 1998 President Clinton and former Prime

Minister Prodi formally signed the United

States-Italy Initiative to Combat Trafficking in

Women and Children. Italy is the only

European Union country that has a separate

presidential initiative.

The second annual United States-Italy

Conference on Trafficking in Women and

Children took place on July 14 to 16, 1999. The

conference focused on investigative

cooperation and joint training programs and

information campaigns in source countries

such as Albania, the former Soviet Union, and

Nigeria. The joint action plan covers resources

allocated for victim assistance, law

enforcement/border training, witness

protection, and joint multi-lateral initiatives.

Representing the Italian government at the July

meeting in Washington, D.C., were

policymakers and senior criminal justice

officials. Representing the United States was

the President’s Interagency Council on Women

and the Department of State’s European

Bureau. Staff from the Violence Against

Women Office and the Justice Department’s

Criminal Division were key in planning and

hosting the meeting.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish

Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women

and Children, Supplementing the United

Nations Convention Against Transnational

Organized Crime

For the April 1998 session of the United

Nations Commission for Crime Prevention and

Criminal Justice (Crime Commission), the

United States introduced a resolution on

trafficking in women and children. The

resolution proposed that a protocol on

trafficking in women and children be developed

in conjunction with the proposed United

Nations Convention on Transnational

Organized Crime. This resolution was

subsequently adopted, and the United States

and Argentina introduced a draft protocol at the

first negotiating session in January 1999. The

1999 session of the Crime Commission

modified the protocol to cover trafficking in

persons, especially women and children. It is

anticipated that the protocol will be available

for ratification by governments in the latter par

of 2000.

The United States-Argentine draft protocol

contains the following sections: scope of

trafficking in persons, obligations by countries

to criminalize trafficking, victim protection and

assistance, status of the victim in the receiving

state, return of trafficking victims, victim

rehabilitation, law enforcement measures,

border controls, security of travel documents,

verification of documents, and prevention of

trafficking.

Staff from the Department of Justice’s Violence

Against Women Office continue to participate

in an interagency working group that is

negotiating the drafting of an Optional Protoco

on Trafficking in Persons, especially women

and children, that will be attached to the United

Nations Convention on Organized Crime. The

working group includes components of the

Department of Justice and the Department of

State. The United States and other United

Nations member countries met in Vienna in

July and December 1999 to continue drafting

the Optional Protocol. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE/ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

Seminar on Criminal Justice Issues in the

International Exploitation of Women and

Children

From April 5 to 12, 1997, the U.S. Department

of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and

Law Enforcement Affairs, in coordination with

the U.S. Department of Justice, hosted a oneweek seminar with 27 judges, prosecutors, law

enforcement officials, and leaders of nongovernmental organizations from Russia and

the United States to examine the legal and law

enforcement implications of the relatively new

phenomena of criminal trafficking of Russian

women internationally and child pornography

and solicitation via the Internet. The

participants also explored the psychological

and social attitudes around violence against

women and sexual exploitation of children.

This conference provided a venue for

beginning a dialogue with Russian counterparts

on the sensitive issue of violence against

women and children. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE/ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

The Protection Project—Harvard University

In September 1998 the U.S. Department of

State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and

Law Enforcement Affairs entered into a twoyear cooperative agreement with Harvard

University to develop a comprehensive

database on United States and international

legislation protecting women and children from

commercial sexual abuse. The project includes

a comparative analysis of laws, penalties,

sentencing patterns, reporting requirements,

law enforcement capabilities, extradition

practices, and victim assistance programs.

Draft model legislation will also be developed

as a guide for countries seeking to improve

their laws on these issues. This project will

assist the Bureau of International Narcotics and

Law Enforcement Affairs in its diplomatic

efforts with those countries that desire

assistance in drafting new anti-trafficking in

women and children legislation.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Anti-Trafficking Brochure Entitled B

Smart, Be Safe...

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau 

International Narcotics and Law Enforc

Affairs developed a brochure targeted t

potential victims describing the tactics c

groups use to coerce and traffic women

risks of trafficking, what women can do 

protect themselves against illegitimate 

and how women can get help while in t

United States. The brochure was introd

consular waiting rooms at the U.S. Emb

in Poland and Ukraine in March 1998. 

brochure is being revised and plans are 

display it at other U.S. embassies such 

Central Europe and the countries of the 

Soviet Union. [DEPARTMENT OF S

BILATERAL AND MULTI-LATERA

EFFORTS

Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings in 

Philippines

The United Nations Center for Internat

Crime Prevention is embarking on a glo

anti-trafficking program beginning in th

Philippines. This pilot program consist

following elements: analysis of the pro

review of current government of Philip

efforts, and development of a profile of 

trafficked woman. The project will then 

on how to better coordinate with the Ph

government to combat trafficking. If th

project is successful, it could become a 

for other related United Nations progra

the region. The Philippines, Australia, 

Japan are providing in-kind assistance. 

U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of

International Narcotics and Law Enforc

provided funding.

In the Philippines, the U.S. Embassy’s 

Officer has helped coordinate an Emba

program that has been organized in conj

with the government of the Philippines 

address trafficking of women and childr
138 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

March 2000 meeting will include participation

by other regional governments. The meeting

will focus on prevention of trafficking,

protection and reintegration of trafficking

victims into their societies, and prosecution of

traffickers. Through its International Law

Enforcement Agency in Bangkok, in

cooperation with the Royal Thai government,

the U.S. government has organized a course for

Philippine law enforcement officials on

organized and transnational crimes, including a

specialized course on trafficking in women. In

addition, the United States and United Nations

Center for International Crime Prevention in

Vienna are implementing a project on

Coalitions Against Trafficking in Human

Beings in the Philippines. This project is part of

a global initiative based on the Philippine

demonstration project aimed at improving

inter-agency coordination to strengthen law

enforcement mechanisms and strategies for

assisting trafficking victims. The Labor Officer

has been active in the development of a

garment industry code of conduct for labor

standards. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

International Law Enforcement Academy/

Bangkok Illegal Migration and Trafficking

in Women and Children Training Program

The International Law Enforcement Academy

in Bangkok, Thailand, officially opened in July

1999. A month later, the U.S. Immigration and

Naturalization Service District Director’s

Office, together with Japanese officials and the

International Organization for Migration,

conducted a two-week training program on

Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Women

and Children. Approximately 50 immigration

and border officers from most of the ASEAN

countries participated in the program that

included topics on trafficking in women and

children case studies and gender-responsive

care for women and victims of trafficking. This

two-week program was generated as a result of

an International Law Enforcement Academy

assessment of the top crime issues in the region

identified by South East Asian and U.S. law

enforcement officials.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Government of the Philippines and the U.S.

Government Asian Regional Initiative

Against Trafficking of Women and Children

The Department of State’s East Asia and

Pacific Bureau will commit funds to co-host

with the government of the Philippines a three

day regional meeting of Asia and Pacific

nations to develop a regional strategy to comba

the trafficking of women and children: ARIAT

—the Asian Regional Initiative Against

Trafficking of Women and Children. Twentytwo Asia and Pacific nations will be invited to

discuss national action plans to combat the

trafficking of women and children and to

develop a regional strategy to prevent

trafficking, protect the victims of trafficking,

reintegrate trafficking victims into society, and

prosecute the traffickers. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Nepal

Since 1998 the U.S. Mission in Nepal, which is

a primary “sending” country for the region, has

carried out a program to combat trafficking, in

coordination with the government of Nepal. Six

U.S. government agencies cooperate in efforts

to help prevent trafficking, protect the victims,

and prosecute traffickers. In addition, programs

in Nepal strike at the sources of trafficking

through poverty alleviation and rural income

generation. Department of State funds are also

strengthening units of the Nepal police focused

on crimes against women and children, and the

Department has sponsored seminars to draft

legislation on trafficking and sexual

exploitation of women and children.
Violence Against Women 1

Section D 

The Department of State is proposing a new

Women and Children Support Fund for South

Asia to focus directly on issues of violence

against women, trafficking in women and

children, and social and economic

empowerment of women. The Department is

also working with the South Asia Association

for Regional Cooperation to encourage greater

regional cooperation on these issues. To

encourage anti-trafficking cooperation, the

Department is developing a South Asia AntiTrafficking Strategy that will include regional

and county-specific programs.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
140 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
 Women and Armed Conflict

“I am not among thos

who believe that if the wor

were run solely by women, 

would disappear. The hum

capacity for folly and misc

lation is widely shared. Bu

history of this century tells 

that democracy is a parent 

peace. And common sense 

us that true democracy is n

possible without the full

participation of women.”

—Secretary of State

Madeleine K. Albright,

excerpted from her speech 

International Women’s Da

March 12, 1997

E.
142 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

ontrary to the Geneva Convention

relative to the Protection of Civilian

Persons in Time of War that calls for the

protection of women against any attack

on their honor, such as rape, humiliating

and degrading treatment, or enforced

prostitution, women today are

increasingly targets of war, not

inadvertent victims. They are subjected

to systematic rape as a war tactic, sexual

slavery, prostitution, forced pregnancy,

and other acts of terror. Women and

children constitute 80 percent of the

world’s refugees and displaced persons,

a situation in which they encounter

further abuse. Yet women in these

situations constantly emerge as sources

of strength, stability, resourcefulness,

and peacemakers – qualities that are

seldom recognized when decisions are

made to make peace and reorder society.

The Platform calls for participation of

women in conflict resolution and

protection in situations of armed

conflict; reduction in military

expenditures and the availability of

weapons; promotion of non-violent

forms of conflict resolution and

reduction of human rights abuses during

conflicts; promotion of women’s

contribution to fostering a culture of

peace; and, assistance to refugee and

other displaced women in need of

international protection.

E.1. Increase the participation of women in

conflict resolution at decision-making levels

and protect women living in situations of

armed and other conflicts or under foreign

occupation.

Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy

Human Rights and Labor

The Department of State seeks to promote the

growing awareness around the world of gender

specific dimensions of armed conflict and post

conflict reconstruction. The Department of

State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights

and Labor is encouraging this trend in

international fora, and at the same time

supporting grass roots programs that help

women victims of armed conflict rebuild their

lives and communities. These programs are

designed to respond to the needs of women

survivors of armed conflict through health care

trauma counseling, social reorientation, and

civic training activities, as well as practical

income-generating activities.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Bosnia

As of July 1999, approximately 8.6 percent of

the U.S. forces deployed to the Bosnia

peacekeeping mission are women.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Women Survivors Empowerment Project

The Department of State’s Human Rights and

Democracy Fund Program grants support the

Women Survivors Empowerment Project. The

project provides social services and training

programs for women who have survived

genocidal experiences in Bosnia, Rwanda, and

Cambodia. It is estimated that females

comprise 60 to 70 percent of the post-conflict

C
Women and Armed Conflict1

Section E 

populations of these countries. The programs

assist female-led households to rebuild within

these war-torn countries by providing them

with income-generating skills, workshops to

increase their awareness of human rights, and

support structures to build self-confidence and

solidarity. In 1999 the Department awarded

$318,000 to three indigenous grantee

organizations, one in each country.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Afghanistan

The Office of the Senior Coordinator for

International Women’s Issues is the lead

advocate within the Department of State and

the federal government on the issue of the

treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. It

has regularly pushed this issue to the forefront

of foreign policy considerations, not only

within the Department of State, but also at the

White House. The Office of the Senior

Coordinator is the primary policymaker on

women of Afghanistan within the federal

government.

The treatment of women and girls in

Afghanistan by the Taliban has been

condemned by President Clinton, Secretary of

State Albright, and the First Lady on numerous

occasions. The issue has been discussed at the

highest level of government and between

governments. President Clinton discussed the

Nation’s concern about the women of

Afghanistan when he met with the Prime

Minister of Pakistan in Washington on

December 4, 1998. The President pledged this

government’s continued assistance to “women

suffering under the Taliban regime in

Afghanistan” at the December 10, 1998,

Human Rights Day Ceremony.

In a speech at the United Nations International

Women’s Day celebration on March 4, 1999,

the First Lady said “There probably is no more

egregious and systematic trampling of

fundamental rights of women today tha

is happening in Afghanistan under the i

of the Taliban.”

When Secretary of State Albright visite

Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Pakistan in 

she said “We are opposed to their [the T

approach to human rights, to their desp

treatment of women and children, and t

lack of respect for human dignity, in a w

more reminiscent of the past than the fu

her induction into the National Women

of Fame at Seneca Falls, NY, on July 1

Secretary Albright reaffirmed the U.S.

government’s commitment to the wome

Afghanistan when she said, “Afghan w

and girls have asked for our help. I kno

because last fall, I sat in a tent in the hi

mountains of Central Asia and listened 

stories. I’ll tell you what I told them. T

United States cannot and will not aband

them. We are increasing our support fo

education and training. And we have m

clear that if leaders of the Taliban or an

Afghan faction want international acce

they must treat women not as chattel, b

people; and they must respect human ri

Non-governmental organizations have 

advocated the cause of women in Afgh

In March 1999 President Clinton met w

of those groups, the Feminist Majority, 

discuss the treatment of women in Afgh

The 20-year-old armed conflict in Afgh

has exacerbated the difficulties facing w

and girls. Poverty is endemic in Afghan

and in the Afghan refugee camps in Pa

In May 1999 the Refugee Counselor at 

Embassy in Islamabad reported that “th

of women are war widows or have lost

members of their family to this war tha

back nearly twenty years to the Soviet

occupation...Afghan women want to b

brought into the peace process. They w
144 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

views on the table. Afghan women stand to

gain nothing if the issue of women’s rights is

not addressed at the negotiating table by all

sides to the conflict.” The conflict in

Afghanistan and the threat to the security of

expatriate United Nations and international

organizations’ staff have limited the U.S.

ability to assist women and girls in

Afghanistan. However, the Department of State

is moving forward with several programs

aimed at promoting human rights of women in

the Afghan refugee camps and within

Afghanistan and have more than doubled such

funds for the year 2000.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Sisters in Leadership: Empowering Rural

Kenyan Women, 1999 to 2000

Amesbury for Africa, Inc. will bring women

from Esabalu and Bura, Kenya, to their sister

cities in Amesbury and Newburyport, MA, for

three weeks of participatory, hands-on training

in leadership development, conflict resolution,

and organizational development. The project,

entitled Sisters in Leadership: Empowering

Rural Kenyan Women, includes first-hand

observation and shadowing of American

women who work or volunteer for one or more

community organizations or political entities,

with a focus on the role of women in leadership

positions. As follow-up to the United Statesbased program, American women will travel to

Esabalu and Bura to assess impact, observe

local activities, and provide additional training

to promote gender equality in village decisionmaking processes. The United States

Information Agency has made a grant of

$27,210. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

International Young Women’s

Empowerment Project, 1999 to 2000

The Women’s Empowerment Center of

Passage, Inc., will bring eight young women

leaders (28 to 30 years of age) from Zimbabwe

for a women’s leadership training program in

Columbus, OH. The four-week program will

include participatory, hands-on training in issue

advocacy, community planning, coalition

building, conflict resolution, and the role of

women in civic, cultural, and economic

development. The United States Information

Agency has provided a grant of $40,000.

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

E.2. Reduce excessive military expenditures

and control the availability of armaments.

LANDMINES

Permanent Ban on the Export of AntiPersonnel Landmines

The United States has instituted a permanent

ban on the export of anti-personnel landmines.

Approximately 3.3 million non-self-destructing

landmines in the stockpile have been destroyed

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Anti-Personnel Landmines

The President has directed the Department of

Defense to end the use of all anti-personnel

landmines outside Korea, including those that

self-destruct, by the year 2003. The President

has also directed the Department to pursue

aggressively the objectives of having

alternatives to anti-personnel landmines ready

for Korea by 2006, including those that selfdestruct. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Demining 2010 Initiative

The United States has launched the Demining

2010 Initiative, which calls for a global

campaign to remove landmines that threaten

civilian populations by the year 2010. Through

this initiative, the United States is committed to

accelerating significantly global humanitarian

demining operations and related assistance

efforts. The United States is currently engaged

in humanitarian efforts in 26 countries and

plans to increase this number in 2000.

Additionally, the Department of Defense has
Women and Armed Conflict1

Section E 

undertaken a program to develop and improve

landmine detection and clearing technology

and will share this improved technology with

the broader international community.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict

resolution and reduce the incidence of human

rights abuse in conflict situations.

Maintaining Peace

The Department of Defense continues to make

significant contributions to maintaining peace

in Bosnia, Kosovo, and other war-torn

countries. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Women's Organizations in Post-Conflict

Societies

The U.S. Agency for International

Development is undertaking a multi-country

study of the role of women's organizations in

post-conflict societies. Over the past few years,

the U.S. Agency for International Development

has channeled much of its humanitarian and

development assistance to women in Rwanda,

Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, and other

countries through indigenous and local

affiliates of international women's

organizations. The study will evaluate how

these organizations individually and

collectively confront the problems generated or

exacerbated by conflict, how they contribute to

the empowerment of women, and how

international assistance can most effectively be

provided to them. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Conflict Situation

The U.S. Coast Guard, as one of the five U.S.

Armed Services (and the only one not within

the Department of Defense), is in a unique

position to address conflict resolution and

reduce the incidence of human rights abuses.

As an internationally recognized humanitarian

service, the Coast Guard reduces international

tensions while performing national sec

objectives such as interdiction of illega

migrants and drugs, maritime defense z

activities, offshore economic zone

enforcement, blockades and enforceme

United Nations sanctions, without inev

escalation toward armed conflict. In res

to these situations, the Coast Guard ensu

every effort is taken to reduce the poten

conflict and human rights abuse, includ

those situations where women and girls 

involved. For example, the Coast Guard 

also developed and implemented a poli

ensure that during illegal migrant interd

family units are kept together to the ma

extent possible while in custody of the 

Guard. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Intelligence

Intelligence analysis keeps track of vio

against civilians in armed conflicts, inc

the raping of women, in regions such a

Balkans and Sub-Saharan Africa. [CEN

INTELLIGENCE AGENCY]

E.4. Promote women’s contribution to 

ing a culture of peace.

Reconciliation in Former Yugoslavia

In Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and

Macedonia, the U.S. Agency for Intern

Development is working with women's 

to promote ethnic reconciliation and m

tolerance. STAR—Strategies, Training 

Advocacy for Reconciliation—is a thre

$2,900,000 project working in four are

• Community and regional-level confli

resolution;

• Communications among women's gro

with the general public;
146 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Microenterprise development to provide selfsustaining, income-generating activities for

women, many of whom are sole supporters of

their families; and

• Women's health.

STAR has focused on providing technical

assistance and small grants to women's

organizations' projects that promote interethnic reconciliation, citizen participation, and

conflict resolution. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

E.5. Provide protection, assistance, and training to refugee women, other displaced women

in need of international protection and internally displaced women.

Crisis Corps Volunteers

The Peace Corps’ Crisis Corps, formally

announced in June 1996, mobilizes returned

Peace Corps Volunteers to become Crisis Corps

Volunteers to help communities recover from

crises caused by armed conflicts and natural

disasters. By virtue of their prior Peace Corps

service, Crisis Corps Volunteers bring to their

assignments the language, technical, and crosscultural skills to make an immediate impact in

critical situations. The typical Crisis Corps

assignment is three to six months. As of

September 1999, the Crisis Corps has sent

more than 200 Volunteers to 20 countries. As of

September 1999, 12 Crisis Corps Volunteers

are working with refugees in West Africa. In

Guinea, which is sheltering refugees from the

conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone,

Volunteers have worked with women refugees

on income-generation projects. They also have

trained women who cook in the kitchens of

refugee schools in nutrition and preventive

health activities. One Volunteer assigned to the

International Rescue Committee is working on

its unaccompanied children project, which

traces and reunites families separated by the

conflict in Sierra Leone. More information can

be found online at http://www.peacecorps.gov/

crisiscorps.

In 1999 Crisis Corps’ resources have been

devoted mainly to the Caribbean and Central

American countries affected by Hurricane

Georges and Hurricane Mitch. A number of

Volunteers have worked with women in areas

that were devastated by high winds and

torrential rains. In the Dominican Republic, for

example, Volunteers were assigned to the nongovernmental organization Mujeres En

Desarrollo Dominicana to work on a hurricane

recovery project that provides credit and

technical training to women engaged in smallscale agriculture activities. In Honduras,

several Volunteers have been assigned to the

non-governmental organization Project Hope to

provide assistance and training to women

whose businesses were adversely affected by

Hurricane Mitch, and to provide health

education to women on the illnesses that

typically arise during a post-hurricane recovery

period. Also in Honduras, Crisis Corps

Volunteers working on housing construction

projects have trained female work crews in

basic construction techniques so that they can

contribute to the construction of the new

homes. [PEACE CORPS]

Reconstruction in Rwanda

Because of genocide and war in Rwanda,

approximately 54 percent of the population is

now female and at least 34 percent of all

households are headed by females. As part of

its post-conflict assistance, the U.S. Agency for

International Development worked with the

Rwandan Ministry of Family and Women

Promotion on the Women in Transition

Initiative. A total of $5,200,000 was provided

from 1995 through 1999. The Women in

Transition Initiative provided 1,600 grants to

1,450 women's associations in 85 communes
Women and Armed Conflict1

Section E 

and 11 of Rwanda's 12 prefectures. As reported

by the U.S. Agency for International

Development's Office of Transition Initiatives

in May 1999, the grants have been used for

shelter, livestock, income generation, and other

activities, improving the lives of more than

163,000 beneficiaries.

An information bulletin published by the Office

of Women in Development in autumn 1999,

entitled From the Ashes of War: Women in

Reconstruction, addresses this and other postconflict rebuilding efforts. [U.S. AGENCY

FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Bosnia Women’s Initiatives

The Department of State’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration has

supported three Women’s Initiatives since 1995

that focus on the needs of women in wartime

and post-conflict situations. The Bosnian

Women’s Initiative was established in June

1996 with the help of $5,000,000 from the

Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

An additional $1,000,000 was provided in FY

1998. The Bosnian Women’s Initiative program

aims to help refugee, displaced, and vulnerable

women become self-sufficient. It provides

small grants to grass roots organizations and

groups of women for projects that foster

economic self-sufficiency and helps women

improve their lives and communities in other

ways, such as legal aid and maternal/child

health. The Bosnian Women’s Initiative has

been beneficial in helping women of all ethnic,

geographic, and educational backgrounds to

earn income for their families.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Rwandan Women’s Initiative

In 1997 the Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration contributed $1,000,000 in

support of the Rwandan Women’s Initi

the United Nations High Commissione

Refugees to address long-term capacity 

institution building. Specific programs 

under the Rwandan Women’s Initiative 

psychosocial counseling, training, food

production, and small business activitie

addition, projects that address legal ass

and the training of paralegals have been

developed to improve women’s access 

redress and compensation.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Kosovo Women’s Initiative

In 1999 the Bureau of Population, Refu

and Migration contributed $10,000,000 

United Nations High Commissioner fo

Refugees for the establishment of the K

Women’s Initiative. The United Nation

Commissioner for Refugees is develop

program that will provide assistance to 

affected by the crisis in Kosovo, psycho

and community support groups, innova

reproductive health programs, women's

empowerment programs, legal assistan

programs, child and elder care, and inc

generation programs.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Support for Women at Risk

Refugee women should benefit from th

protection as all refugees. Their gender

however, may place them at a higher ri

encountering additional protection prob

The United Nations High Commissione

Refugees places high priority on the pr

of refugee women and seeks to provide 

solutions to the problems they face. Som

the only way of protecting a refugee wo

through resettlement to a safe third cou

The Department of State’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration an

U.S. government agencies participate a
148 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

in resettling those identified by the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as

women at risk.

In addition to these specific initiatives, the

Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration

has supported the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees’ general initiative

fund for refugee women, as well as the

Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and

Children. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
 Women and the Economy

“The fact is, the group 

ing more businesses and m

jobs than any other group 

women. In the last decade 

the growth of women-owne

businesses outpaced overal

ness growth by nearly 2 to 

we want to grow our expor

need this fast-growing segm

exporting.”

—Secretary of Comme

William M. Daley, excerpt

from his remarks to the

Organization of Women in

International Trade,

October 4, 1999.

F.
150 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

n this era of the increasing

globalization of the economy, there

have been new employment

opportunities for women and an

increasing participation of women in the

labor force. Yet these same

developments often exacerbate

inequalities between men and women.

Women’s contributions to the economy,

their large share of the unremunerated

labor that sustains both families and

societies, and their concerns are not

usually taken into account in economic

structures. These structures include

financial markets and institutions, labor

markets, economics as an academic

discipline, and taxation and social

security systems.

The Platform calls for promotion of

women’s economic rights and

independence; equal access to resources,

employment, markets and trade; access

to business services, training, markets,

information, and technology;

strengthening of women’s economic

capacity and commercial networks;

elimination of occupational segregation

and all forms of employment

discrimination; and harmonization of

work and family responsibilities for

women and men.

F.1. Promote women’s economic rights and

independence, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions, and

control over economic resources.

BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAMS

Small Business Administration Loans for

Women

An essential reason for the founding of the U.S

Small Business Administration was to provide

access to capital for potential or existing small

business owners who were unable to access

capital by traditional means. Since FY 1992,

loans guaranteed by the Small Business

Administration to women have tripled in

number and increased in dollar value by 164

percent. In FY 1998, the Small Business

Administration backed 11,084 loans worth

$1.82 billion to women entrepreneurs under the

7(a) and 504 loan programs. Since 1993 the

Small Business Administration has backed

loans amounting to more than $11 billion in

loans to women-owned businesses. [SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

The Small Business Administration Office of

Financial Assistance

The 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program offers a

variety of general and specialized loans

programs to existing and prospective small

business owners unable to secure financing on

reasonable terms through normal lending

channels. The program operates through

participating private-sector lenders that provide

loans that are, in turn, guaranteed by the Small

Business Administration. These 7(a) loans are

available for most business purposes, including

purchasing real estate, machinery, equipment,

or working capital. The program has a general

target population of new and existent

I
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

businesses but has a special emphasis on new

markets, which include women, minorities,

veterans, and those living in low- and

moderate-income areas. From October 1997

through September 1998, the Small Business

Administration approved 10,255 guaranteed

loans to women-owned businesses for $1.6

billion.

The Small Business Administration has

developed several loan programs that have been

especially helpful to women entrepreneurs: the

Loan Prequalification Program, SBALowDoc

and SBAExpress—all components of the 7(a)

program—and the MicroLoan Program.

Loan Prequalification Program

The Loan Prequalification Program (expanded

from the Women’s Prequalification Loan

Program) helps business owners or prospective

owners develop successful loan application

packages and secure bank loans with preapproved Small Business Administration loan

guaranties. The Small Business Administration

launched the Women’s Prequalification Loan

Program as a pilot in 1994. By FY 1998 the

Small Business Administration made 1,084

loans for $103,000,000 to women business

owners using this loan program.

SBALowDoc

SBALowDoc is a simplified process for those

seeking smaller loans of up to $150,000. It uses

a one-page loan application form to report

summary financial and eligibility data.

SBALowDoc loans are processed in less than

36 hours.

SBAExpress

SBAExpress (formerly FA$TRAK) makes

unsecured revolving lines of credit up to

$25,000 more readily available to small

businesses. The program makes loans u

$150,000 available through Small Busi

Administration lenders who are authori

use mostly their own forms and proced

process and service Small Business

Administration-guaranteed loans. For l

to $25,000, if the lender determines it i

appropriate, no collateral is required. F

more than $25,000, lenders use their ow

established collateral policies. During F

the 18 original SBAExpress pilot partic

approved about 4,100 loans for $191,00

The MicroLoan Program

The MicroLoan Program was created a

program in 1991 and was made perman

1997. It provides small loans to small b

owners and those seeking to start small

businesses, especially in economically

depressed areas. It helps women, low-i

and minority entrepreneurs operate suc

small businesses. The program also hel

businesses in areas of the country that a

suffering from a lack of credit due to ec

downturn. While the MicroLoan Progra

provides loans of up to $25,000 to sma

businesses, the average microloan is ab

$10,000 and typically creates three new 

Women business owners have received 

50 percent of all Small Business

Administration loans under the MicroL

Program since it started in 1992.

A microloan, although a small amount 

money, can be the start of a successful 

for a small business owner. The Small B

Administration makes loan funds availa

eligible and qualified intermediaries, w

turn, provide small loans to start-up, ne

established, or growing small businesse

Because the third party lenders borrow 
152 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

capital from the Small Business

Administration, they are responsible for the

loan repayment.

Microloans are used for working capital,

materials, supplies, or equipment.

Intermediaries are required to provide

management training and technical assistance

to existing and potential borrowers to help

ensure success and, in fact, loans under this

program have an extremely low default rate.

The Small Business Administration makes

funds available to the lenders for those

purposes.

The MicroLoan Program began with 37

intermediary lenders and has grown to include

more than 140 intermediaries. Since the

program began, more than 8,200 microloans

have been made totaling $69,000,000. More

than 3,700 microloans totaling $34,000,000

have been made to women-owned businesses.

In FY 1999 the MicroLoan Program budget

totals $54,400,000 in loan funds and

$16,000,000 in grant funds for organizations

that provide management training and technical

assistance.

Another guaranteed lending vehicle is the 504

Certified Development Company Program,

which provides growing businesses with longterm, fixed-rate financing for the purchase of

major fixed assets, such as land, buildings, or

equipment. A certified development company

is a non-profit organization established to

contribute to the economic development of a

community or region. Certified development

companies work with the Small Business

Administration and private-sector lenders to

provide financing for small businesses. In

general, the small business owner provides ten

percent of the cost, and, with the Small

Business Administration’s guarantee, the

certified development company and the private

lender cover 90 percent of the loan. Each 504

project must meet one of three goals: job

creation, filling a special community need, or

meeting a public policy goal. Since 1980,

certified development companies have arranged

more than $30 billion in asset financing for

more than 37,500 small businesses.

Approximately 850,000 jobs have been created

through this program. From October 1997

through September 1998, 4,950 loans were

approved for $1.78 billion. Of these loans, the

Small Business Administration approved 837

certified development company loans to

women for $260,000,000.

For more information on the Small Business

Administration’s 7(a) loan guaranty,

MicroLoan, and 504 programs, please visit the

Small Business Administration’s financial

assistance website at

http://www.sba.gov/financing.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Small Business Investment Company

Program

On a larger scale, the Small Business

Investment Company Program fills a major gap

in capital markets for long-term financing of

smaller, growth-oriented businesses.

Established in 1957, this program is a unique

public-private partnership. Small business

investment companies are privately owned and

managed, for-profit investment companies

licensed by the Small Business Administration

The companies use their own private capital,

supplemented by Small Business

Administration-guaranteed debentures or

participating securities. Investors buy the

debentures or participating securities issued by

the small business investment companies. The

Small Business Administration guarantees the

repayment of the principal and interest with the

“full faith and credit” of the U.S. government.

Between October 1995 and September 1998,

106 new small business investment companies

were licensed with $1.5 billion in private
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

capital, and the program continues to grow. As

of June 30, 1999, 36 more small business

investment companies have been licensed with

$531,000,000 in private capital.

Many small business investment companies

include women partners and staff and many

target women and minority-owned small

businesses. But in 1998 the Small Business

Administration licensed the first three womenowned, women-oriented venture capital

companies in the program. Capital Across

America of Nashville, TN; the Women’s

Growth Capital Fund of Washington, D.C.; and

Viridian Capital of San Francisco, CA, are also

the first small business investment companies

to base their investment strategies on helping

women-owned companies. The three new small

business investment companies make

$80,000,000 of new venture capital available to

help small companies in their early formative

period by providing time to establish products,

organizations, and credit standing with

suppliers and conventional lenders.

From October 1998 through September 1999,

more than 400 financings have been made to

women-owned businesses. The Small Business

Investment Company Program has provided

thousands of small businesses with access to

key equity and venture capital funding.

For more information on the Small Business

Investment Company Program, please see the

Small Business Administration investment

website at http://www.sba.gov/inv. [SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Office of Government Contracting

The Small Business Administration provides

training, advocacy, and technical assistance to

women business owners who want to do

business with the federal government, which

spends approximately $200 billion per year on

goods and services.

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining A

1994 established a 5 percent contractin

for women-owned small businesses. Th

Business Administration has actively p

strategies to achieve the five percent go

throughout the federal government. In J

1998 the Small Business Administratio

appointed a program manager to work

specifically on women’s procurement i

Each Cabinet member is working with 

Small Business Administration to incre

prime and sub-contracts to women-own

small businesses. All agencies are work

drafting strategic initiatives.

In January 1998 the Department of

Transportation became the first agency 

memorandum of understanding. The ag

significantly enhanced the initiatives al

achieved by the Department of Transpo

and served as a model for other agencie

including the Department of State, whi

signed a similar memorandum of

understanding in March 1999.

The Small Business Administration is a

finding ways to ensure that more wome

owned businesses register on the Procu

Marketing and Access Network, or PRO

PRO-Net is a search engine for contrac

officers and a marketing tool for small 

is a resource available to all small busin

owners who are seeking federal, state, 

private contracts. Currently, about 48,5

women-owned businesses are registere

Small Business Administration also dev

a program on CD-ROM that highlights 

women-owned small businesses should 

on PRO-Net and shows how to use the 

to learn about procurement opportuniti

The Small Business Administration als

provides training for women business o

who want to do business with the feder

government. Since 1996 Small Busines
154 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Administration district offices have hosted

Federal Dollar$ and Sense procurement

training workshops. These workshops are held

around the Nation to educate women business

owners on how to do business with the federal

government by providing them with

opportunities to network with public- and

private-sector purchasing officials. During FY

1998 the Small Business Administration hosted

more than 95 workshops and provided valuable

procurement assistance to more than 5,500

women business owners.

To honor government and industry leaders who

excel in providing contracts to women-owned

small businesses, the Small Business

Administration instituted the Frances Perkins

Vanguard Award, named after the first woman

to hold a Cabinet position as Secretary of

Labor. The first Frances Perkins Vanguard

Award was presented in 1999. To further help

women business owners understand and access

the federal procurement market, the Small

Business Administration’s Office of Women’s

Business Ownership and Office of Government

Contracting revised and updated the popular

manual, Women Business Owners: Selling to

the Federal Government in 1999.

For more information on the Federal Dollar$

and Sense Workshops, please visit the Small

Business Administration website at

http://www.sba.gov/calendar. [SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

The Small Business Innovation Research

Program

To increase access to capital for hightechnology research, the Office of Women’s

Business Ownership and the Office of

Technology jointly sponsor training seminars to

expand the base of women receiving grants

under the Small Business Innovation Research

Program. They also developed a manual, A

Pattern for Success, for women business

owners who may be eligible for Small Business

Innovation Research awards.

For more information on Small Business

Innovation Research grants, visit the program

website at http://www.sba.gov/sbir.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

HUBZone Empowerment Contracting

Program

In 1997 Congress authorized the Small

Business Administration to create the

HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program

to provide federal contracting opportunities for

certain qualified small businesses located in

distressed communities to promote private

sector investment and employment

opportunities. Its long-term goal is to foster the

growth of federal contractors in these areas,

ensuring that the contractors remain viable

businesses and helping to empower their

communities. In general, the targeted areas are

parts of the country that have less than 80

percent of the state’s median household

income, high unemployment, or are Native

American reservations. In June 1998 the final

rule setting forth the program requirements for

qualifications as a HUBZone small business,

federal contracting assistance, and other

program details were made public. The Small

Business Administration started accepting

HUBZone applications in early 1999. Of the

331 businesses that have been approved, 82 (25

percent) are women-owned businesses.

For more information about the HUBZone

program, visit the program website at

http://www.sba.gov/hubzone.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Office of Government Contracting & 8(a)

Business Development

In response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision

concerning affirmative action, the Small

Disadvantaged Business Program was

established to provide equity in federal

contracting with small businesses owned and

controlled by individuals determined to be

socially and economically disadvantaged. The
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

program certifies small businesses that meet

specific social, economic, ownership, and

control eligibility criteria as small

disadvantaged businesses. The certified small

businesses are then eligible for such benefits as

a ten percent price evaluation adjustment for

contracts in certain selected industries—those

that still reflect the effects of discrimination.

Members of certain designated groups are

presumed to be socially disadvantaged,

including African Americans, Hispanic

Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific

Americans, and Subcontinent Asian

Americans. Non-minority women may be

considered socially disadvantaged if they can

present the appropriate evidence of prejudicial

treatment. A woman-owned small business that

is interested in becoming certified as a small

disadvantaged business may submit an

application to the Small Business

Administration headquarters in Washington,

D.C., or may work with a Small Business

Administration private certifier at locations

around the country. For more information on

the Small Disadvantaged Business Program,

visit the program website at

http://www.sba.gov/sdb.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

8(a) Minority Small Business Development

Program

The Small Business Administration has a

business development program, the 8(a)

Minority Small Business Development

Program, to assist small disadvantaged

businesses in accessing the federal contracting

market so that they may fully participate in the

American economic mainstream.

The Small Business Administration provides

marketing, managerial, technical, and

procurement assistance to help eligible

businesses reach their full potential. This law

allows federal agencies to award sole-source

and limited-competition contracts to 8(

Through this contracting device, the Sm

Business Administration is able to prov

logical, systematic approach to market 

and enterprise growth by businesses ow

controlled by socially and economicall

disadvantaged individuals.

The program design promotes competi

development over a nine-year period. E

participant’s progress is monitored and

development needs are identified throu

annual review of business plans. The pr

provides specialized training, professio

consultant assistance, and high-level ex

development to participants. Currently, 

Program includes approximately 6,000

businesses—including more than 1,200

women-owned small businesses—and 

approximately $6 billion in 8(a) contra

annually. In FY 1998, 8(a) regulations 

revised, and the Small Business

Administration’s Office of Women’s Bu

Ownership publicized the new regulatio

women’s trade organizations.

For a firm to participate in the 8(a) prog

must satisfy eligibility requirements. Fo

example, the firm must be a small busin

must be unconditionally owned and con

by one or more socially and economica

disadvantaged individuals who are citiz

the United States and are of good charac

must have a potential for success. In FY 

5,965 8(a) firms were active, 1,272 of w

were women-owned.

Once a business has been certified as an 

small disadvantaged business, or a HUB

small business concern, the Small Busi

Administration lists the business in the 

Net. There are currently more than 180

small, disadvantaged, 8(a), and women
156 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

businesses listed on the site. PRO-Net also

provides access to other key sources of

information, assistance, and training to 8(a)

firms.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Office of International Trade

The Small Business Administration leads trade

missions to other countries and participates in

trade and business conferences worldwide. For

example, the Small Business Administration’s

Office of International Trade and Office of

Women’s Business Ownership facilitated a

first-ever connection with the Canadian

Embassy, resulting in the first Canada/USA

Businesswomen’s Trade Summit. The Small

Business Administration Administrator led a

delegation of 150 women business owners to

the Canadian summit in May 1999. In addition

to formulating trade policy recommendations

that were made to both governments, a number

of the women business owners attending struck

lucrative business deals. Other recent trade

missions have gone to Ireland and Mexico.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Trade Activities

The International Trade Administration

informs women of services offered by the

Department of Commerce and other

government agencies, encouraging them to

become active exporters. This program began

as a parallel effort to the Commerce

Department’s trade missions. Examples of the

program’s activities include the following:

• Participating in meetings and conferences

held by the National Association of Women

Business Owners, National Association of

Female Executives, Business and

Professional Women USA, and other

organizations regarding International Trade

Administration programs;

• Having two Women-in-Trade Business

Development Missions videotaped by

Working Woman and Black Entertainment

TV News, which provided information

nationwide to thousands of individual

businesswomen;

• Collaborating with a prominent women’s

business organization and the Virtual Trade

Mission, a foundation focused on trade

education, to convey the importance of

international trade to women business owners

across the country; and

• Reaching out to as many as 115 other

women’s business groups via mail and fax to

disseminate information about export

services available to them.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

SURVEYS

Time-Use Surveys

In the summer of 1997 the Department of

Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a

pilot study of two alternative versions of a

time-use survey. The goal of the study was to

examine the feasibility of using computerassisted telephone interview methodology to

derive estimates of non-market work. In the

pilot, non-market work included housework,

home maintenance, child and elder care, food

production, and volunteer work.

Based on the encouraging results of the pilot

study, Bureau of Labor Statistics established an

internal working group to examine the

feasibility of conducting a full-scale time-use

survey. Although the work is still in progress,

the group is focusing on the possibility of using

subsamples of outgoing rotation groups of the

monthly Current Population Survey to estimate

the time individuals spend in various activities

taking advantage of the wealth of information
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

already collected in the Current Population

Survey on earnings, hours of work, and other

demographic and family characteristics.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Conferences, Meetings, and Publications

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the

MacArthur Network on the Family and the

Economy co-sponsored a conference of

researchers in the field on time use, non-market

work, and family well-being in Washington,

D.C., in November 1997. The conference was

videotaped and a conference summary was

prepared.

In May 1999 the National Academy of

Sciences hosted a workshop on the subject of

time-use data. This workshop included a

session devoted to the recent Bureau of Labor

Statistics examination of the feasibility of

conducting a time-use survey.

In an effort to expand the discussion of issues

relating to the measurement of time use,

Bureau of Labor Statistics staff presented their

findings at the August 1999 meetings of the

American Statistical Association. The August

1999 issue of the Bureau’s Monthly Labor

Review contained articles on the theories

underlying time-use measurement, as well as

practical considerations in attempting to

measure it. The Monthly Labor Review is

available online at http://www.bls.gov/opub/

mlr/mlrhome.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

INCOME SUPPORT

Social Security Benefits

The Social Security Administration administers

the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability

Insurance program, commonly known as Social

Security, which provides earnings-related

benefits to aged and disabled workers and their

families and to the survivors of decease

workers. Benefits are paid as a matter o

right to workers who gain insured statu

their eligible spouses, children, and sur

The original Social Security Act of 193

provided retirement benefits; the 1939

amendments added benefits for depend

survivors; the 1956 amendments provid

benefits for workers with disabilities; a

1958 amendments added benefits for th

dependents of disabled workers.

Social Security benefits are primarily fi

by taxes paid by workers (and their emp

on their earnings from employment and 

employment. In June 1999 about 44.4 m

beneficiaries received cash benefits tota

$32.1 billion.

Women represent 60 percent of all aged 

Security recipients and 72 percent of

beneficiaries age 85 and older. Many w

rely on Social Security for most of their 

in retirement. Unmarried women—incl

widows—age 65 and over receive 49 pe

their total income from Social Security

contrast, only 37 percent of unmarried 

men’s retirement income is from Socia

Security, and only 34 percent of elderly

couples’ income is from Social Securit

second largest income source for unma

elderly women is income from assets (2

percent), followed by government and 

pensions (15 percent) and earnings (ten

percent).

The poverty rate among elderly women 

percent, but without Social Security, it 

be 52 percent. Elderly men have a pove

of seven percent; without Social Securi

would be 41 percent. Social Security pr

guaranteed, inflation-protected benefit t

as long as the beneficiary is alive. Wom
158 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

to live longer than men (the life expectancy at

age 65 for women is 19.2 years, compared to

15.7 years for men) and, therefore, are more

likely to outlive their other sources of

retirement income. One of the most important

aspects of Social Security is that it keeps up

with the cost of living, so the benefit does not

lose its purchasing power over time.

Women may receive one of several types of

Social Security benefits:

• Worker’s benefit

A retirement or disability benefit is paid to

people who have worked enough to be

insured and meet other eligibility criteria.

• Spouse’s benefit

A married person or qualified divorced

person is entitled to the higher of her own

worker benefit or 50 percent of her husband’s

(or former husband’s) benefit.

• Widow’s benefit

A widow (or qualified divorced widow) is

entitled to the higher of her own or her

husband’s full benefit.

• Mother’s benefit

Spouses (or surviving spouses) under age 65

who are caring for a child of a retired,

disabled, or deceased worker may receive a

benefit equal to 50 percent of her husband’s

benefit (75 percent of her deceased husband’s

benefit).

The dependent benefits provided by the Social

Security system are important to women’s

economic security. At the end of 1996, 35

percent of women received benefits only as a

retired worker compared to 82 percent of men.

However, including those women who are

dually entitled, 38 percent received survivor’s

benefits, and 26 percent received spouse’s

benefits. Also, Social Security is important to

young families: women represent 98 percent of

the people who receive benefits as spouses with

a child in their care.

Women benefit from the progressive benefit

formula that replaces a higher proportion of

pre-retirement earnings for workers with lower

earnings. Women, on average, earn less than

men do. The median earnings of full-time, full

year working women in 1997 was $24,973,

compared to $33,674 for men.

Women also have different labor force

participation rates than men. The labor force

participation rate for women age 25 to 64 was

72 percent in 1998, compared to 88 percent for

men. One reason for this difference is that

women are more likely to take time out of the

paid labor force for care-giving responsibilities

Thus, women tend to have shorter careers, and

earn less when they do work, than men. When

Social Security retirement or disability benefits

are computed, a larger portion of their total

average earnings falls into the 90 percent

bracket of the benefit formula. Therefore, on

average, replacement rates (benefits as a

percentage of pre-retirement earnings) are

higher for women workers than for men. For

more information, visit Social Security’s

website at http://www.ssa.gov. [SOCIAL

SECURITY ADMINISTRATION]

PROMOTING RETIREMENT SECURITY

National Policy and Resource Center on

Women and Aging

The Administration on Aging funds the

Program on Women's Education for Retiremen

Center, also called the Power Center, a joint

project of the Women’s Institute for a Secure

Retirement and the National Center on Women

& Aging at Brandeis University. The mission of

the Center is to inform women about the issues

that affect their long-term financial security and

to stress the importance of taking an active role

in planning for their retirement. The Power

Center educates low-income women and
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

women of color about resources and materials

available to them and serves as a clearinghouse

for information on the financial issues that

influence their lives. The Center staff conducts

training sessions and information panels for

women nationwide and identifies and provides

access to a variety of financial planning tools,

such as fact sheets on how to choose a financial

planner and descriptions of financial

instruments. In addition, the Center assists

women in improving their financial status and

encourages women to seek better-paying and

secure jobs with benefits and growth potential.

The Center can be contacted by calling 202-

393-1990, toll free on 1-800-929-1995, via

FAX on 202-638-1336 and online at http://

www.wiser.heinz.org/powercenter.html. More

information can also be found online at the

Administration on Aging’s website at http://

www.aoa.gov. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Educational Program

In 1996 the Secretary of Labor, as part of the

Department of Labor’s Retirement Savings

Education Campaign, launched a program with

a new brochure, Women and Pensions: What

Women Need to Know and Do, and companion

information providing basic facts about

retirement benefits, resources for additional

information, and practical tips on saving for

retirement. Since May 1997 the Department of

Labor’s Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration has taken the following steps:

• Worked with the National Association of

Women Business Owners to distribute

materials to their members throughout the

country on retirement savings options for

small businesses;

• Partnered with the Girl Scouts of America to

encourage young women to consider the

importance of saving for retirement;

• Translated Women and Pensions: Wh

Women Need to Know and Do into Sp

order to help make Hispanic America

women aware of these important issu

• Coordinated the first National Summ

Retirement Savings, held in June 199

Washington, D.C., to increase public

awareness of the importance of retire

planning and to identify ways to prom

greater retirement savings by all Ame

• Distributed materials to WEB, Inc. (a

association of employee benefits

professionals) and various state bar

associations regarding “qualified dom

relations orders”;

• Participated in the September 1999 N

Association of Women in Constructio

Conference to discuss with small emp

the benefits of establishing retiremen

for their employees, making them aw

the educational materials and assistan

Department of Labor provides, and

distributing Department materials on 

plan options for small employers; and

• Beginning in 1998, co-sponsored (wi

National Association of State Treasur

national roll-out of the Everywoman’s 

conferences in more than 20 states to 

women on how to be financially inde

now and in the future.

The Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration continues to target min

and women to provide information and

education regarding the importance of 

for a secure retirement and has establis

strategic goal to increase the pension an

care coverage in these groups. Also, the

Pension and Welfare Benefits Administ

plans to conduct research, analysis, and

planning in the employee benefit plan a

support the development of policy and
160 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

legislative initiatives that expand pension and

health care coverage to even more American

workers and their families. For more

information, visit the Pension and Welfare

Benefit Administration’s website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/pwba/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Satellite Conference on Women and

Retirement Security

As part of the national discussion on Social

Security, in October 1998 the President hosted

a roundtable discussion on women and

retirement security at the White House. The

discussion was broadcast to one satellite site in

each of the ten federal regions. The Vice

President and a national panel also participated

in the event. The Department of Labor’s

Women’s Bureau and the Pension and Welfare

Benefits Administration regional offices

assisted the Social Security Administration in

reaching out to women constituents and

organizing satellite downlink sites as well as

serving on local panels, which took place after

the satellite event. [WHITE HOUSE/

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ SOCIAL

SECURITY ADMINISTRATION]

Insuring Defined Benefit Pension Plans of

Private Employers

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is a

wholly owned federal corporation, established

by the Employee Retirement Income Security

Act of 1974 to insure benefits of workers and

retirees in defined benefit pension plans of

private employers. The Corporation guarantees

payment of plan benefits, subject to statutory

guarantee limitations, when the employer

maintaining the plan is in financial distress and

unable to complete funding the plan. The

Corporation becomes trustee of terminated

underfunded plans and takes over

administration of the plan. The Pension Benefit

Guaranty Corporation’s Board of Directors

consists of the Secretary of Labor (Chair), the

Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of

the Treasury.

The Corporation protects the pensions of more

than 42 million workers and retirees (and, in

most cases, their surviving spouses) in about

44,000 ongoing private defined benefit pension

plans. The Pension Benefit Guaranty

Corporation's best estimate, based on Current

Population Survey data, is that women

constitute approximately 36 percent of those

insured—about 13.6 million (42.6 percent) of

the almost 32 million active workers and about

1.6 million (15.4 percent) of the approximately

ten million retirees.

In FY 1998 the Pension Benefit Guaranty

Corporation was the trustee for more than

2,600 terminated underfunded pension plans.

The agency paid $848,000,000 in retirement

benefits to 216,000 people, including almost

73,000 women (almost 35 percent). Another

263,000 people are scheduled to receive

benefits when they eventually retire, including

about 82,000 women (31 percent). The 82,000

figure understates the number of women who

will eventually receive benefits from the

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation because

it does not include those who will receive

benefits as survivors of currently living male

plan participants. More information is available

online at http://www.pbgc.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (PENSION

BENEFITS GUARANTEE

CORPORATION)]

Veterans Affairs Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs’

Compensation and Pension program

administers compensation for serviceconnected disability, non-service-connected

disability pension, dependency and indemnity

compensation and death pension for veterans’

survivors, and burial benefits (burial flags and

monetary allowances for interment). The
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

program disburses disability compensation or

pension payments to approximately 2.7 million

veterans. Information regarding benefits

administered by the Compensation and

Benefits program may be found online at http://

www.vba.va.gov/bln/compen/compinfo.htm.

Disability compensation is payable to veterans

with a service-connected disability (38 United

States Code §§ 1110 and 1131). A serviceconnected disability is incurred or aggravated

in line of duty in the active military, naval, or

air service (38 United States Code § 101(16)).

As of September 1998 a total of 99,248 women

were receiving compensation, which represents

more than four percent of the total population

of more than two million veterans receiving

compensation. Also, a monthly allowance is

payable to the child of a Vietnam veteran who

is disabled due to spina bifida (38 United States

Code § 1805).

Disability pension is a benefit paid to wartime

veterans with limited income who are

permanently and totally disabled for reasons

that are not related to service (38 United States

Code § 1521).

Dependency and indemnity compensation is a

monthly payment for the surviving spouse,

children, and dependent parents of a veteran

who dies from a service-connected or

compensable disability (38 United States Code

§ 1310 (a)). Dependency and indemnity

compensation is also payable to survivors of a

deceased veteran who was continuously rated

totally disabled for at least ten years

immediately preceding death or was so rated

for at least five years from discharge from

military service (38 United States Code 1318

(a) and (b)). Death pension is payable to

surviving spouses and dependent children with

limited income of deceased wartime veterans

whose deaths were not service connected

(38 United States Code §§ 1541 and 1542). As

of September 1998 approximately 628,

surviving spouses, children, and parent

deceased veterans were being paid depe

and indemnity compensation or death p

Among them are 128,765 survivors of V

Era veterans and 315,956 survivors of W

War II veterans. Additionally, spouses 

deceased veterans who became ineligib

the Department of Veterans Affairs’ sur

benefits when they remarried may now 

eligible for restored dependency and in

compensation benefits if they are no lon

married (38 United States Code § 1311

Legislation that became effective in Oc

1998 repealed a 1990 law that permane

terminated eligibility for dependency a

indemnity compensation for a veteran’s

surviving spouse who remarried after th

of the veteran.

An allowance may be awarded for buri

funeral costs of eligible veterans (38 U

States Code §§ 2302, 2303). A U.S. fla

provided, at no cost, to drape the caske

deceased veteran or a deceased individu

20 years of service in a reserve compon

United States Code § 2301(a)).

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

Former Foreign Services Spouses

The Foreign Service Act of 1980, as am

states that a prorated share of an annuit

pension must be paid to each former sp

whom he or she was married for at leas

years, including five years with the For

Service, unless “otherwise expressly pr

by any spousal agreement or court orde

Act also states that a prorated survivor 

must be paid to all former spouses who 

the above qualifications unless “otherw

expressly provided for by any spousal

agreement or court order.”

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
162 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS

EMPLOYER

Department of Transportation

The Department has responded to the changes

in family structure that have increased the need

to balance work and family through the

development of an aggressive worklife

program. The Department committed to a goal

of five percent of Department of Transportation

telecommuting by the end of FY 1999. Existing

policies allow employees the opportunity to

balance their work and family lives through

alternate work schedules, telecommuting, parttime employment, and leave to care for sick

family members. Alternate Work Schedules are

offered to 95 percent of Department of

Transportation employees.

In 1995 the Department opened a new

“customer service center” called the DOT

Connection, which provides employment,

career development, and worklife services in

one location. The center provides information

and assistance to hundreds of women looking

for ways to manage their work lives effectively.

The Office of Personnel Management has

recognized the DOT Connection for its

outstanding programs and accomplishments in

providing employee services that benefit both

employees and families.

In late 1998 and early 1999 the Department of

Transportation looked at how it provides

essential services to its own employees with

disabilities. The result was the establishment of

the USDOT Disability Resource Center in

1999, which ensures that women and men with

disabilities who are employed by the

Department can participate fully and contribute

to all aspects of the Department's work,

programs, and services. The Department of

Transportation has more than 68,000 civilian

employees in more than 750 duty locations,

including more than 3,000 with targeted

disabilities. The Center will ensure the

consistent, professional and fair treatment of

individuals with disabilities within the

Department of Transportation with regard to

job accommodations and will foster a greater

awareness and inclusion of disabled

employees. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

Intelligence Analysis

Intelligence analysis periodically examines the

role of women in the global work force as part

of a broader effort to analyze the workings of

the international economy. [CENTRAL

INTELLIGENCE AGENCY]

F.2. Facilitate women’s equal access to

resources, employment, markets, and trade.

EMPLOYMENT, RECRUITING, AND

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

State Partnership Initiative Regarding

Disabilities

In 1998 the Social Security Administration’s

State Partnership Initiative awarded cooperative

agreements to 12 states to develop innovative

projects to assist adults, including women, with

disabilities to re-enter the work force. The

participating states are California, Illinois,

Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New

Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,

Oklahoma, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The

initiative was the first activity launched under

an Executive Order signed on March 13, 1998,

by President Clinton that created the National

Task Force on the Employment of Adults with

Disabilities.

The initiative is designed to help states develop

integrated, statewide programs of services and

supports for their residents with disabilities.

Project goals are to increase job opportunities

and to decrease dependence on benefits,

including Social Security Disability Insurance

and Supplemental Security Income.
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

The first-year funding cost for the

competitively awarded cooperative agreements

was about $6,000,000 and included funding

from the Department of Health and Human

Services and the Department of Labor. The

agency expects to continue to fund this

program for five years, at a total estimated cost

of $35,000,000. The agency has also awarded a

contract to Virginia Commonwealth University

to provide technical assistance to the states, and

to monitor and collect data on the state projects.

The new approaches developed by states under

this program will create and enhance federalstate partnerships and will serve as models that

can be replicated in other states. For more

information, visit http://www.ssa.gov/work/

coopagre.htm. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Efforts by the Social Security

Administration

The Social Security Administration participates

in conferences of women’s advocacy groups

and organizations throughout the country.

Employees highlight the value of Social

Security and the need for financial planning.

Social Security employees promote the use of

the “Social Security Statement” as a valuable

financial planning tool. The statement provides

workers with estimates of their retirement,

disability, and survivors benefits. The statement

also lists yearly earnings so workers can see

whether their earnings are posted accurately on

their Social Security records. Beginning in

October 1999 all workers age 25 and older will

receive this annual statement automatically;

however, anyone can request a statement at any

time. For more information, visit Social

Security’s website at http://www.ssa.gov/

mystatement. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Student Career Experience Program

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wi

Department of the Interior, has made

significant strides in recruiting college 

for professional positions through the S

Career Experience Program. Within the 

five years, 65 percent of the hires in thi

program have been women, primarily i

field of biology with recent trainee hires 

Enforcement and Engineering/Architec

positions. More than half of the student

completed the program were women.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO

Memorandum of Understanding

The Department of the Interior has ente

a Memorandum of Understanding with 

Department of Labor’s Women’s Burea

create a framework of cooperation for e

in collaborative activities designed to p

the increased recruitment of women in 

traditional occupations throughout the 

including Department of the Interior wo

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Recruiting Referral Program

The Recruiting Referral Program is an

incentive program designed to use the m

effective recruiting tool—staff network

the Department of Energy’s Pacific Nor

National Laboratory. The program pay

members a bonus ranging from $1,000 

$3,000 if they refer a qualified woman 

minority for a professional or manageri

that referred candidate accepts an offer 

employment within six months of havin

resume submitted to the Staffing Progra

Department, the referring staff member 

eligible for a bonus. As a result of the fi

of the program, the Laboratory received 

resumes of which 169 met the qualifica

paid out $18,000 in accordance with th
164 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

requirements of the program; and hired 12

women, two of which were minority women.

To enhance the diversity of its workforce, the

Laboratory designed and implemented the

project, which has been ongoing since 1998.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

Technical Opportunities Program/Chicago

Women in Trades

The Department of Energy’s Argonne National

Laboratory is actively involved in this program

at Joliet Junior College in Chicago. The

program is aimed at increasing the number of

women employed in traditionally male

occupations. In 1998 the Plant Facilities and

Services Division hosted discussions and

provided tours to participants. As a result of the

Laboratory’s involvement, in 1999 Chicago

Women in Trades contacted Argonne to

sponsor and participate in a research project

aimed at learning how to attract more women to

the trades professions. Approximately 40

Laboratory women participated in the focus

meeting that was sponsored by Chicago

Women in Trades.

Since 1998 the Argonne Laboratory has

collaborated with Joliet Junior College to

provide this program to women who are

interested in trade professions. The program is

funded by the Department of Energy’s Argonne

National Laboratory, Joliet Junior College, and

Chicago Women in Trades. [DEPARTMENT

OF ENERGY]

Grants to Identify and Expand Employment

Opportunities

In 1992, to address the high unemployment rate

of women veterans compared to their male

counterparts, the Veterans’ Employment and

Training Service began an initiative to identify

and expand employment opportunities for

women veterans. In support of this initiative, in

1993 the Veterans’ Employment and Training

Service began providing grants to the Women’s

Research and Education Institute.

With Veterans’ Employment and Training

Service grants, the Institute has researched

military jobs and translated them into civilian

language so that it would be easier for women

veterans to explain their skills, knowledge, and

abilities to employers. With a new grant of

almost $100,000 beginning in February 1999,

the Women’s Research and Education Institute

worked to increase the number of women

veterans participating in the Veterans’

Employment and Training Service

telecommunications project, which emphasizes

careers as network installers, technicians, and

customer relations personnel for leading

telecommunications companies. More

information is available online at

http://www.wrei.org.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

TECHNOLOGY

National Telecommunications and

Information Administration’s Reports

Since 1994 National Telecommunications and

Information Administration’s Office of Policy

Analysis and Development within the

Commerce Department has issued three reports

in its Falling Through the Net series to track

access of Americans to telephones, computers,

and the Internet. These reports rely on U.S.

Census Bureau data to examine access based on

numerous demographic characteristics,

including gender and household type, shedding

light on women’s access to information

technologies. All three reports have examined

differences in household access based on

whether the household is headed by a female

single parent, a male single parent, or two

parents. Female-headed households are lagging

far behind dual-parent households, and to a

lesser extent behind male-headed households,
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

in their ownership of home computers and

home access to the Internet. The most recent

report, issued in July 1999, also provided

information on individual access and use of the

Internet based on gender. All three reports

(Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital

Divide (July 1999), Falling Through the Net II:

New Data on the Digital Divide (July 1998),

and Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the

“Have Nots” in Rural and Urban America

(July 1995)) can be found online at

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Representation of Women in Technical

Careers

The Technology Administration’s Office of

Technology Policy’s 1999 publication, The

Digital Work Force: Building Infotech Skills at

the Speed of Innovation, projects that, from

1996 to 2006, the United States will require

more than 1.3 million new computer scientists

and engineers, systems analysts, and computer

programmers. The report highlights that

women make up only 26.9 percent of computer

systems analysts and scientists and only 28.5

percent of computer programmers. The report

is available online at http://www.ta.doc.gov/

reports.htm.

Additionally, the Technology Administration

led special focus roundtables at Women in

Technology International Conferences held in

Austin, TX, in March 1998 and in Boston, MA,

in October 1998 to begin a national dialogue

among women in information technology. As a

result of these discussions and others, a need

for a resource for disseminating information

about opportunities in the information

technology work force was recognized. The

Technology Administration’s GO4IT website at

http://www.go4it.gov describes more than 200

information technology workforce prog

including those focused on girls and wo

well as other resources such as academ

training programs, internships and

scholarships, job banks, and image buil

programs. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

TRADE

Trade Events

The Commerce Department’s Internatio

Trade Administration organizes several

hundred trade events yearly. To help sm

businesses, the International Trade

Administration’s Commercial Service h

opened numerous interagency Export

Assistance Centers serving every regio

United States. At these centers, small

businesses can receive information on f

export programs and financing assistan

many centers have been involved in pro

and projects that affect women. Recent

International Trade Administration has 

women-focused events, including the

following:

Women-in-Trade Business Developm

Missions

Since 1995 the Women-in-Trade Busin

Development Missions have offered ex

opportunities for women-owned or -op

companies to make valuable overseas c

and to meet other similarly situated wo

These Missions have introduced more t

women-owned businesses to new mark

Europe, Mexico, and Africa over the la

years. All participants have been small b

representatives who were new to these m

These companies have reported more th

$10,000,000 in sales, as well as distribu

joint ventures in 12 different foreign ci
166 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

These Missions have visited cities such as

Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Monterrey,

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Madrid, and Milan.

Plans for future missions to Europe and Asia

are underway.

Business Development Mission to

MERCOSUR

At the 1999 Women’s Economic Summit of the

Americas, a senior-level business development

mission focused on women executives and

visited Santiago, Chile; Montevideo, Uruguay;

and Buenos Aires, Argentina, from November

8 to 13, 1999. The mission introduced

American companies to commercial

opportunities in the MERCOSUR market area,

addressed market access issues for U.S.

companies, particularly regarding market

integration efforts in the region, and

highlighted women’s businesses and their

products and services.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development Conference on Women

Entrepreneurs in SMEs: A Major Force in

Innovation and Job Creation

From April 16 to 18, 1997, the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development held

a conference entitled Women Entrepreneurs in

SMEs: A Major Force in Innovation and Job

Creation, focusing on obstacles and

opportunities for women business owners. The

International Trade Administration worked

closely with the White House Office of

Women’s Initiatives and Outreach to organize

U.S. participation in this event, and also with

the Organization for Economic Cooperation

and Development on substantive aspects of the

conference. As a result of the conference, the

International Trade Administration and the

National Foundation for Women Business

Owners are working with the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development to

coordinate a project to encourage the collection

of statistics on women-owned small and

medium-sized enterprises in Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development

countries. The International Trade

Administration will also participate in another

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development conference on women’s

entrepreneurship planned for November 2000.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

The Advocacy Center

The Advocacy Center of the Commerce

Department’s International Trade

Administration provides the U.S. corporate

exporting community with timely and effective

U.S. government advocacy to help equalize

opportunities so U.S. firms can compete for

overseas procurement and increase exports.

Women employees play an important role in

ensuring that the Advocacy Center continues to

be effective in coordinating and leveraging the

resources of the 19 federal agencies involved in

promoting U.S. exports. Women comprise a

majority of the professional staff in the

Advocacy Center. Their duties include strategic

advice to U.S. firms on specific projects, shortterm assignments at U.S. embassies overseas,

and providing recommendations to Cabinet and

sub-Cabinet officials on advocacy efforts.

The Advocacy Center actively supports staff

training and career development for all

employees. Employees in the Advocacy Center

have received support for professional

achievements and career development through

training, recognition awards, and promotions.

Women on the support staff are encouraged

through training and work assignments to

become program assistants. [DEPARTMENT

OF COMMERCE]
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

RESEARCH

An Ethnographic Examination of Social and

Psychological Barriers to Full Employment

among Women with Disabilities

The research project studied the experiences of

persons with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord

injuries, and post-polio syndrome to determine

why women fare less well than men in

obtaining and retaining employment. The

research focused specifically on differences in

access to vocational rehabilitation and social

support networks, and how these may affect

employment. Funding for the project from

October 1, 1995, to September 30, 1996, was

$35,000. More information is available online

at http://www.naric.com, search for

H133F50028. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

WOMEN AND DISADVANTAGED

BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

Bonding Assistance Program and the Short

Term Lending Program for the

Transportation Industry

Two programs that provide financial access to

small businesses through the Office of Small

and Disadvantaged Business Union are the

Bonding Assistance Program and the Short

Term Lending Program:

The Bonding Assistance Program is

administered and funded by the Office of Small

and Disadvantaged Business Union. The

Bonding Assistance Program is operated

through surety bond agents located in

designated areas of the country. The program

offers certified minority, women-owned, and

disadvantaged business enterprises an

opportunity to obtain bid, payment, and

performance bonds for transportation-related

projects. The program provides an 80 percent

guarantee against losses on contracts up to

$1,000,000. Bond approval and issuanc

both performed by the sureties. Inform

the Bonding Assistance Program can b

online at http://osdbuweb.dot.gov/busin

mip.html.

The Short Term Lending Program is a

nationwide program established to enab

disadvantaged business enterprises, inc

women-owned firms, to obtain short-te

working capital at prime interest rates f

transportation-related projects. The Sho

Lending Program is a public-private

partnership administered by the Office o

and Disadvantaged Business Union in

conjunction with three banks. Disadvan

business enterprises participating in the 

Term Lending Program have access to

revolving lines of credit to finance acco

receivable arising from transportation-r

contracts. The primary collateral consis

proceeds of the contracts. Borrowing u

lines of credit is to meet the short-term 

performing the contract(s) being financ

Loan applications may be obtained onl

http://osdbuweb.dot.gov/ or by accessin

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Bus

Union Fax-On-Demand system at 1-80

1169. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Veterans Affairs Contracts with Wom

Owned Small Businesses

Since the first half of 1999, the Departm

Veterans Affairs spent more than $260,

in prime contracts with women-owned 

businesses. The Department’s Office of 

and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

proactive program for women small bu

owners wishing to contract with the

Department of Veterans Affairs. Activi

consist of panel discussions, one-on-on

counseling sessions at a variety of trade 

governmental small business shows,
168 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

presentations at small business conferences,

and information provided in response to

inquires made of this office. Monthly vendor

counseling sessions, with speakers from a wide

variety of offices across the Department of

Veterans Affairs, are a great resource for

female small business owners.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has

designated a Women’s Business Advocate to

serve as a direct liaison to the women-owned

business community. The advocate’s job is to

encourage the procurement offices within each

of the Department’s acquisition offices to

consider using women-owned firms whenever

possible. A best practices “tool kit” is being

prepared for the field on improving access to

government contracts for women-owned small

businesses. [DEPARTMENT OF

VETERANS AFFAIRS]

EQUAL PAY

Ten Step Equal Pay Self-Audit Guide

The Office of Merit System Effectiveness, with

outstanding support from program and staff

offices, created a self-audit guide for agencies

to ensure that their employees receive equal

pay for work of equal value regardless of

gender and ethnicity. The Ten Step Equal Pay

Self-Audit Guide was developed as part of a

larger Clinton Administration effort to promote

equal pay. Vice President Al Gore also

announced a ten-step self-audit for both private

businesses and federal agencies in order to help

them monitor their efforts on equal pay. The

results of these self-audits will be reported to

the White House. The results also will support

the Office of Personnel Management’s efforts

to develop total compensation policies for the

future and will assure equal pay in any new

federal Compensation System. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Framework for the Integration of Women in

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

A U.S. delegation, led by the Deputy Secretary

of Labor, attended the first-ever Asia Pacific

Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting on

Women, held in Manila, the Philippines, in

October 1998. The delegation included officials

from the Department of State, the Department

of Commerce, the Department of Education,

the Department of Labor, the President’s

Interagency Council on Women, the U.S.

Embassy in Manila, and the AFL-CIO.

Ministers met to consider issues of women in

economic development, in response to a

mandate from Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation leaders to “take stock of the

progress to date in involving women in APEC’s

agenda and to determine next steps to integrate

women into the mainstream of APEC

activities.”

This ministerial was conceived several years

ago when the Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation economies were enjoying

unparalleled economic success, but came

together during a time of financial crisis.

Recognizing that women are among the most

vulnerable to the adverse effects of economic

declines, ministers recommended that the Asia

Pacific Economic Cooperation place high

priority on developing a better understanding of

the disproportionate impacts of the financial

crisis on women and integrating their interests

into economic recovery strategies in the region

Ministers called for:

• Including gender-based analysis as an

integral component of Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation decisions, processes, and
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

activities, and promoting the collection of

sex-disaggregated data to support analysis

and decision-making;

• Encouraging the involvement of women in all

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation fora,

especially in decision-making;

• Developing a Framework for the Integration

of Women into the APEC by an Asia Pacific

Economic Cooperation task force to ensure a

comprehensive, sustained gender-sensitive

approach within the Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation and accountability for results.

In 1999 the President’s Interagency Council on

Women and the Department of Labor Women’s

Bureau participated in the Ad Hoc Task Force

to Integrate Women in APEC and provided

significant input into its development of the

Framework for the Integration of Women in

APEC. The Framework promotes gender

analysis of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

policies and programs, increased collection and

use of sex-disaggregated data, and increased

participation of women in Asia Pacific

Economic Cooperation fora; it also includes an

implementation plan. In September 1999 Asia

Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders

approved the Framework and a new two-year

Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Gender Integration

to advise and assist in the implementation of

the Framework. The President’s Interagency

Council on Women, the Department of Labor,

and the State Department are participating in

this Ad Hoc Advisory Group. More

information is available online at http://

www.dol.gov/dol/_sec/public/programs/iacw/

main.htm. [PRESIDENT’S INTERAGENCY

COUNCIL ON WOMEN/ DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Women's Executive Program I (WEP 

This two-week program, entitled Wom

Executive Program 1 (WEP 1), at Bost

College was designed for 20 female

participants from Northern Ireland and 

Republic of Ireland who hold mid- to u

level management positions or are over

small businesses. This program improv

business and organizational skills to aid 

advancement. Specifically targeted for

selection were women who work in a b

sector that is significantly more develop

the United States than in Ireland, such 

fundraising. The program offered the

participants an overview of professiona

support systems for women executives 

United States and numerous opportunit

meet and network with their American 

through site visits, lectures, and social 

Roundtable discussions with members 

professional women's groups in the Ne

England area were organized to discuss

research materials that demonstrate

characteristics, which facilitate the prom

of women in the workplace. The United 

Information Agency provided part of a

$1,000,000 grant for this program from 

1999. [UNITED STATES INFORMA

AGENCY]

Women's Executive Program II (WE

This two-week program, entitled Wom

Executive Program II (WEP II), at Bos

College was designed for 20 female

participants from Northern Ireland and 

Republic of Ireland who hold entry-lev

management positions and who sought 

improve their business and organization

in order to aid career advancement. The
170 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

program dealt with issues that younger women

might face at the entry-level stage of their

careers. The Women’s Executive Program

offers these women a number of valuable

learning opportunities, with particular

emphasis on resume writing, interview

techniques, and business writing. Additionally,

the program concentrated on basic skills such

as an introduction to financial capital raising,

financial management, and strategic

management. The program created networking

opportunities and encouraged mentor

relationships between the participants on both

Women’s Executive Programs I & II. The

United States Information Agency contributed

part of a $1,000,000 grant from 1998 to 1999.

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Women in Economic and Community

Development

Women from Sub-Saharan Africa came to the

United States in 1998 to compare strategies

with their American counterparts on the role of

women leaders and organizations for the

advancement of women, particularly economic

empowerment, business, and community

development. Activities they undertook

inspired by the United States Information

Agency Women in Economic and Community

Development visitor program included the

introduction of mentoring programs for young

people, particularly young girls, and the idea of

Take Your Daughter to Work to inspire young

women to strive for advancement. [UNITED

STATES INFORMATION AGENCY]

United States Information Agency

WORLDNET TV

The United States Information Agency's

WORLDNET TV and the Voice of America

broadcast worldwide a variety of programs

every year in many languages that include

segments on women and the economy. For

example, throughout 1999, WORLDNET TV

will broadcast 39 new episodes of a series

dedicated to women and how they put together

successful small businesses. In 1998 the United

States Information Agency's WORLDNET TV

broadcast a dialogue/call-in program to Latin

America on Internet Access for Women in

Business and two programs to Africa,

Microcredit Initiatives for Women in Africa and

Banking: Women and the Development

Process. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

East Asia and Pacific

The Department of State’s regional Democracy

and Human Rights Economic Support Fund

provided funding to the Asia Foundation to

carry out a program with the Rural

Development Foundation in Indonesia. This

East Java Program provides training for

facilitators to raise awareness of rights and

risks inherent in migrant work and factors that

make female migrant workers vulnerable to

trafficking. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

F.3. Provide business services, training, and

access to markets, information, and technology, particularly to low-income women.

PROMOTING WOMEN-OWNED

BUSINESSES AND FEDERAL

CONTRACTS

Agricultural Marketing

The Agricultural Marketing Service procures

agricultural products for distribution and use in

the school lunch and other domestic feeding

programs. The Agricultural Marketing Service

is proactive in identifying and encouraging the

participation of small, disadvantaged, and
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

women-owned firms in purchase programs.

One success story is the Mil-Ray Food

Company, Incorporated, a women-owned firm

that was awarded a contract for 1998 under the

Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program

for socially disadvantaged businesses. In the

summer of 1999, Mil-Ray was honored as

Agricultural Marketing Service’s womenowned business of the year. Since becoming an

8(a) participant in September 1998, Mil-Ray

has received 19 contracts at a total value of

$1,300,000. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

COMMerce Information Technology

Solutions (COMMITS)

The Department of Commerce has launched a

major initiative to help women-owned

companies, as well as small and minorityowned companies, compete in the multi-billion

dollar federal procurement arena. The

COMMerce Information Technology Solutions

(COMMITS) program is the first information

technology set-aside exclusively for small,

minority-, and women-owned businesses.

Established in June 1999 through a coordinated

effort between Commerce’s Procurement and

Information Technology staff, COMMITS

(pronounced “comets”) is the cornerstone of

the Commerce Department’s effort to

strengthen and provide growth opportunities

for small businesses, including women-owned

enterprises. COMMITS seeks to provide equal

support of small information technology firms,

whose share of the market has decreased in

recent years. The Department of Commerce has

selected 29 small information technology firms

to participate in the COMMITS program. Of

these 29 firms, 20 percent are women-owned

businesses.

The COMMITS program will be self-financing

through reimbursable agreements with

customer agencies. Several federal agencies

have expressed interest in using COMMITS as

a preferred contracting source. The

Department’s COMMITS Team is now 

with potential customers to establish

performance-based contracts and task o

for solutions-based needs. COMMITS

anticipates information technology

expenditures under these multiple awar

contracts to reach $1.5 billion over five 

The COMMITS program recognizes th

growing role that information technolo

industries play in the worldwide econo

the need to ensure that small businesse

including women-owned companies, h

fair chance to compete in this rapidly c

marketplace. Additional information ca

obtained online at

http://www.commits.doc.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Commerce’s Small Disadvantaged B

2000 Program

The Department of Commerce’s Small

Disadvantaged Business 2000 Program 

created in FY 1999 to increase contract 

to small, disadvantaged, 8(a), and wom

owned businesses. A pilot program is a

underway to streamline acquisitions un

$100,000, thereby providing easier acc

the federal procurement market for sma

business owners. Commerce will contin

include at least one woman-owned busi

each solicitation source list. Commerce 

consider using small, disadvantaged, an

women-owned businesses early in the

acquisition process, specifically for ma

contracts, to maximize opportunities. T

Department will also host focus groups 

procurement conferences to improve di

with industry and other women-owned 

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Federal Procurement Contracts

The Department of Labor's Office of Sm

Business Programs is partnering with th

Business Administration under a Memo
172 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

of Understanding to increase the participation

of women-owned small businesses in prime

and subcontracting opportunities at the

Department of Labor and to foster women's

business enterprise in the federal marketplace.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding,

signed in March 1999, the partners will

maximize resources to implement many

initiatives that will help increase women's share

of Department of Labor and federal

procurement dollars. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Department of Transportation Programs for

Small, Women-Owned, and Disadvantaged

Businesses

• The Department of Transportation/Office

of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization Marketplace and Training

Conferences

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Business Utilization sponsors Transportation

Marketplace and Training Conferences

throughout the United States designed to

educate, train, and assist small business

owners, including women-owned enterprises,

to secure access to transportation-related

contracting opportunities.

• The Department of Transportation/Office

of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization National Information

Clearinghouse

The National Information Clearinghouse

serves as the central point of contact for the

dissemination of program and procurement

information, procurement forecasts, forms,

data, public laws, orders, and other similar

publications related to women-owned

businesses, small businesses, and

disadvantaged firms. The Office of Small and

Disadvantaged Business Utilization has an

on-site 8(a) contractor to assist in the

operation of the National Information

Clearinghouse, which provides improved

distribution channels and identification of

procurement opportunities. The

clearinghouse also responds to inquiries and

questions received through the dedicated toll

free number, 1-800-532-1169, or by written

correspondence.

• Cooperation with the Small Business

Administration Procurement Center

Representative in Support of Procurement

Opportunities for Women-Owned

Businesses

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Business Utilization works closely with the

Small Business Administration Procurement

Center Representative to identify

procurement opportunities for 8(a) and small

business set-asides. In addition, the Office of

Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization assists the representative in the

review of subcontracting plans submitted by

potential Department of Transportation prime

contractors to ensure that maximum goals are

set for women-owned enterprises and other

small disadvantaged entrepreneurs. The

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization provides office space and

secretarial support to the Small Business

Utilization Procurement Center

Representative.

• Publicizing Success Stories of WomenOwned Enterprises

The Department of Transportation Office of

Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization publishes special editions in its

monthly Transportation Link newsletter

highlighting success stories referencing

women-owned enterprises who have

graduated not only from the 8(a) program bu

who have successfully progressed as business

owners.
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

• Funds for National Women’s Business

Council

The total Department of Transportation

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization funding provided to date is

$250,000 to the National Women’s Business

Council for matters of importance to womenowned enterprises and the effectiveness of

programs and policies designed to support

women-owned businesses. Also, they ensure

that women’s economic issues are being

addressed by all federal agencies.

[DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Memorandum of Understanding to Increase

Women-Owned Business Contracting

Opportunities

On March 15, 1999, the Department of State

and the Small Business Administration signed

a Memorandum of Understanding that commits

the Department of State to increase

participation of women-owned small

businesses in the Department’s prime and

subcontracting opportunities, with a goal of

awarding at least five percent of its federal

procurement dollars to women-owned firms.

This minimum goal was established by the

Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994,

signed into law by President Clinton. The

Department of State voluntarily began setting a

distinct women’s business contracting goal a

year before the law required them to do so. In

1994, the first year in which the minimum goal

was effective, the Department of State awarded

6.2 percent of its domestic procurement budget

to small, women-owned firms. In FY 1998 the

Department awarded 5.96 percent of its

domestic procurement budget to small, womenowned firms. With the assistance of the

Department’s large prime contractors, 9.6

percent of the dollars subcontracted were

awarded to small women-owned firms during

FY 1998. The Memorandum of Understanding

will remain in effect for a period of two years

and is renewable. [DEPARTMENT O

STATE/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Environmental Protection Agency

Memoranda of Understanding

The U.S. Environmental Protection Age

developed two Memoranda of Understa

designed to promote small businesses o

by women.

• Through a Memorandum of Understa

between the Environmental Protectio

Agency and the Small Business

Administration, the participation of w

owned businesses in prime and

subcontracting opportunities at the

Environmental Protection Agency wi

increased. From 1996 to 1998 approx

$433,000,000 in awards was given to

women’s business enterprises.

• Under a Memorandum of Understand

between the Environmental Protectio

Agency and the Business Women’s N

the Environmental Protection Agency

outreach efforts to small businesses o

and operated by women will be enhan

and increased information regarding p

contract opportunities relevant to the

membership of the Business Women’

Network will be provided.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTI

AGENCY/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Striving To Meet The Five Percent G

Contracting With Women-Owned

Businesses

The General Services Administration’s 

of Enterprise Development has worked 

the agency’s five percent goal for contr

for women-owned businesses. The Offi

worked with the agency’s procurement 

to ensure that small, minority-, and wo

owned businesses were given the maxim
174 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

practicable contracting opportunities in the

agency’s solicitations. On major agency

purchases, the Office of Enterprise

Development held both pre-award and postaward Procurement Networking Sessions to

provide teaming, partnering, and

subcontracting opportunities for small,

minority-, and women-owned businesses. An

annual incentive award ceremony was held for

the General Services Administration’s top

management to recognize those contracting

officers and teams that have made significant

contributions toward achieving the agency’s

goals.

The Office of Enterprise Development’s

Women’s Business Roundtable brought

together women business executives, heads of

women’s trade associations, and women

government executives to recommend ways for

the General Services Administration to reach

its five percent goal. A special procurement

event was held to award on-the-spot contracts

to women-owned businesses. The Office of

Enterprise Development’s Associate

Administrator appointed a woman’s advocate

in each of General Services Administration’s

three business lines (the Public Buildings

Service, Federal Supply Service, and Federal

Technology Service).

In addition, each of the 11 regional offices

agreed to hold two women’s conferences in

1999 to offer information regarding

procurement opportunities. By means of a

video, the General Services Administration

heightened awareness throughout the agency of

the importance of reaching the five percent

goal, prescribed specific actions that

contracting personnel could take to do so, and

asked for achievement reports on those specific

actions.

The General Services Administration, in

conjunction with the Small Business

Administration, held briefings in 12 major

cities around the country in a major effort to

increase the number of women schedule

contract holders in the Federal Supply Service

program. As a result, women business owners’

share of Federal Supply Schedules contracts

has increased steadily from $12,000,000 in

FY 1992 to $148,000,000 in FY 1997.

[GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Online Access For Contracting

Opportunities

The General Services Administration’s Office

of Enterprise Development website at http://

www.gsa.gov/oed has vital information for

women-owned, small, and minority-owned

firms on how to become successful contractors

It publishes General Services Administration

Forecast of Contracting Opportunities; new

initiatives; scheduled conferences; General

Services Administration Subcontracting

Directory; hot links to other General Services

Administration websites where current

contracting opportunities are published and

solicitations can be downloaded; and hot links

to the Small Business Administration,

Commerce Business Daily, and other websites

of importance to women-owned small

businesses interested in doing business with the

federal government. [GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION]

Military Spouse Entrepreneurial Assistance

In 1997 the Department of Defense entered into

a partnership with Small Business

Administration to provide business training and

technical assistance to spouses interested in

establishing their own businesses. Department

of Defense funding for the two pilot programs

at San Diego/Camp Pendleton, CA, and

Norfolk, VA, ended September 30, 1999. As of

June 30, 1999, the San Diego/Camp Pendleton

program produced 68 graduates and 58

business plans. Similarly, as of June 30, 1999,
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

the Norfolk program produced 67 graduates

and is surveying graduates to determine the

number of business plans and start-ups.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/ SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Air Force Small Business Online

This website, at http://www.selltoairforce.org,

features specific resources for woman-owned

small businesses, including online assistance

and reports on woman-owned, small

businesses. A customized search tool allowing

users to immediately see typical and current

buyers for their products will be operational in

2000. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Small Business News Review

This online quarterly newsletter, at http://

www.selltoairforce.org/sbnr/index.htm,

features articles about women and their

businesses. The March 1999 issue highlights

women-owned small business achievements in

celebration of Women’s History Month.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Training for Women-Owned Businesses

The Department of Transportation has several

initiatives to increase participation by small,

disadvantaged, and women-owned firms in its

programs, including:

• The Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Business Utilization implemented an

electronic information dissemination system

to ensure that women-owned businesses and

other small businesses and disadvantaged

firms receive up-to-date information on

Department of Transportation programs and

activities. In order to assist women-owned

enterprises, the Office of Small and

Disadvantaged Business Utilization has

implemented various training and financial

assistance programs. The success of these

programs is reflected in the 3.7 perce

women-owned business participation 

achieved by the Department of

Transportation in 1998. For FY 1999 

Department of Transportation has ach

its goal of 5.2 percent. The Office of 

and Disadvantaged Business Utilizati

maintains a website at http://

osdbuweb.dot.gov, which provides

information on contracting opportuni

items of interest to women-owned ent

and other small businesses. Other

components of the Office’s efforts inc

Implementing an Interactive Procur

Forecast For Women-Owned Enterp

The Department of Transportation h

implemented a list server that uses t

technology to push information to b

nesses requesting the service. Busin

that have registered their firm with 

Office receive information such as a

notification of conferences and even

marketing materials, and procurem

cast data, and become eligible for p

ment matching services.

Administering Partnership Agreem

Through the Entrepreneurial Traini

Technical Assistance Program

This program combines the efforts 

Minority Educational Institutions, g

ment, and the private sector to focu

viding transportation-related assista

procurement information to small, w

owned, and other disadvantaged bus

The program also provides training 

development to students in transpor

related fields through the use of inte

and fostering interdisciplinary oppo

ties for students in the field of trans

tion.
176 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• The Small Business Innovation Research

Program provides an excellent opportunity

for women-owned businesses to tap into the

research and development area. The program

offers up to $850,000 and strives to see

innovative technological concepts through to

commercialization. Every February, the

Small Business Innovation Research

Solicitation for Phase I proposals is released

online at http://www.volpe.dot.gov. The

Department of Transportation Small Business

Innovation Research Solicitation contains a

listing of all of the current topics for which

research is being solicited, along with the

forms for the submission of a Phase I

proposal, and a proposal preparation

checklist.

• The Federal Highway Administration’s

Entrepreneurial Development Institute

provides training and technical assistance to

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises,

including women-owned businesses, to

enhance their capability to obtain highway

construction and related contracts. Training

includes small business management,

computerized budgeting and payroll,

construction estimating and bidding, business

plan development, taxes and accounting,

project management, personnel management,

bonding and insurance, loan packaging, and

money management. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Young Women in Research Program

The Young Women in Research Program, a

new effort that began in April 1998, is a

partnership with the Washington State Migrant

Council. It is a part of the Student Research

Apprenticeship Program at the Department of

Energy’s Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory. This program offers economically

disadvantaged young women, in their junior

and senior years of high school, the opportunity

to participate in research at the Laboratory for

an eight-week research experience where

students are appointed to the Laboratory and

receive a salary for each week they participate

The Young Women in Research participants

spend a minimum of 280 hours with a scientist

mentor conducting research supporting the

mission of the Laboratory and 40 hours

involved with education enrichment activities.

The Washington State Migrant CouncilSummer Youth Employment Program funded

15 student appointments and one counselor

opportunity. [DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Computer Literacy for Head Start Parents

This program at the Department of Energy’s

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

teaches parents of Head Start students basic

computer literacy skills. The Laboratory

partnered with the Berkeley Head Start

program. Taking two parents at a time through

a course on-site, the program has had more than

80 parents, 78 of which were women, from

1996 to 1999. The Department of Energy

provided computers, facilities, and staff time to

this project. [DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

Strategies to Increase Employment of

Women with Disabilities

A survey conducted among the 600 participants

from 80 countries who attended the

International Leadership Forum for Women

with Disabilities, held in June 1997 in

Bethesda, MD, revealed that they considered

employment as the most important problem

affecting the lives of disabled women.

To address the issue of employment for women

with disabilities, the Department of Education

and the Social Security Administration entered

into a partnership (as had been done with the

International Leadership Forum for Women
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

with Disabilities) to provide a series of

employment training conferences aimed at

women with disabilities, especially those from

underserved populations. Each conference also

includes as participants many service providers

such as state rehabilitation counselors and

Social Security Administration field office

employees who assist claimants with

disabilities. Scholarships are provided for those

disabled participants who need them.

The two-year multi-regional project is called

Strategies to Increase Employment of Women

with Disabilities. Plenary sessions feature

inspirational speakers, including women with

many different disabilities and skill levels who

have successfully made the transition to various

types of work. The plenary sessions are

coupled with hands-on workshops on a variety

of job-readiness and job-seeking skills such as

making the transition from benefits to work,

self-assessment for employment, interviewing

techniques, resume preparation, knowing one’s

rights in the employment process, small

business development skills, and sources for

microcredit. A particular feature of each

conference showcases disabled women who

have used Social Security’s Plan for Achieving

Self-Support program to make the transition

from receiving benefits.

In addition to the two co-sponsoring agencies,

the project enjoys the support of several other

federal agencies including the Department of

Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the

Department of Health and Human Services,

President’s Committee on the Employment of

People with Disabilities, National Council on

Disability, and the Small Business

Administration.

Plans for the second year of the project 

at the request of the Ft. Mojave tribe w

host the conference, a special employm

training conference aimed exclusively a

American women with disabilities. Dis

Native American women will be invite

all Tribes and the conference will also 

sessions on a variety of related topics s

health care and nutrition. Plans for the 

year also call for another international

conference in Washington, D.C., to ma

fifth anniversary of the Beijing confere

addition, an international conference is 

planned for Egypt for disabled women f

Arab region and Africa, with sponsorsh

the U.S. Agency for International

Development.

The target population consists of wome

disabilities, vocational rehabilitation

counselors, Social Security Administra

field office employees, and organization

provide employment services to women

Funding for the project from Septembe

1998, to December 31, 2000, is $325,0

the first year and $400,000 for the seco

More information is available online at 

www.wid.org. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION/ SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

Impact of Training and Support Stra

on Employment Outcomes for Person

Disabilities from Minority Backgrou

The unemployment rate of persons with

disabilities historically has been around 

percent with an even higher rate for tho

severe disabilities and for women. This 

will determine the impact of training an

support strategies on the employment ou

of participants with disabilities from m
178 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and low-income backgrounds, with a focus on

those with severe disabilities. Among those

strategies that will be studied are the Work

Opportunities for Women, a federally funded

model demonstration project for women with

severe disabilities from minority backgrounds.

The duration of the project is from July 1,

1999, to June 30, 2002. [DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION]

SURVEYS

The Women-Owned Business Survey

The Commerce Department’s Census Bureau

conducts a survey of women-owned businesses

every five years as part of the economic census

and has since 1972. This survey includes data

such as the number of firms and annual payroll

and provides summary statistics for the United

States, states, and sub-state areas with 100 or

more women-owned firms. The 1997 Survey of

Women-Owned Business Enterprises is

tentatively scheduled for release in June 2000.

An example of a Census report based on these

data is Women-Owned Business Enterprises

(1992). Information about the survey, as well as

survey data, can be found online at http://

www.census.gov/csd/mwb.

The Small Business Administration’s Office of

Women’s Business Ownership co-sponsored

the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1992 survey of

women-owned businesses. The Office was an

active participant in a two-day strategy session

that developed the National Research Agenda

for Women’s Entrepreneurship, which led to its

participation in Summit ’96, the first-ever

national summit organized to examine

women’s economic security. The Office of

Women’s Business Ownership continued to

play a major role in Summit ’98.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Characteristics of Business Owners

The 1992 Characteristics of Business Owners

Survey conducted by the Commerce

Department’s Census Bureau provides the only

national data available for comparing selected

economic, demographic, and sociological

characteristics among minority, women, nonminority male, and all business owners and

their businesses. The data from this sample

survey are intended to augment data published

in the 1992 Economic Census reports: Survey

of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises and

Survey of Women-Owned Businesses, which

are limited to the number of firms,

employment, annual payroll, and gross

receipts. The Minority Business Development

Agency and the U.S. Small Business

Administration partially fund the

Characteristics of Business Owners program

and continuing research. The Characteristics of

Business Owners Survey was not funded or

conducted for 1997. Census reports based on

these data include Two Different Worlds: Men

and Women from 9 to 5 (1995), and Gender

Segregation in Small Firms (1993). Information

about the survey, as well as survey data, can be

found online at http://www.census.gov/csd/cbo

. [DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

The Decennial Census of Population and

Housing

The decennial census conducted by the

Commerce Department’s Census Bureau

provides a statistical profile of the Nation,

producing a complete count of the population

and describing the demographic, social,

economic, and housing characteristics of the

U.S. population. Decennial census data are

used to reapportion the House of

Representatives, ensuring that political

representation is distributed evenly to all

Americans, and to determine allocation
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

formulas for the distribution of billions of

dollars of federal and state funds each year.

Decennial census data are the definitive

benchmark for virtually all demographic

information used by educators, policymakers,

journalists, and community and non-profit

organizations. The census has been taken since

1790. Information about the Census 2000 can

be found online at http://www.census.gov/dmd/

www/2khome.htm. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

MONETARY ASSISTANCE

Minority Business Development Agency

Women of certain ethnicities—African

American, Aleut, Asian, Eskimo, Hasidic Jew,

Hispanic, Native American Indian, and Pacific

Islander—are eligible to receive the nationwide

business assistance services of the Commerce

Department’s Minority Business Development

Agency. The National Minority Enterprise

Development Week Conference, established by

presidential proclamation in 1983 and cosponsored with the Small Business

Administration, serves as a venue for minority

and women-owned businesses to obtain

information on all aspects of business start-up

and expansion. During these conferences,

several workshops and seminars have been held

to focus on entrepreneurship opportunities for

women, including seminars entitled

Opportunities for Minority Women in Business

in October 1998, and Business Opportunities

for Women and Census 2000: Procurement

Opportunities for Small, Minority, and WomenOwned Enterprises in 1997. [DEPARTMENT

OF COMMERCE/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Milwaukee-Area Grants from the Economic

Development Administration

The Wisconsin Foundation for Vocational

Education, Inc./Milwaukee Area Technical

College and the YWCA of Greater Mil

City of Milwaukee Redevelopment Aut

together received $2,993,000 from the

Commerce Department’s Economic

Development Administration for the ren

and construction of business incubator-

buildings. Economic Development

Administration funds provided local

employment opportunities, promoted th

development and growth of minority an

women-owned businesses, and maintai

nearly 100 percent lease-occupied facili

are nearly self-supporting. In one incub

building, facilities include on-site child 

and social services. The Milwaukee En

Incubator Center currently has more th

full-time employees, more than 70 perc

whom are minorities and women. More 

half of the businesses are owned and op

by minorities and women. Jobs attribut

the Milwaukee Enterprise Incubator Ce

either as graduated businesses or local

businesses using the Center’s services, 

estimated to exceed 700. More than

$12,000,000 in annual revenue is gener

Milwaukee Enterprise Incubator Center 

businesses.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Grant to New Economics for Women

New Economics for Women of Los An

California, received a $25,000 grant fro

Commerce Department’s Economic

Development Administration in FY 199

support the creation of an informationa

on economic development and sustaina

communities. The video will help New

Economics for Women improve its pub

private partnerships and promote its job 

initiative, which focuses on securing en

level jobs in high-growth industries for 

income and minority residents. First La

Hillary Rodham Clinton has visited thi

facility. [DEPARTMENT OF COMM
180 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

TRADE

Women in International Trade Initiative

At Secretary William Daley’s International

Women’s Day breakfast on March 8, 1999, the

Department of Commerce announced that the

International Trade Administration will launch

a Women in International Trade Initiative to

reach out to the 8.5 million women-owned

firms in the United States. The Initiative seeks

to promote women’s economic rights and

independence, facilitate equal access to

resources and trade, and strengthen women’s

economic capacity and commercial networks

by placing women-owned companies in touch

with foreign business partners who will buy

their products, technologies, or services. The

Commercial Service and Trade Development

divisions of the International Trade

Administration aim to provide export

assistance to women-owned enterprises,

offering a higher level of service than

traditionally provided. The Initiative consists of

seven major components: a website for Women

in International Trade; a Commercial Service

VIP program focused on developing export

programs within women-owned businesses;

strategic partnerships with United States and

international women’s organizations; media

campaign; augmentation of women-owned

business participation in International Trade

Administration trade events; efforts to recruit

women to the District Export Councils and

Industry Advisory Committees; and

representation of trade policy interests of

women business owners.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Economic Self-Sufficiency

The Department of State’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration has

supported several programs that aim to promote

economic self-sufficiency among refugee

women. These programs often use microcredit

initiatives, designed to allow women to create

small businesses at low interest rate loans.

Programs include Save the Children’s

Microfinance Activities for Palestinian Female

Entrepreneurs in Lebanon ($311,308); Catholic

Relief Services’ program to aid the return of

ethnic minority refugees and displaced persons

in Bosnia and Croatia ($4,500,000); United

Methodist Committee on Relief’s program

supporting microcredit for vulnerable refugee

women in Armenia ($250,478); and American

Refugee Committee’s program for promoting

economic self-reliance among Liberian

returnees ($513,418). [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

International Telecommunication Union’s

Task Force on Gender Issues

National Telecommunications and Information

Administration’s Office of International Affairs

represents the Department of Commerce on the

International Telecommunication Union’s Task

Force on Gender Issues. The International

Telecommunication Union, a specialized

agency of the United Nations, is an

international organization within which

governments and the private sector coordinate

global telecom networks and services. The

Task Force aims to ensure that the benefits of

telecommunications and the emerging

information society are made available to all

women and men in developing countries on a

fair and equitable basis. The Task Force on

Gender Issues was created as a result of a

resolution passed during the International

Telecommunication Union Development

Sector’s World Telecommunications

Development Conference in March 1998. The

Development Sector’s mission is to facilitate

and enhance telecommunication development
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

worldwide by offering, organizing, and

coordinating technical cooperation and

assistance activities, specifically in developing

and least developed countries. The Task Force

is composed of International

Telecommunication Union Development

Sector representatives, member States

(including the United States), Sector members

(industry), United Nations bodies, other

regional/international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and individual

experts. Department of Commerce officials are

actively involved in the International

Telecommunication Union Development

Sector Study Group work on the Internet and

new technologies for rural development.

Additional information on the Task Force on

Gender Issues can be found online at http://

www.itu.int/itu-d-gender/index.html.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Business Development

In dozens of countries around the world, more

than 800 Peace Corps Volunteers work with

girls and women in schools, women’s groups,

cooperatives, community-based organizations,

and non-governmental organizations to help

women achieve their potential in the local

economy. More specifically, Peace Corps

Volunteers work with women to increase

family income, identify markets, and prepare

girls to enter the workplace. For example, in

1998 the Peace Corps supported a project to

help eight handicapped women who lived on

the streets of Kenya. The women were trained

in sewing and knitting and hired to make school

uniforms. They have become self-reliant and

now have funds to educate their children. The

project has continued to expand to a broader

cross-section of 21 women. More information

can be found online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/business.

[PEACE CORPS]

Business Development in Europe and 

Newly Independent States

In many cases, women have been

disproportionately affected by the mov

market economies in formerly commun

countries in Europe and the Newly Inde

States. The U.S. Agency for Internation

Development has supported a number o

to assist small and medium-sized enterp

the region to become viable, self-sustai

businesses. In 1997 the U.S. Agency fo

International Development's Office of W

in Development organized a conference 

Moscow entitled Achieving Full Potent

Women in Russian Small and Medium

Enterprises. It brought together 140

participants from 21 cities across Russi

Pivotal outcomes of the conference inc

two sets of recommendations: the first 

groups and individuals who can have an 

on women's business development and 

second for U.S. Agency for Internation

Development partner organizations.

The U.S. Agency for International

Development has also helped establish 

business incubators and other business

programs in four cities in Russia, with a 

$6,000,000 in funding. Over a four-year 

nearly 80 percent of the clients were wo

Hungary, the Agency supported survey

research, training, networking sessions

other efforts to facilitate the environme

small- and medium-sized enterprises. O

survey led to the establishment of a Wo

Department (now called the Equal Opp

Office) within the Ministry of Labor.

In 1999 the Office of Women in Develo

devoted three issues of its Gender Matt
182 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

quarterly newsletter to business issues and how

they affect women: Without a Net: Gender and

the Asian Financial Crisis, Trade

Liberalization and the Impact on Women, and

Debt Forgiveness and Gender. [U.S. AGENCY

FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Argentina

The U.S. Embassy in Argentina is supporting

Vital Voices follow-up on an initiative called

Trade Unions Working for Women: Global

Integration. The initiative is designed to build a

foundation for the Free Trade of the Americas

Agreement and seeks to establish a consultative

process with the Foro de Mujeres de

MERCOSUR (MERCOSUR women's forum.)

A follow-up conference was held in November

1999, which included participants from

Argentina. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Bulgaria

The Central and Southeast Europe Women

Entrepreneurs' Business Networking Program

was announced by First Lady Hillary Rodham

Clinton during her October 1998 visit to

Bulgaria at a regional forum on Women in the

21st Century. This U.S. Embassy-supported

program supports women business leaders and

entrepreneurs from Central and Southeast

Europe and seeks to improve their

organizational and financial management skills.

The program is expected to strengthen a core

group of women business and business

association leaders in the region and

disseminate working models that emphasize

the important role of women at all levels of

society and business. In May 1999, 21 women

business leaders and entrepreneurs from

Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia,

and Romania were selected by the U.S.

Embassy to visit the United States to attend

short-term classroom training in aspects of

business management, financial management,

marketing, and production.

U.S. government programs in Bulgaria have

targeted areas to raise the consciousness of

women's rights and support women's

organizations that deal with labor and family

issues. In October 1998 the First Lady gave a

major boost to U.S. government efforts to

enhance the role of women in Bulgarian society

when she opened the first Conference on

Women in the 21st Century and held two

roundtable discussions promoting women

entrepreneurs and non-governmental

organizations involved in building democratic,

market-oriented societies. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

Near East

In the Near East region, the U.S. Department of

State has actively promoted increased

participation by women in the economy and in

forming new businesses. By providing training

for women to learn practical business and

management skills, along with increased access

to credit for start-up businesses, the United

States helped women gain economic

independence in the region. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

Jordan

In Jordan, the U.S. Embassy sponsored a series

of microfinance initiatives that have provided

loans to 8,000 clients; 85 percent are women

entrepreneurs. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Egypt

Labor programs sponsored by the U.S.

Department of State in Egypt at the Workers’

University in Cairo equipped 390 women in the

labor union movement with leadership skills. In

Egypt, the American Center for International

Labor Solidarity, working with U.S. Agency

for International Development funding and the

support of the U.S. Embassy’s Labor Officer,

from 1995 to 1999, conducted 81 seminars on
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

topics ranging from How to Run a Small

Project to Promotion of Women in the Union

Structure. In 1999 the Center opened special

programs on labor union leadership skills for

women and training for hotel union women

leaders. The Center also recently organized a

seminar for women union leaders on the

maternity leave provisions of the labor law.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

F.4. Strengthen women’s economic capacity

and commercial networks.

SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY

PROGRAMS

Women-Owned Businesses and the Economy

America’s 24 million small businesses employ

more than 50 percent of the private workforce

and are the principal source of new jobs in the

U.S. economy. They also generate more than

half of the Nation’s gross domestic product.

Nearly 40 percent of all U.S. businesses are

owned by women. The 9.1 million womenowned businesses in the United States

contribute $3.6 trillion to the economy and

employ 27.5 million people. Women are

starting businesses at twice the rate of all

business, and they are staying in business

longer. The number of women-owned firms

more than doubled between 1987 and 1999

(103 percent increase), while employment grew

320 percent and sales skyrocketed 436 percent,

according to the Small Business

Administration Office of Advocacy and the

National Foundation for Women Business

Owners. [SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION]

Farm Loans To Women

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm

Service Agency has increased the amount of

money lent to women farmers by 65 percent

since FY 1995. This percentage represents an

additional 1,702 loans made to women 

maintaining or expanding their farm

operations. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

Business And Industry Loans For Ru

Women

Businesswomen have received an avera

$42,634,259 per fiscal year (1996 to 19

from the U.S. Department of Agricultu

Business and Industry Loan programs. 

$10,750,146 was lent to women. Progra

to women increased from 1995 by an a

of 397 percent in each of the following 

fiscal years. These loans help create job

stimulate rural economies by providing

financial backing for rural businesses. L

proceeds may be used for working capi

machinery and equipment, buildings an

estate, and certain types of debt refinan

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

Office of Business Liaison

The Commerce Department’s Office of

Business Liaison develops and promote

public-private partnerships between the

Department of Commerce and the U.S.

business community. The Office of Bus

Liaison has arranged a number of meet

with individuals or groups of women b

executives for the Secretary of Comme

other senior Department officials. To ga

private sector input and be more respon

the business community, the Office of B

Liaison organized a Women in Trade b

forum in honor of International Women

This interactive briefing took place on M

1999, at the Department of Commerce. 

forum focused on women in the global

marketplace and the potential for wome

business executives to expand their bus

opportunities worldwide. Approximate

70 local women executives and key Dep

of Commerce women attended the brie
184 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The funding for the event came from the

Commerce Department budget, with no

contributions from the private sector.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

TECHNOLOGY

Technical Women's Symposium

Part of the Women in Science and Technology

initiative, the Technical Women's Symposium

was held in 1994 and 1996 at the Department

of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. This

program was developed to highlight scientific

and engineering women's achievements, as

well as to provide an opportunity for women to

interact with other researchers. Approximately

200 women participated in each of the two

symposia, including women from the

Department of Energy, other national

laboratories, and the local university. The

project was funded by the Laboratory and the

Department of Energy. [DEPARTMENT OF

ENERGY]

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

PROGRAMS

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998

In August 1998 the President signed into law

job training reforms. The Workforce

Investment Act provides the framework for a

national system of employment preparation and

placement services. The Act combines funding

and administration for Youth, Adult, and

Dislocated Worker programs serving job

seekers and employers. Title I of the legislation

contains the following elements: streamlined

services, empowered and informed individuals,

universal access to services, increased

accountability throughout the system, strong

roles for local boards, state and local flexibility,

and improved youth programs.

The Act incorporates many of the best elements

of pilot/demonstration projects that the

Department of Labor’s Employment and

Training Administration has been involved

with for many years, including payment for

training through Individual Training Accounts

specialized training for incumbent workers, and

comprehensive services for youth.

The Workforce Investment Act creates a

nationwide network of One-Stop centers where

customers can conveniently access

employment, education, training, and

information services. Among its advantages,

One-Stop shopping is family-friendly, enabling

women entering or making changes in the labor

force who also have family responsibilities to

efficiently use their time and energy to find

appropriate work and training. Partner

programs authorized or carried out under 12

separate federal funding streams provide a

comprehensive menu of activities and services

for all job seekers and workers, including

women, to find appropriate work and training.

The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau is

working collaboratively with the Employment

and Training Administration on the Workforce

Investment Act implementation. In 1999 the

Bureau trained its regional offices on the

implications of the Act for women and

equipped them with the information needed to

activate local women’s organizations in the

state and local planning process. The Bureau is

working to ensure that One-Stop centers

provide information about non-traditional

training for women and understand the

importance to women of supportive services

such as child care and transportation. The

Women’s Bureau will make an ongoing effort

to ensure that the Workforce Investment Act

system works well for women.

The Department of Labor Civil Rights Center is

issuing regulations to implement the provisions

in Section 188 on non-discrimination in the

provision of services. This provision prohibits

discrimination on the basis of sex, in addition
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

to other grounds. For more information, visit

the Workforce Investment Act website at

http://usworkforce.org.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Foreign Service Spouses

The Family Liaison Office of the Department

of State serves U.S. government employees and

their family members assigned to, serving at, or

returning from a U.S. embassy or consulate

abroad. The Office maintains a spouse skills

bank and assists family members in locating

employment in the United States and abroad.

Programs have been developed to enable

embassies and consulates to use spouse skills to

meet their increasing demands, including filling

certain entry-level officer positions. As of

October 1999, bilateral work agreements and

de facto work arrangements have been

concluded with 136 countries, enabling spouses

of U.S. government employees to work in the

local economy. Courses are available to

spouses to gain functional skills needed at

foreign missions, to hone their job search skills,

and to teach them to be English as a Second

Language instructors.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Spouse Employment Demonstration Project

The Department of Defense launched a threeyear pilot project to assist relocating military

spouses in obtaining non-federal employment

in FY 1997. Over the course of this Spouse

Employment Demonstration Project, the

Department of Defense allocated $250,000 per

year to fund ten demonstration programs

worldwide. The programs addressed issues

ranging from transportation to training to

starting a small business. The Department of

Defense funding for these programs ended

September 30, 1999. A final report on the

project is being prepared. [DEPARTMENT

OF DEFENSE]

Employment Barriers

The Department of Defense conducted 

ranging study of the employment barrie

by junior military spouses. As expected

half of the responding spouses agreed t

mobile military lifestyle interfered with 

advancement. Spouses also faced signi

barriers in other areas including trainin

conflicts between work and family

responsibilities, and child care. Approx

61 percent of the responding spouses sa

had major problems finding affordable 

care, despite the scope of the Departme

Defense child care system.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Department of Education's Pilot Men

Program

In March 1999 the Department of Educ

launched a 12-month agency-wide Pilo

Mentoring Program designed for Educa

Department employees to develop the v

interpersonal skills necessary to succee

today's challenging work environment. 

Pilot Mentoring Program recognizes an

capitalizes on experiences of the agenc

successful senior leaders (mentors) wh

committed to developing a highly skille

force. Women in lower-level positions 

benefit from mentors who can advise th

many issues, including establishing cre

in the workplace. Mentors serve as coac

as supervisors, offering wise counsel an

advice essential to their less experience

colleagues (mentorees).

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION]

Youth Opportunity Grants

Initiated in 1996, this Department of L

Employment and Training Administrati

program addresses the pervasive jobles

out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24 livin

high-poverty urban and rural areas. The 
186 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

to increase the employment of these youth from

below 50 percent to 80 percent over five years.

Related goals include reducing dropout rates,

teenage pregnancy, and crime. In 1996 grants

were awarded to Chicago, Houston, and Los

Angeles, with women accounting for 56

percent of enrollees at these sites. In 1997

grants were awarded to Boston, New York, and

rural Kentucky. In FY 1998, $25,000,000 was

awarded to continue the six existing pilots and

expand the initiative to an additional five sites:

Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Oakland, and San

Diego. For FY 1999, $250,000,000 was

appropriated for grants to select scores of new

sites for Youth Opportunity grants.

This initiative makes employment and training

services available to all unemployed youth who

reside in the community and establishes an

integrated administrative structure with other

service providers who are already located in the

community. Early results of baseline data and

follow-up surveys indicate that about half of

the out-of-school youth living in the target

areas are receiving services. For more

information, visit the Employment and

Training Administration website at

http://www.doleta.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Youth Opportunity (YO!) Movement

In July 1999 the President launched the Youth

Opportunity (YO!) Movement with the

assistance of the Secretary of Labor and leaders

from the business, foundation, and

entertainment communities. The vision of the

YO! Movement is that all youth, particularly

those who are out of school, acquire the

necessary skills and work experience to

successfully make the transition into adulthood,

careers, further education, and training. It is an

all-encompassing strategy of the Department of

Labor, working through local communities to

build partnerships between government,

community- and faith-based organizations,

business leaders, and youth. This new effort

will help out-of-school youth living in highpoverty areas obtain employment training and

educational opportunities to find jobs and

develop careers. This program, with other

Department of Labor youth programs, is part of

a coordinated federal interagency strategy for

addressing youth violence. The YO! Movemen

focuses on the “whole person” and engages the

whole community to bridge gaps and break

cycles that lead to poverty and despair.

The Youth Opportunity grant sites described

above are part of this Movement. The YO!

Movement website, http://

www.yomovement.org/, contains information

on the Youth Opportunity grants competition, a

state-by-state listing of Department of Laborsupported youth programs, and the most up-to

the-minute information on activities. The

Movement includes a mentoring component for

which the Department of Labor’s Women’s

Bureau developed materials. [DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR]

The Job Corps

Begun in 1964, the Job Corps is the Nation’s

largest and most comprehensive residential

training program, providing basic education,

vocational training, counseling, medical care,

and related support services for disadvantaged

youth ages 16 to 24. Post-program placement

services are also offered to assist students with

employment or further education. There are

118 Job Corps Centers.

The Job Corps has taken steps to increase the

participation of young women in its programs,

including targeted recruitment brochures for

females, brochures and posters depicting young

women in non-traditional trades, provision of

on-site child care at a number of Job Corps

Centers, institution of a zero tolerance policy

for violence and drugs, and institution of a

requirement that all Job Corps centers provide
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

training on sexual harassment for staff and

students. The Job Corps’ goal is to enroll

approximately 35,000 young women annually.

For more information, visit the Job Corps

website at http://www.jobcorps.org/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Child Development Training

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training is the registration

agency for more than 850 occupations,

including Child Care Development Specialist.

Registered apprentices receive on-the-job

training under the guidance of an experienced

mentor and related theoretical classroom

instruction throughout their apprenticeship.

Recognized as apprenticeable in 1978, Child

Care Development Specialist programs have

been established in 19 states. Graduates receive

a nationally recognized credential. The

Department of Labor considers improving the

wages and retention rate of providers in this

occupation a high priority. To this end the

Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training

developed an initiative to expand the Child

Care Development Specialist model into at

least ten additional states during Program Year

1999. The Child Care Development Specialist

grant process provides states the seed money to

build a sustainable collaborative statewide

system of provider training. For more

information, visit the Bureau of Apprenticeship

and Training website at

http://www.doleta.gov/bat/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

LOANS

Veterans Affairs Loan Guaranty Service

The Department of Veterans Affairs Loan

Guaranty Service administers the housing loan

program under Chapter 37 of Title 38, United

States Code. This benefit assists eligible

veterans with financing the purchase of housing

with no down payment and loan terms at a rate

of interest that is competitive with the rate

charged on other types of mortgage loa

benefit is also available for certain surv

spouses and spouses of POWs/MIAs, m

of the Selected Reserve, and active duty 

personnel. Between June 22, 1944, and

June 30, 1999, veterans obtained 16 mi

housing loans totaling over $642 billion 

the GI guaranteed housing loan program

most recent fiscal year for which data a

available (FY 1998), 6.9 percent of Vet

Affairs guaranteed loans were granted 

female veterans. Of the approximately 

million active Veterans Affairs guarant

loans outstanding as of September 30, 

3.69 percent were to females. Informat

regarding the Department of Veterans A

housing loan program can be accessed o

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/loan/index.h

[VETERANS AFFAIRS]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Microenterprise Programs

Peace Corps Volunteers in dozens of

developing countries work with girls an

women in schools, women’s groups,

cooperatives, community-based organiz

and non-governmental organizations to 

girls to enter the workplace and to help 

increase family income and achieve the

potential as leaders in the local econom

Common projects include forming coop

and small businesses, identifying and

expanding markets, organizing commu

credit/loan systems, obtaining funding 

local and non-governmental sources,

establishing community gardens, and te

new cultivation techniques. Additional

information is available online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/b

For example:

• More than 25 Peace Corps Volunteer

Kazakhstan worked with local wome

organizations to form a Women in

Development committee. The commi
188 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

created in August 1997, and activities are ongoing. Every committee member has a

project that focuses on developing and

supporting programs and activities that

strengthen women’s and young women’s

leadership skill, confidence, and decisionmaking abilities. [PEACE CORPS]

United States-Finland Promotion of the

Status of Women in the Baltic States

As a follow-up to the October 1998 United

States-Finnish statement on the need for

bilateral cooperation in the Baltic Region on

matters of concern to women, Department of

Justice representatives met in March 1999 with

a delegation from Finland and three Baltic

States at an international conference on

promoting the status of women. The conference

was held in Riga, Latvia, and included

workshops addressing issues facing women

around the world: independence and economic

status, domestic and sexual violence against

women, prostitution, and the trafficking of

women and children. [DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE]

International Financial Institutions:

Mainstreaming Gender Issues

The United States advocates the mainstreaming

of gender issues in International Financial

Institutions. The World Bank first adopted a

policy on the role of women in development in

1985. Although initially identifying women as

a special target group, the International

Financial Institutions have increasingly come

to see gender as a crosscutting issue influencing

all social and economic processes. There is

increasing recognition that low levels of

education and training, poor health and

nutritional status, and limited access to

resources not only depress women’s quality of

life, but also limit productivity and hinder

economic efficiency and growth. Under World

Bank policy, gender issues are integrated into

the mainstream of Bank activities in all country

assistance strategies, and in the design and

implementation of its lending programs. The

International Financial Institutions have also

devoted greater efforts to initiating dialogues

on gender issues and increased publication on

its many facets. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE

F.5. Eliminate occupational segregation and

all forms of employment discrimination.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Affirmative Action Enforcement

The Department of Justice defends federal

affirmative action programs of employers and

enforces compliance among federal contractors

with Executive Order 11246, which bans

discrimination and requires “good faith” efforts

to hire and promote women and people of

color. Under the Omnibus Crime Control and

Safe Streets Act, the Department requires

businesses receiving financial assistance of

$25,000 or more to develop Equal Employmen

Opportunity Plans relating to employment

practices affecting women based on analysis of

existing employment policies, procedures, and

practices. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

NON-DISCRIMINATION EFFORTS

Non-discrimination in Employment

Since 1994 the Department of Justice has

brought or resolved more than 50 cases of

discrimination under Title VII of the Civil

Rights Act of 1964 in a wide range of jobs,

including custodians, laborers, emergency

medical technicians, radio dispatchers,

corrections officers, police officers, firefighters

and school administrators. Fourteen of the 50

cases involved claims of sexual harassment. In

a recent case the Department successfully

challenged a transit authority’s requirement

that job candidates complete a 1.5 mile run in
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

12 minutes, a practice that excluded almost all

women from consideration for positions as

transit officers but was in no way related to

successful job performance. In another case,

the Department obtained backpay and

promotions for female janitors who had been

denied access to higher-paying jobs.

The Department continues to implement

actions to ensure improvements in the

representation of minorities, women, and

persons with disabilities throughout its own

workforce and conducts mandatory training on

sexual harassment for all employees.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Sexual Harassment Accountability Board At

The Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration

established an Accountability Board made up

of senior management officials whose purpose

is to oversee how the agency responds to

allegations and incidents of sexual harassment,

misconduct of a sexual nature, and related

reprisal. The scope of the Board is limited, at

this time, to sexual harassment, misconduct of

a sexual nature, and reprisal for having reported

sexual harassment or participated in a related

inquiry or investigation. The Federal Aviation

Administration Administrator has committed to

expanding the role of the Board in the future to

address other issues as well. As of late 1999,

more than half of the allegations brought before

the board have been from women.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION]

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

The Presidential Task Force on Employment

of Adults with Disabilities

In 1998 Executive Order 13078 created the

Presidential Task Force on Employment of

Adults with Disabilities. Its purpose is to

develop, through coordinated cross-federal

agency efforts, a national policy design

bring adults with disabilities into gainfu

competitive employment at a rate that i

close as possible to that of the general a

population. The Task Force is required 

four formal reports to the President. Re

charting the Course: First Report of th

Presidential Task Force was issued in 1

final report is due in July 2002.

The Task Force operates as a multi-age

board with the Secretary of Labor as ch

membership of the Task Force includes 

Secretaries of Education, Veterans Affa

Health and Human Services, Commerc

Treasury, and Transportation; the Direc

the Office of Personnel Management; t

Commissioner of the Social Security

Administration; the Administrator of th

Business Administration; and the Chair

Federal Communications Commission, 

Equal Employment Opportunity Comm

the President’s Committee on Employm

Persons with Disabilities, and the Natio

Council on Disability. The Task Force i

housed at the Department of Labor, wit

budget of approximately $2,400,000 fo

full fiscal year.

The Task Force is authorized and encou

make policy recommendations that cov

broad spectrum of disability issues: civi

discrimination, and enforcement; reaso

accommodation (architectural, assistive

technology and accessibility to program

services, and information); access to he

care; consumer-driven supports and ser

including accessible housing, transport

child care, community services, and on

supports; vocational rehabilitation; eco

incentives to work; and educational and

training services. During FY 1999, sev

interagency committees were formed to 
190 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

carry out the Task Force agenda: Access to

Employment & Lifelong Learning;

Employment Opportunities for Young People

with Disabilities; Health Care and Income

Support; Economic Incentives and

Entrepreneurship; Civil Rights; Statistics; and

the Federal Government as a Model Employer.

The particular concerns and needs of women

with disabilities are being integrated

throughout the work of the committees.

The Task Force often acts as a catalyst and

facilitator for ensuring active and ongoing

interagency collaboration. The Task Force,

therefore, works closely with the Department

of Labor Women’s Bureau regarding the

Bureau’s representation on various Task Forcesponsored committees and supports the

Women’s Bureau in its ongoing efforts related

to the needs of women with disabilities and

women caregivers of family members with

disabilities.

For more information, visit the Presidential

Task Force on Employment of Adults with

Disabilities website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/

_sec/public/programs/ptfead/main.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

(PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON

EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS WITH

DISABILITIES)]

Workforce Recruitment Program

Coordinated by the President's Committee on

Employment of People with Disabilities and

the U.S. Department of Defense, the Workforce

Recruitment Program is designed to provide

summer and permanent job opportunities in

federal government and private-sector

businesses to college students with disabilities.

Each year, recruiters interview about 1,000

students with disabilities at colleges and

university campuses across the Nation and

develop a database listing the qualifications of

each student. Access is provided to agencies

and businesses who then make direct job offers

to students whose skills fit the employers’ job

openings.

The Workforce Recruitment Program is the

evolution of a program previously run solely by

the Department of Defense that has placed

students with disabilities in summer and

permanent jobs in that agency since 1976. The

expanded program has thrived, successfully

placing students in ever more diverse types of

work. In 1999 program recruiters traveled to

more than 125 colleges and universities around

the country, interviewed more than 1,100

students, and compiled a database of student

information that was shared with interested

agencies and businesses in mid-March. More

than 300 students from the database were

placed in jobs in 1999. At least 50 percent of

participants are female. For more information,

visit http://www.pcepd.gov. [DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR (PRESIDENT’S

COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES)/

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Transportation For Elderly And People

With Disabilities

Approximately 64 percent of the population

aged 75 and over is female, and at last survey,

25 percent of older women lived in households

without a car. Providing transportation options

that allow seniors and people with disabilities

to maintain independent, active lives is critical

to their mental and physical health. Federal

transportation legislation authorizes funding for

programs targeted at making public

transportation more reliable and accessible for

older Americans. One program, the Elderly

Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities

grant program, has been funded to ensure that

paratransit vans and other specialized
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

transportation services are more available so

people can acquire health care, education, and

job access, and fulfill other important travel

needs. Funding for the program was

$67,000,000 for FY 1999 and will increase to

$91,000,000 in FY 2003.

The Department of Transportation has made a

solid commitment to improving transportation

service and access to persons with disabilities.

Over the past five years, many full-size public

transit buses are lift- or ramp-equipped; most

key transit and commuter rail stations are

elevator- and ramp-accessible; paratransit is

available to those who cannot use fixed route

systems; and most recently, over-the-road bus

service, such as Greyhound, will soon be

accessible to persons with disabilities. More

information is available online at

http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/legal/adar.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION]

FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE

Department of Labor’s Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs focuses

significant enforcement efforts on sex

discrimination. The Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs enforces three equal

employment opportunity laws: Executive Order

11246 (issued by President Johnson in 1965),

as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973, as amended; and the affirmative

action provisions of the Vietnam Era Veterans’

Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as

amended. Taken together, they prohibit

discrimination on the bases of race, color,

religion, sex, national origin, disability, and

status as a Vietnam-era veteran, special

disabled veteran, or veteran who served in a

campaign or expedition for which a campaign

badge has been authorized; and require

affirmative action in employment by federal

contractors and subcontractors. Federal

contractors employ approximately 22 p

of the labor force.

In administering the laws, the Office of 

Contract Compliance Progams conduct

approximately 4,000 compliance evalu

per year to investigate contractors’ syst

employment practices. Compliance eva

range from a review of the contractor’s 

to a comprehensive analysis of a contra

employment practices and affirmative a

efforts. These evaluations work both to 

sex discrimination and to require emplo

examine the stereotypical thinking that 

impedes women’s progress.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Regulatory Reform and the Office of 

Contract Compliance Programs

Beginning in 1994, the Office of Feder

Contract Compliance Programs began

changing its regulations to improve its

effectiveness in conducting compliance

evaluations and complaint investigation

Office now has the flexibility to tailor

investigations to apparent problems and 

from further investigation where there 

indications of violations. The Office of 

Contract Compliance Programs is draft

other significant improvements to its

regulations. Planned changes include re

the amount of paperwork produced by

contractors while enhancing the Office’

to select contractors for compliance

evaluations, and collecting summary

compensation data (including comparis

men’s and women’s pay) from a larger 

federal contractors.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Awards

The EVE Award, initiated in 1983, is pr

by the Office of Federal Contract Comp

Programs to those contractors that have
192 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

demonstrated, through programs or activities,

exemplary and innovative efforts to increase the

employment opportunities for employees,

including minorities, women, individuals with

disabilities, and covered veterans. The

Secretary's Opportunity 2000 Award, initiated

in 1988, is presented by the Secretary of Labor

to one contractor each year that has established

and instituted comprehensive workforce

strategies to ensure equal employment

opportunity. The 1999 Equal Employment

Opportunity awards events shared the theme,

Equal Pay Matters. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

“Glass Ceiling” Initiative

The “glass ceiling” is defined by the

Department of Labor as those artificial barriers,

based on attitudinal or organizational bias, that

prevent qualified women of all races and

minority men from advancing in their

organization into executive-level positions.

These artificial barriers may exist in the

selection criteria used for hiring or for

advancement and professional development

opportunities, or may be unspoken in the

culture of the corporation. In l989 the Office of

Federal Contract Compliance Programs was

charged with implementing the Department’s

Glass Ceiling Initiative. Since that time, the

Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs has published three reports on the

initiative, the most recent of which is The Glass

Ceiling Initiative: Are There Cracks In the

Ceiling? (June 1997).

Since 1989 the Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs has implemented

Corporate Management Reviews to ensure that

qualified candidates do not encounter artificial

barriers to advancement. A Corporate

Management Review includes all aspects of a

standard compliance review, with special

attention given to developmental and selection

processes and practices for advancement into

mid- and upper-level management positions, as

well as treatment of women and minorities in

such positions. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

Pay Equity/Equal Pay Initiative

The Secretary of Labor’s Equal Pay Initiative,

begun in 1999, uses the three powerful tools of

enforcement, education, and partnership.

Beginning in 1999 the Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs, with

assistance from other Department of Labor

agencies, will:

• Increase the number of “glass ceiling”

reviews by ten percent, up to 40 per year;

• Emphasize pay issues in all other Office of

Federal Contract Compliance Programs

focused reviews;

• Develop and implement a model enforcemen

(investigative and litigation) strategy;

• Release a new employer self-audit tool, such

as an Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs computer self-audit; and

• Include pay practices as a component in

determining EVE Award recipients.

In response to the Equal Pay Initiative, in 1999

the Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs updated its internal reporting system

to focus on compensation. The three categories

for inclusion in this system are:

• Any cases involving findings of

compensation discrimination;

• Any cases involving discrimination against

women or minorities applying to or working

in mid- or upper-level management; and

• Any case involving discrimination against

women in non-traditional jobs.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

Backpay Relief

In the past several years, the Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs has increased

the amount of backpay collected on behalf of

women who were victims of sex

discrimination. The Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs collected more than

$11,400,000 on behalf of 2,431 women in FY

1997; almost $16,000,000 for 3,949 women in

FY 1998; and more than $8,200,000 million for

1,870 women in the first half of FY 1999.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Preventing Sexual and Racial Harassment

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs’ regional offices have worked to

reduce the incidence of sexual harassment at

contractor facilities. For example, the Atlanta

Regional Office began its Sexual Harassment

Initiative in 1995. Activities include training,

workshops, conciliation agreements, remedial

methods, and placing contractors on an Honor

Roll for their voluntary efforts. In 1998 the

Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs’ Atlanta and Chicago Regional

Offices posted Tips For Contractors On

Preventing Sexual And Racial Harassment on

their websites. The Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs website is at http://

www.dol.gov/dol/esa/public/ofcp_org.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Memoranda of Understanding between the

Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs and the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission

The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

have signed two Memoranda of Understanding,

one on training and one on charge processing,

to enable them to improve enforcement of the

laws prohibiting discrimination in the

workplace, particularly regarding

compensation. The training Memorand

Understanding strengthens enforcemen

compensation discrimination cases by

providing for the training of agency sta

equal pay laws, as well as facilitating re

and sharing of information on such cas

Cooperation is essential because each a

enforces laws that address discriminati

compensation. The charge processing

Memorandum of Understanding update

long-standing agreement between the a

on the processing of discrimination com

(including pay discrimination cases) ba

race, color, sex, national origin, and rel

The Memorandum of Understanding pr

efficient processing of complaints and

avoidance of duplication of effort. In ad

the Memorandum of Understanding all

Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs to seek monetary damages in 

voluntary resolution of discrimination

complaints involving federal contractor

(eliminating the need for complaining p

such cases to file with the Equal Emplo

Opportunity Commission to obtain dam

Both Memoranda of Understanding we

effect in April 1999. [DEPARTMENT 

LABOR/ EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION]

WORKING WOMEN COUNT HON

ROLL

Working Women Count Honor Roll

The Working Women Count Honor Ro

campaign was one of the U.S. commitm

announced at the United Nations Fourt

Conference on Women in 1995. Launch

the Department of Labor Women’s Bur

addressed concerns voiced by more tha

250,000 working women across the cou

who responded to the national Working 

Count! Survey in 1994. During the Hon
194 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

campaign, the Women’s Bureau obtained

pledges to initiate new programs or policies

that improve women’s pay and benefits, help

balance work and family, and improve

women’s respect and opportunity on the job. By

mid-1996, 459 non-profits, 448 businesses, 129

elected government officials, 51 labor unions,

51 media organizations, and two online

computer services had pledged to make change.

By mid-1997 at the completion of the program,

more than 800 pledges were being

implemented. In 1997 the Women’s Bureau

published its final report, What Works! The

Working Women Count Honor Roll Report. For

more information, call the Women’s Bureau

National Resource & Information Center at 1-

800-827-5335, or visit the Women’s Bureau’s

website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

OTHER EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE

WAGE GAP

Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

Efforts

At the April 1998 White House

commemoration of National Equal Pay Day,

Secretary of Labor Herman announced new

resources from the Women’s Bureau. The

publications, Equal Pay Self Audit for

Employers and Equal Pay Checklist for

Working Women, guide employers in setting

equal pay policies and educate women about

the steps they themselves can take to achieve

equal pay. These tools help employers

understand the many ways that compensation

systems are vulnerable to unfair bias and guide

employees on voluntary steps to ensure that

they provide equal pay for women.

In June 1998 at a White House ceremony in

commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the

Equal Pay Act, the President released Equal

Pay: A Thirty-five Year Perspective. This

Women’s Bureau report presents an historical

analysis of the economic trends affecting

women workers from the years leading up to

the Equal Pay Act passage through the present

It provides data on women’s labor force

participation, leading occupations, educational

attainment and wages, as well as issues

particular to women of color and other

important trends.

Other Women’s Bureau publications include:

• Worth More Than We Earn: Fair Pay for

Working Women (1996), which describes the

wage gap, what causes it, and what

employers, unions, and working women can

do to close the wage gap;

• What Works: Fair Pay for Working Women

(1996), which profiles employers across the

country who have improved pay scales for

women (and men) in traditionally female

jobs; and

• Women’s Earnings as Percent of Men’s

(updated yearly, with wage information from

1979 to the most recent available).

In FY 2000 the Women’s Bureau plans to

publish:

• Women’s Work Isn’t What It Used to Be

(about non-traditional jobs).

• A general career guide for women (how to

get the pay you deserve).

In addition, Women’s Bureau regional offices

are continuing to organize and co-sponsor

equal pay events around the country. The

Women’s Bureau is also engaged in partnership

with other government agencies and non-profit

organizations to reduce occupational

segregation by promoting opportunities for

women and girls in higher-paying nontraditional occupations.
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

For more information, visit the Women’s

Bureau’s website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/

wb/ or call the Women’s Bureau’s National

Resource and Information Center,

1-800-347-3741. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

NON-TRADITIONAL JOBS

Vision for Diversity

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within the

Department of the Interior made improving its

performance in attracting and maintaining a

diverse workforce, including increasing the

number of women, one of its early management

priorities. By issuing Vision for Diversity,

which held Service managers responsible for

increasing the presence of women and

minorities within its ranks, the Service

produced measurable results.

Since FY 1994, the number of women in the

Service’s workforce increased from 2,692 to

3,045, an increase of 13 percent. Women

accounted for almost half of the 2,148 hires

within the Service. Significantly, 51 percent of

the managers and supervisors hired during this

period were women. Major hires were made in

occupations such as General Biologist,

Fisheries Biologist, Park Rangers, and Realty

Specialists. Women were also hired in

occupations where there were very few

opportunities, such as Geologist, Landscape

Architect, and Veterinary Medicine Specialist.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship

Program

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of

Land Management’s firefighting force has

increased the percentage of women in the

workforce from 15.7 percent in 1996 to 18.5

percent in 1999. The Bureau of Land

Management has joined the Department of

Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service to create the

Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program,

which provides extensive training to eligible

employees. In the Apprenticeship class 

1999, seven of the 22 participants were 

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO

Increasing the Number of Women an

Underrepresented Minorities on the

Scientific Staff

A six-year funding program was design

increase the number of women and

underrepresented minorities on the scie

staff by 13 at the Department of Energy

Brookhaven National Laboratory.

This program was developed in respon

1997 Diversity Management Subcomm

Report on Women and Minorities on Sc

Staff at the Laboratory that showed

underrepresentation. The project will ru

1999 to 2004 and is funded by the Dep

of Energy’s Brookhaven National Labo

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

Women’s Bureau and the Employme

Training Administration

Many non-traditional occupations—tha

occupations where women make up 25 

or less of the total workers—are more l

be associated with high earnings and em

benefits. The Women’s Bureau continu

encourage women to consider such occu

as a way of becoming economically

self-sufficient. They include not only sk

blue-collar trades in the construction an

transportation industries, but also emer

technical occupations in business servi

health care, telecommunications, utiliti

other public sector industries. The Wom

Bureau and the Employment and Train

Administration have worked together to

promote the recruitment, training, and r

of women in apprenticeship and non-tra

occupations. [DEPARTMENT OF LA

The Women in Apprenticeship and N

Traditional Occupations Act of 1992

The Women’s Bureau implemented the

technical assistance program authorized 
196 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional

Occupations Act, providing grants to

community-based organizations offering

technical assistance to private-sector employers

and labor unions to prepare them to recruit,

train, promote, and retain women in

apprenticeship and other non-traditional

occupations. Through FY 1999, the final year

of grants, $4,714,000 was awarded to

community-based organizations around the

United States. From FY 1994 to FY 1998, more

than 2,500 employers and labor unions received

direct services. Many others received technical

assistance indirectly through awareness and

orientation sessions, issue-specific workshops,

conferences/trade fairs, mailings, talk-media,

and other print-media sources. For more

information, see the Women in Apprenticeship

and Non-Traditional Occupations Act Grant

website at http://www.workplacesolutions.org/

about/grantees.cfm. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

WORKING WOMEN’S SUMMITS

Regional Working Women’s Summits

In September 1996 the Women’s Bureau held

its first regional Working Women’s Summits at

20 sites around the country. More than 4,000

women in 20 cities participated in substantive

and solution-oriented discussions of child and

elder care, the “glass ceiling,” fair pay,

pensions, lifelong learning, downsizing,

domestic violence, and workplace flexibility.

Working Women Count Honor Roll members

were given public recognition; and the

Women’s Bureau introduced a new public

education campaign, Don’t Work in the Dark!.

This initiative encourages women to get the

facts about women in the labor force; helps

them understanding their rights on the job; and

increases access to best practices of employers,

unions, and organizations nationwide making

positive changes in workplaces.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

National Working Women’s Summit

The Women’s Bureau held a national summit

on June 5, 1997, in Washington, D.C., on

Economic Equity: Realities, Responsibilities

and Rewards. The summit included more than

20,000 participants at 450 downlink sites

across the Nation, and more than 250,000

viewed the broadcast via cable and television

networks. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION EFFORTS

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission Activities and Litigation

In June 1999 the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission held a meeting in

Houston, TX, to draw attention to the problems

facing low-wage workers, particularly women,

minorities, and immigrants. Panelists included

workers, academics, advocacy groups, and

attorneys, who suggested the ways in which the

Commission could best reach low-wage earners

and enforce discrimination laws that would

help them.

In 1999 the Commission held a meeting in

Philadelphia to draw attention to the wage gap

as it affects women and minorities and to

discuss enforcement of the Equal Pay Act.

Economists, attorneys, advocacy groups, and

private citizens testified to the Commission and

members of the public. They offered

suggestions to improve enforcement. Extensive

follow-up is planned.

Starting in 1998 the Commission began

offering customized training on sexual
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

harassment for individual employers, and in

1998 the Commission reached approximately

8,800 people through 76 special events for

women’s advocacy groups held around the

country to inform them of their rights under

anti-discrimination laws. As of late 1999, more

than 100 such sessions have been held, in

addition to the 230 technical assistance

seminars the Commission has offered to groups

of employers since 1995. Significantly, 19

percent of the Commission’s general outreach

events centered on sexual harassment, while 13

percent had sex discrimination as the major

focus. Information on current educational

programs may be found online at

http://www.eeoc.gov/taps.html.

In 1996 each of the Commission's field offices

held meetings with women's advocacy groups

and other stakeholders during which major

areas of concern including sexual harassment,

pregnancy bias, wage discrimination, “glass

ceiling and sticky floor” problems, and barriers

to non-traditional jobs were identified. As a

result, the offices developed local enforcement

plans and initiatives designed to address these

problems. To ensure continued awareness of

the issues women workers face, local advisory

councils were formed to provide the

Commission with ongoing input from

stakeholders. Field offices addresses and phone

numbers are available online at

http://www.eeoc.gov/teledir.html.

The Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission has been working to educate

pregnant workers about their rights under the

law. Between 1995 and 1998, 11,939 charges

were filed with the Commission and state

FEPAs. Because of the number of charges, the

Commission has formed a collaborative

program with the National College of

Obstetricians and Gynecologists through which

member physicians agreed to place in their

waiting rooms the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission’s pamphlet o

prohibited practices.

Significant and highly visible successes 

behalf of women in the Equal Employm

Opportunity Commission's litigation pr

from 1995 to the present include:

• A September 1999 agreement in whic

Commission and Ford Motor Compa

settled allegations of sexual harassme

$7,500,000. Also included in the term

settlement were Ford's agreement to p

additional $10,000,000 to train all of 

employees on preventing job discrim

and to increase female representation 

those entering supervisory positions b

percent over the next three years at it

Chicago Stamping and Assembly Pla

• A July 1999 $25,000,000 settlement 

class action pregnancy discrimination 

against Pacific Bell Telephone and N

Bell Telephone on behalf of 10,000 p

and former employees. The suit charg

employer with unlawfully denying pe

credit to pregnant workers who took

maternity leave.

• A July 1999 settlement of a Title VII 

harassment and retaliation case with 

Foods, Inc. The $3,200,000 monetary 

is the largest Equal Employment Opp

Commission settlement of a sexual

harassment case in Alabama. As part 

consent decree, Tyson also agreed to

implement management and employe

training, anti-harassment policies, an

internal complaint procedures.

• A 1999 settlement of a Title VII sexu

harassment lawsuit against Sidney Fr

Importers and All State Promotions,

distributors of Jagermeister liquor an

Goose Vodka. The $2,600,000 settlem

behalf of more than 100 female empl
198 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

the largest Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission settlement of a sexual

harassment case in New York state.

• A $2,100,000 settlement in 1999 of a class

employment discrimination lawsuit against

Woodbine Healthcare Center (Woodbine), a

nursing home in Gladstone, MO. The suit

alleged that Woodbine discriminated against

65 Filipino registered nurses in wages,

assignments, and other terms and conditions

of employment due to their national origin.

• A settlement of a Title VII quid pro quo

sexual harassment and retaliation case with

Tanimura & Antle, Inc., the largest lettuce

grower/distributor in the United States in

1999. Tanimura & Antle will provide

mandatory sexual harassment training to all

of its employees. The $1,850,000 award was

the largest ever in the agricultural industry.

• A 1999 consent decree providing $1,000,000

in monetary relief to members of a class. The

suit alleged that defendant, Southwest

Supermarkets, Inc., subjected female

employees in its Arizona stores to a sexually

hostile work environment and retaliated

against employees who complained about the

sexual harassment. The plaintiffs also alleged

that they were discharged as a result of the

harassment.

• Mitsubishi Motors agreed to pay $34,000,000

to settle a sexual harassment suit in June

1998. In addition to compensating claimants,

the company agreed to revamp its sexual

harassment policies and procedures, provide

mandatory sexual harassment training to

employees, and promptly investigate

complaints of sexual harassment. [EQUAL

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION]

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission Administrative Process

Between January 1995 and August 1999,

168,147 women filed Title VII claims, 4,877

Equal Pay Act claims, 31,667 age

discrimination claims, and 40,326 Americans

with Disabilities Act claims.

From January 1995 to mid August 1999, the

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

obtained $290,781,970 in monetary benefits

from pre-litigation settlements for 16,686

women, and 9,233 women received nonmonetary benefits during that same time period

For victims of sex discrimination, the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission

obtained $178,300,000 from pre-litigation

settlements between 1995 and 1998.

The Commission actively litigates sex

discrimination cases. By 1998, 36.2 percent of

the lawsuits the agency filed concerned sexual

harassment and the average monetary relief

awarded in those suits was $229,690. Overall,

in 1998, $57,428,389 was recovered for victims

of sex discrimination. [EQUAL

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION]

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission Policy Issuances

Since 1995 the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission has issued a number of policy

guidances designed to educate members of the

public about their rights and responsibilities

under the law. Topics covered include:

• Equal Pay for Coaches

In October 1997 the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission issued enforcemen

guidance on sex discrimination as it applies

to compensating sports coaches in

educational institutions and explained how

disparities between the salaries of coaches of

men's and women's teams may violate Equal
Women and the Economy1

Section F 

Employment Opportunity laws. The guidance

is available online at http://www.eeoc.gov/

docs/coaches.txt.

• Contingent Workers

On December 3, 1997, the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission

issued enforcement guidance on when antidiscrimination statutes apply to temporary,

contract, and other contingent employees.

The guidance informs employers that they

must assign, train, and pay contingent

workers in a non-discriminatory manner and

requires employment agencies that refer

contingent employees to clients to take

immediate and corrective action if they learn

that a client has discriminated against any of

its referrals. The guidance is available at

http://www.eeoc.gov/docs/conting.txt.

• Enforcement

In April 1999 the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission and the Department

of Labor signed two Memoranda of

Understanding. The first, Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission-Employment

Standards Administration Memorandum of

Understanding Providing for Cross-Training,

Referrals and Information Sharing on

Compensation Discrimination Cases, will

allow cross-training, charge referral, and

information sharing between the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission and

the Department of Labor to achieve better

enforcement of discrimination laws in

general, but particularly of pay discrimination

laws. The second, Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission-Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs

Memorandum of Understanding Governing

the Processing of Charges under Title VII and

Executive Order 11246, streamlines the

procedures for enforcing claims arising under

both Title VII and Executive Order 11246.

The memoranda are available online at

http://www.eeoc.gov/publicat.html.

• National Origin Discrimination

In February 1998 the Equal Employm

Opportunity Commission issued a

Memorandum of Understanding with 

Department of Justice’s Office of Spe

Counsel for Immigration Related Unf

Employment Practices in order to mo

efficiently administer and enforce the 

governing discrimination on the basis 

national origin. The Memorandum of

Understanding is also designed to pre

overlap in charge filing, thereby strea

the enforcement process. The Memor

of Understanding is available online a

http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/index.htm

[EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION/

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

United States-Mexico Border Workp

Rights Training

In 1999, as part of the administration o

North American Agreement on Labor

Cooperation (the labor side accord to th

American Free Trade Agreement), the 

Secretary of Labor and the Mexican Se

of Labor and Social Welfare agreed to 

legal literacy training along the

United States/Mexico border. In Augus

the first sessions took place in the Unite

and Mexican cross-border cities of McA

TX, and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico

purpose of the training is to educate wo

employers, government representatives

non-governmental organizations about 

rights and protections afforded women 

in the United States and Mexico. One o

focuses is on pregnancy discrimination

workforce is predominantly female in t

maquiladoras (export processing zones

Mexico along the U.S. border. The Dep
200 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor

Affairs and Women’s Bureau took the lead in

planning and carrying out the training. For

more information, visit the Bureau of

International Labor Affairs’ National

Administrative Office website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/programs/

nao/main.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

South Africa

In 1998 a delegation from South Africa

participated in a two-week study tour with the

Department of Labor’s Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs on employment

equity policy development and public

advocacy. The tour’s objective was to orient

South African Department of Labour officials

with U.S. laws, regulations, experiences, and

best practices in equal employment opportunity

and affirmative action, with the hope that this

exposure will enable the delegates to adopt

similar policies and programs in their country.

In 1999 the Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs hosted several delegates

from the South African Ministry of Labour.

The delegates were interested in finding out

how the Office of Federal Contract Compliance

Programs uses employment statistics, as well as

looking for the most effective ways to use the

employer reports they will be receiving in the

year 2000. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Expanding Opportunities for Women in

Agribusiness

Agribusiness is a leading employer of women

in developing countries. However, in many

cases, women receive lower wages than men

for similar work or find that their employers

give their earnings to the male head of

household. The Office of Women in

Development of the U.S. Agency for

International Development is supporting the

Gender and Agribusiness Project, a

collaboration of the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign and agribusinesses in

Africa, Asia, and Latin America to document

and duplicate practices that positively support

women employees and enhance productivity in

developing countries. They are currently

developing a case study with Cargill in

Zimbabwe.

Women in Sri Lanka are being assisted as agro

entrepreneurs (owners of agribusiness

enterprises) through the U.S. Agency for

International Development-sponsored Agro

Enterprise Development Project. The Agro

Enterprise Development Project formed a

Women in Development unit in 1995 when it

realized that women were not taking advantage

of the technical and financial assistance

available. The Office of Women in

Development staff was proactive in identifying

potential clients and conducting seminars,

workshops, and one-on-one technical

assistance. In order to recognize successful

participants of the program, Woman

Entrepreneur of the Year and Woman Exporter

of the Year awards programs were organized in

collaboration with the Sri Lankan Chamber of

Commerce and Industry.

An informational bulletin entitled Women in

Agribusiness: Sowing the Seeds of Opportunity

was also published in 1999 by the U.S. Agency

for International Development's Office of

Women in Development and will be distributed

to more than 4,000 individuals and groups

worldwide. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

F.6. Promote harmonization of work and family responsibilities for women and men.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

The Family and Medical Leave Act provides

important job protections for American

families by allowing up to 12 weeks of unpaid

leave in a 12-month period for the birth and

care of the newborn child of the employee; for

placement with the employee of a child for

adoption or foster care; to care for an

immediate family member (spouse, child, or

parent) with a serious health condition; or to

take medical leave when the employee is

unable to work because of a serious health

condition. Since enactment of the Family

Medical Leave Act, millions of Americans

have taken leave for a reason covered by the

Act. The Department of Labor's Wage and

Hour Division is responsible for administering

and enforcing the Act. Wage and Hour has now

achieved widespread compliance on a

voluntary basis in large part by developing

user-friendly regulations minimizing

administrative burden to employers; easy-toread compliance guides and fact sheets; and

interactive electronic compliance assistance

programs (e-laws), which are available online.

Wage and Hour has completed action on more

than 13,500 employee complaints. The vast

majority of the complaints have been

successfully resolved through telephone calls

that explained the provisions of the Family

Medical Leave Act and steps necessary to

remedy the situation. For more information, see

Wage and Hour's Family and Medical Leave

Act website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/fmla.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Presidential Memorandum on New Tools to

Help Parents Balance Work and Family

A May 1999 Presidential Memorandum 

Heads of Executive Departments and A

directed the Secretary of Labor to prop

regulations enabling states to develop

innovative ways of using the Unemploy

Insurance system to support parents on 

following the birth or adoption of a chi

addition, the President directed the Secr

Labor to develop model state legislatio

states could use in following these regu

In this effort, the Department of Labor 

evaluate the effectiveness of using the

Unemployment Insurance system for th

related purposes. In a 1996 study condu

the Commission on Family and Medica

lost pay was the most significant barrie

parents taking advantage of unpaid leav

the birth or adoption of a child. This ne

will help to give states the ability to hel

eliminate this barrier. [WHITE HOUS

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

CHILD CARE

White House Conferences on Early C

Development and Child Care

In April 1997 President Clinton and the 

Lady held the White House Conference 

Early Child Development and Learning 

highlight the benefits of early nurturing 

parents. In October 1997 the White Ho

Conference on Child Care began a dial

child care challenges facing parents tod

availability, affordability, safety, and qu

complement the White House Conferen

Child Care, the Department of Labor h

Child Care Forum attended by 126 part

from business, labor, education, and

government. Panel discussions were co

with the Small Business Administration 

business partnerships that improve the 

availability, affordability, and safety of 

care for working families. [WHITE H

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ SMAL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]
202 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Publicizing Employer Child Care Best

Practices

At a White House ceremony in April 1998, the

President released Meeting the Needs of

Today’s Workforce: Child Care Best Practices,

a publication by the Department of Labor

Women’s Bureau highlighting 40 innovative

child care programs initiated by employers

across the country to address the needs of

working parents. Initiatives from large to very

small employers are included. It concludes with

an overview of eight collaborative efforts

spotlighting the importance of partnerships in

increasing employee access to child care

assistance programs. Partnerships between

businesses as well as between businesses and

unions are highlighted. The key finding in the

report is that, in today’s global economy,

providing child care and other family-friendly

policies helps companies recruit and retain the

best workforce. For more information, visit the

Women’s Bureau’s website at http://

www.dol.gov/dol/wb/ or call the Women’s

Bureau’s National Resource & Information

Center, 1-800-827-5335. [DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR]

Child Care Website

The Women’s Bureau also promotes greater

employer and working parent knowledge about

solutions to child care issues through its Ask

Me About Child Care—I Care! website, a new

addition to the Bureau’s Internet website. For

employers, the site can be a first stop for

information about child care options with

hyperlinks to useful resources on the Internet.

For working parents, there is information about

affordable, quality child care. The media and

researchers can access facts and statistics. This

information clearinghouse was announced by

the President at the April 1998 White House

event. The website is at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/childcare/

main.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Business-to-Business Mentoring Initiative on

Child Care

The President announced a new commitment

by the Women’s Bureau—the Business-toBusiness Mentoring Initiative on Child Care,

which began in early 1999. In implementing

this program, the Women’s Bureau is reaching

out to businesses:

• To promote awareness among industry

leaders that affordable and safe child care is a

top concern for families; and

• To connect employers who have effective

child care programs with other employers

considering child care options for their

workers.

Volunteer business mentors are assisting other

employers who want to help their workers

balance their work and family needs. The

initiative is helping them choose the type of

child care program that works best for them,

launch their initiative effectively, and avoid

pitfalls and control costs. As of September

1999, 370 businesses had signed on as mentors

or mentees. For more information, visit the

Women’s Bureau’s website at http://

www.dol.gov/dol/wb/ or call the Women’s

Bureau’s National Resource & Information

Center, 1-800-827-5335. [DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR]

Family-Friendly Transit Facilities

Since 1995 the Federal Transit Administration

has accelerated its commitment to providing

opportunities for on-site community services,

including child care, at transit facilities.

Providing the ability to locate child care centers

at these facilities will assist parents in

accessing jobs and in taking care of multiple

household responsibilities through transit or

walking. In communities across the country, the

Federal Transit Administration works with

transit agencies, metropolitan planning

organizations, and other federal agencies to
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

promote the planning and development of

family-friendly transit facilities that provide

greater access to jobs, services, health care, day

care, and educational opportunities. Such

projects have served as catalysts for

redevelopment in many communities, including

13 projects funded by the Federal Transit

Administration’s Livable Community Initiative

in Empowerment Zones or Enterprise

Communities.

Locating these kinds of services near transit is

particularly beneficial to women workers.

Women workers are five times more likely to

perform morning child care stops and more

than three times more likely to conduct childrelated evening stops during their work

commute. The presence of on-site amenities (at

employment or transportation centers) has a

marked effect in reducing or eliminating total

vehicle miles traveled by employees and

reducing harmful automobile emissions.

Extended day care and/or Head Start facilities

are now or soon will be located at the Federal

Transit Administration’s Livable Communities

demonstration project sites in Baltimore, MD;

Columbus, OH; East Cleveland, OH; Oakland,

CA; and St. Louis, MO. As of 1999, 22 projects

throughout the country received Livable

Communities Initiative funding from the

Federal Transit Administration. For more

information, visit http://www.fta.dot.gov/

library/policy/IFT/iftb.htm. [DEPARTMENT

OF TRANSPORTATION (FEDERAL

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION)]

ELDER CARE

Work and Elder Care: Facts for Caregivers

and Their Employers

In May 1998 the Department of Labor’s

Women’s Bureau released the publication,

Work and Elder Care: Facts for Caregivers and

Their Employers. This publication frames the

elder care issue and offers practical information

on the types of assistance available, suc

geriatric care managers, homemakers an

health aides, companions/friendly visit

telephone reassurance systems, respite 

daily money managers, home-delivered 

chores and home repair, legal assistance

and medical leave, and assistance with

financing care. It also includes resource

help employers and other organizations 

workers in coping with the demands of 

care. For more information, visit the W

Bureau’s website at http://www.dol.gov

wb/ or call the Women’s Bureau’s Nati

Resource & Information Center, 1-800

5335. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Elder Care Best Practices Report

The Department of Labor’s Women’s B

and the Office of Personnel Manageme

Workplace Advocacy Office are collabo

on an Elder Care Best Practices Repor

the Office of Personnel Management fe

innovations in federal agencies and the

Women’s Bureau highlighting initiative

businesses, community organizations, a

governments. The report will be availab

FY 2000. [DEPARTMENT OF LABO

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Elder Care

In federal government, the average age 

time federal employees is 45.6 years.

Demographic statistics indicate that the 

age of their parents is 80 years. Familie

provide 80 percent of the long-term car

needed by older persons and can reason

expect to spend more time caring for an 

relative than caring for their own childr

U.S. workforce is made up of 44.4 perc

women, the traditional caregivers of eld

persons. Today, these women are less li

be found at home and more likely to be 

workforce.
204 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

An increasing number of federal employees

face the problems and responsibilities of caring

for an aging family member or friend. If an

elderly parent or friend suffers a stroke or heart

attack or breaks a hip, many employees will

instantly become caregivers. Others will

gradually become caregivers as the older

person’s physical and/or mental health

deteriorates.

The Office of Personnel Management has a

long-standing commitment to helping agencies

and employees with elder care responsibilities.

The Office chairs the bi-monthly Interagency

Adult Dependent Care Working Group and

annually sponsors a one-day federal

government-wide Conference and Exhibitors

Fair to celebrate Older Americans Month

(May). The Working Group promotes

government-wide elder care programs and

activities that help employees who are caring

for an older relative or friend. The Group,

composed of representatives from the various

government agencies, meets bi-monthly to

exchange ideas and hear guest speakers on

elder care issues. The Office of Personnel

Management will develop a separate

publication that details resource and referral

services that are offered in many communities

around the country to help older adults function

independently.

On April 28, 1999, the Office of Personnel

Management sponsored a caregivers’

conference (in celebration of Older Americans

Month and the United Nations’ proclamation of

1999 as the International Year of Older

Persons, Meeting the Challenges of a New

Millennium) that addressed the issues and

challenges that older persons will confront in

the 21st century. The conference provided

information to federal employers, employees,

caregivers, and elder care organizations about

long-term care, healthy aging, employment and

volunteer opportunities, and family and

caregiving resources. In addition to the keynote

speaker and workshops, an exhibitors’ fair was

held to provide practical information and

resources to federal agency personnel with

responsibility for work/life programs. To

accompany the exhibits, a guide was developed

that described the services of each participating

organization. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

The Department of the Interior and

Benchmarking Best Practices

Four employee teams representing the

Department of the Interior are benchmarking

the best practices in child and elder care,

telecommuting and flexitime, health and

wellness, and employee development. The

Offices of Planning and Performance

Management and Personnel Policy are cosponsoring this effort. The topics for the four

teams were identified by the bureaus and

offices as the areas of greatest interest to their

organizations. Between November 1999 and

January 2000, the teams will conduct

interviews at those companies and federal

agencies identified as leaders in the four topic

areas. The goal is to develop a cost-effective

way to facilitate the adoption of these best

practices throughout the Department. Once bes

practices are implemented, Interior managers

and teams will have a “one-stop shop” to

quickly identify the options in worklife

services most suited to their organizational

needs. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Bureau of Reclamation’s Work and Family

Team

Established in 1995, the Work and Family

Team serves as a clearinghouse for work and

life information for the Bureau of Reclamation

The Team provides assistance to employees

and managers for innovative programs such as
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

telecommuting, menu-driven benefits, and

leave-banking. The Leave Banking Program

facilitates the transfer of donated leave to other

employees with special needs, such as illness or

surgery. More than one year of leave was

donated to an employee whose daughter was

critically injured in the Columbine school

tragedy.

Information on a variety of programs and their

implementation is disseminated through

brochures, websites, newsletters, fact sheets

and a CD-ROM entitled Work and Family:

Family Matters!—Now and in the Future. The

Work and Family Team developed a matrix to

identify and market the various programs

currently available throughout the Bureau of

Reclamation. For more information visit

http://www.usbr.gov/hr/waft/.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Family Support Rooms at the Department of

the Interior

Family Support Rooms offer a bed for resting

and quiet activities to occupy a sick child while

a parent works or a private place a mother can

nurse her child. The rooms are available to

Department of the Interior staff who must

choose between caring for a dependent child or

aging parent and meeting demanding career

responsibilities. In the three years since its

inception, experiences with the Family Support

Rooms have been positive. Clear guidelines for

use of this resource has encouraged responsible

practices in its operation.

The Department held the Grand Opening

Ceremony of the Family Support Rooms on

October 9, 1996, with the goal of opening at

least one Family Support Room in each bureau.

Since 1996 three bureaus have opened their

own support rooms, and other bureaus are

following their example in offices across the

United States. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Healthy Parenting Initiative

The Department of Defense Office of F

Policy, in partnership with the Departm

Agriculture’s Cooperative State Resear

Education, and Extension System, has

chartered an initiative to develop milita

specific parenting resources. The projec

produce educational materials that addr

parenting from infancy through adolesc

connection with the military lifestyle. T

initiative comes at a time when, due to

increasing level of operations, many m

families struggle with “intermittent sin

parenting” and how to help their childr

with loss and separation. Most active d

military families, even when intact, are 

separated from extended family membe

which limits access to family-based par

guidance. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

Family-Friendly Workplace

The Commerce Department assists the 

Commerce community in balancing the

competing demands of work and family

Department uses a wide variety of tech

to ensure that the workforce is fully aw

family-friendly programs, including de

an informational brochure for distributi

employees; including articles supportin

encouraging the use of family-friendly

programs in the bimonthly publication,

Commerce People; routinely including

information on the various programs an

initiatives on employees’ Earning and L

Statements; periodically issuing electro

reminders and announcements of upcom

events (for example, Breast-Feeding Aw

Week); and posting information online 

employee access.

Examples of significant strides include 

Alternative Work Schedule program in 

Department-wide participation is at 43 
206 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

part-time work arrangements for most bureaus;

a successful two-year pilot on the teleport work

arrangement program at the Patent and

Trademark Office, which was partnered with

the union and will be extended to cover 25

percent of all trademark attorneys; the

Voluntary Leave Transfer Program with more

than 450 participating employees and a bureauspecific website listing approved recipients to

improve the efficiency of the program; six day

care centers with plans to open a new center

and fast-track accreditation for two centers; and

public transportation subsidies with more than

3,000 employees receiving MetroChek

subsidies. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

Working Parents’ Support Group at the

Department of Energy

The Working Parents Support Group provides a

forum for the working parents at the

Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest

National Laboratory to identify, discuss, and

learn about issues related to work life, home

life and parenting. All meetings are open to

visitors, including children. The group has both

an internal website and a newsgroup for use by

Laboratory staff. The Working Parents Support

Group was a spin-off of the Lactation Support

Program at the Laboratory. This program was

implemented in early 1999 and is funded by the

Laboratory and volunteers. [DEPARTMENT

OF ENERGY]

Lactation Support Program at the

Department of Energy

The Department of Energy and some of its

laboratories provide support for lactating

mothers. The Lactation Support Program at the

Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest

National Laboratory currently has ten

participants. The program is run by volunteers

and strives to provide a supportive environment

for women returning to work from maternity

leave.

The program has three goals: to provide a

supportive environment for women returning

from maternity leave who wish to continue

nursing their babies; to act as advocates for

mothers who wish to take breaks during the

workday to pump; and to create a successful

program that will give nursing mothers access

to commercial grade double-breast pumps at

work and for business travel. [DEPARTMENT

OF ENERGY]

Nursing Mothers Program at the

Department of Labor

The Department of Labor’s WorkLife Center

promotes and supports programs to help

employees balance the demands of work,

family, and personal life. One of these

programs is the Lactation Support Program. As

part of the program, for many years the

Department of Labor’s national office has

provided a lactation room in the Health Unit.

This service provides a designated lactation

area, breast feeding support and education, and

if needed, referrals to other health care

providers as well as assistance by the Health

Unit Medical Staff. In addition, since 1994

women employees with children in the

Department of Labor Child Development

Center have had access to a private room to

nurse infants or extract milk. The Department

of Labor’s regional offices offer access to a

room for nursing mothers upon request. They

also assist those employees who require

additional assistance and support through the

resource and referral service available to all

employees free of charge. [DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR]
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

SUPPORTING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

WITH CHILD-REARING

RESPONSIBILITIES

Providing Quality Child Care In Federal

Facilities

The General Services Administration's Office

of Child Care helps working women by making

quality child care available nationwide. With

112 centers and more than 7,000 children in

their care, the General Services Administration

has committed to providing the best in

facilities, curricula, health, and safety. More

than 76 percent of all eligible centers are

accredited by a national early education

association, while the comparable figure in the

private sector is about five to seven percent.

Through the leadership of President Clinton,

the United States has pledged to have all

eligible centers accredited, to ensure proper

background checks on center employees, to

maintain the highest standards of health and

safety, and to improve the child development

aspects of the program. In the past two years,

the Office of Child Care has headed a team of

all federal agencies providing child care as a

vital part of a healthy work-life balance for

working women in the U.S. government.

In addition, the General Services

Administration’s newsletter, Child@gsa.gov, is

a training tool for caregivers, and all General

Services Administration centers are online. In

partnership with the Consumer Product Safety

Commission, the General Services

Administration has shared its child care safety

checklist as a way to spread the word about

safety to parents and providers. [GENERAL

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION]

Child Care Benefits

On March 10, 1998, President Clinton said,

“One of my highest priorities is to make child

care better, safer, and more affordable...As a

supplier of child care and as an employer that

must recruit and retain a strong workforce, the

federal government should lead the way 

improving child care.”

He directed the Office of Personnel

Management to ensure that all federal w

receive full information about child car

benefits available to them “on the feder

and local levels,” “provide information

regarding resources and referral networ

available tax credits such as the Child a

Dependent Care Tax Credit, Child Tax 

and available public subsidies,” and ho

nationwide summit designed to showca

model public and private sector solutio

On March 26, 1998, as a first step towa

objective, federal agency directors of pe

and the work and family program

representatives were provided with a co

the President’s memorandum; a copy o

Helping Families Obtain 1997 Tax Info

issued by the National Child Care Infor

Center, Department of Health and Hum

Services; and child care resource and re

contacts that provide an array of child c

services such as finding quality care, fu

resources, health and safety aids, welfa

reform, and state programs. [OFFICE 

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Federal Child Care Summit

As directed by the President, the Office 

Personnel Management sponsored the fi

federal Child Care Summit, entitled

Affordable, Quality Child Care: An Em

Issue, held in Kansas City, MO, on Ma

14, 1999. This summit brought togethe

employers from the public and private 

unions, educators, child development

specialists, and child care providers to 

and exchange information on their conc

strategies, and successes regarding chil

initiatives and policies.
208 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

To help federal employees with child-rearing

responsibilities, the Office of Personnel

Management has issued three new publications

that were introduced at the Summit:

• Establishing a Nursing Mothers Program—A

Guide for the Federal Workplace (May 1999)

provides agencies and employees with

resource information and guidance on how to

set up a successful nursing mothers program

at the workplace.

• Child Care Resources Handbook for Federal

Employees (May 1999) contains a

comprehensive listing of services for helping

employees identify types, quality, and

sources of child care across the country.

• Establishing a Work-site Parenting Support

Group (May 1999) provides agencies with

another tool to help their employees manage

a family, career, and other personal demands.

Support groups bring together people who

have similar concerns or difficulties and

enable participants to share personal stories

and helpful information.

To view these three documents online, visit the

Office of Personnel Management’s website at

http://www.opm.gov/wrkfam/index.html-ssi.

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Child Care Assistance

A new Congressional law that became effective

September 29, 1999, permits federal agencies,

for the first time, to assist their civilian

employees with the costs of child care. The

only financial remedy previously available to

federal families was through limited

fundraising conducted by non-profit boards of

directors for federal child care centers.

Unfortunately, this type of assistance was

inadequate for lower-income families and

offered no relief to federal employees in nonfederal child care facilities. The Office of

Personnel Management is in the process of

issuing a proposed rule to authorize the use of

federal agency-appropriated funds for child

care tuition assistance for lower-income federa

employees. Assistance would be available to

employees who enroll their children in licensed

and/or regulated center-based child care or

family child care homes. It is left to the

discretion of the agencies to use appropriated

funds from their salary and expense accounts to

be used for this purpose. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Child Support Enforcement

The Office of Personnel Management and the

U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services' Office of Child Support Enforcement

conduct seminars, distribute child support

information kits, and promote awareness of

issues and resources to help federally employed

custodial parents who are having difficulty

collecting child support payments and to ensure

that federal employees meet their child support

responsibilities.

The two agencies work collaboratively to

support President Clinton’s Executive Order

12953, Actions Required of all Executive

Agencies To Facilitate Payment of Child

Support (February 1995), which calls for the

U.S. government to become a model employer

in the enforcement of child support. The two

agencies annually co-sponsor seminars for

agencies and employees on new developments

in the federal child support arena.

As a follow-up to that seminar, the Office of

Personnel Management and the Department of

Health and Human Service’s Office of Child

Support Enforcement sponsored a conference

entitled New Tools for Child Support

Enforcement in Federal Agencies, on August 5

1999, to showcase a new video and guidance

materials developed by the Office of Child

Support Enforcement for use by federal

agencies as they implement Executive Order

12953. The Office of Personnel Management

described the progress being made toward
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

passing legislation to allow federal agencies to

comply with child support orders for health

insurance coverage. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Increasing Adoptions and Alternate

Permanent Placement for Children in the

Public Child Welfare System

President Clinton, in a December 14, 1996,

memorandum to the Secretary of Health and

Human Services, the Secretary of the Treasury,

the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of

Commerce, and the Director of the Office of

Personnel Management affirmed his strong

commitment to providing children in the foster

care system with loving parents and a healthy

and stable home. The Clinton Administration’s

goal is to double the number of children who

are adopted or permanently placed from the

public foster care system by the year 2002.

The Office of Personnel Management

sponsored a kick-off awareness event entitled

Adoption: Room for One More, on June 17,

1997. The event featured keynote speakers and

panel presentations on adoption resources and

adoption legal issues. The audience contained

federal policymakers, directors of personnel,

and agency work and family representatives.

On June 25, 1999, the Office of Personnel

Management and the Department of Health and

Human Services co-sponsored an Adoption

Fair. Federal employees were invited to meet

with approximately 60 community adoption

agencies to learn more about children who need

permanent homes. On April 2, 1998, the Office

of Personnel Management sponsored a seminar

that continued the government-wide federal

employees’ awareness campaign to increase

adoption and alternative permanent placement

for children in the foster care system.

To help prospective adoptive parents, the Office

of Personnel Management issued Adoption

Benefits Guide for Federal Employees i

1997. This guide discusses the various 

programs, health benefits, tax benefits, 

adoption assistance programs that are a

to prospective adoptive parents. To view 

document, visit the Office of Personnel

Management’s website at http://www.o

wrkfam/index.html-ssi. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Ensuring Quality, Affordable, And S

Child Care

According to the Bureau of Labor Stati

1997, 29.1 million American families (

percent) had children under the age of 

more than half of these families, either 

parents worked or the family was heade

single working parent. Three out of five

mothers with children under age six wo

outside the home.

The Office of Personnel Management h

undertaken significant actions to suppo

employees with their child care respons

by encouraging them to participate in a

of family-friendly personnel flexibilitie

benefits, counseling services, parenting 

groups, latchkey kids and parenting sem

and leave programs. The Office of Pers

Management hosted the following sem

Latchkey Children: An Action Plan for 

(September 30, 1993), Breaking the Cy

Youth and Violence Issues (March 31, 

and Child Safety: From Infancy to Sch

(September 26, 1996). More recently, t

Office of Personnel Management spons

conference on December 16, 1997, enti

Exploring Federal Child Care Strategie

create awareness of current personnel

flexibilities to accommodate child care

arrangements and to explore new fundi

options for General Services Administr

child development centers. Also, the O
210 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Personnel Management works with the U.S.

General Services Administration to provide

information about federal on-site child care

center programs. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Commerce Department Day Care Center

The Commerce Department Child Care Center

(Commerce Kids), licensed by the District of

Columbia, provides a healthy, safe, nurturing,

and supportive environment for children aged

three months to five years. The quality care

program at the Center is established to address

the growing needs, interests, and skills of the

different ages and stages of Commerce Kids

children by providing an environment that

inspires learning through action, inquiry,

creativity, and exploration. The philosophy of

the Center relies heavily on the theory of

learning through play. The General Services

Administration recently completed a

$1,700,000 renovation of the Center, which

will allow Commerce Kids to provide care for

up to 75 children. [DEPARTMENT OF

COMMERCE]

Department of Defense Child Care

The Department of Defense’s child care

program is the country’s largest accredited,

affordable, employer-sponsored child care

program. The Department of Defense provides

daily care to more than 200,000 children from

birth to 12 years of age. Care is provided by

more than 16,000 employees in child

development centers, family child care homes,

and school-age care programs at more than 300

locations worldwide.

President Clinton deemed the Military Child

Care Program a “model for the Nation” and

asked that the Department of Defense share

lessons learned with other federal, state, local,

and private child care organizations. With a

need for 297,635 spaces, the Department of

Defense currently provides 171,385 spaces, 58

percent of the need. The Department of

Defense is striving to meet 65 percent of the

need by FY 2003. [DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE]

Special Accreditation for Laboratory’s

Child Development Center

The Department of Energy and most of its

laboratories have on-site child care and

development facilities. The Child Developmen

Center at the Department of Energy’s

Brookhaven National Laboratory was

accredited by the National Academy of Early

Childhood Programs, a division of the Nationa

Association for the Education of Young

Children, the largest U.S. organization of early

childhood educators. The program is intended

to improve the quality of life for families of

Laboratory staff, especially working women

who generally bear the greater responsibility

for child care. The three-year application

process for accreditation was completed in

September 1998, and accreditation was

awarded at that time for a three-year period.

The Brookhaven Science Associates

underwrites this program. [DEPARTMENT

OF ENERGY]

Increasing Access To Affordable Quality

Child Care Through An Innovative Public/

Private Partnership

Through a new and innovative partnership with

the Marriott Corporation, the District of

Columbia government, and four federal

agencies (Department of Justice, the

Department of the Treasury, the Department of

Labor, and the Pension Benefits Guarantee

Corporation), the General Services

Administration is in final negotiations to

construct and participate in a unique child care

center in Washington, D.C., which will provide

high-quality, affordable child care. Half of the

Center’s child care spaces will be for the

children of federal employees. The Center will

be open six days a week for extended hours and
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

will provide other family services such as

health care and parent education. [GENERAL

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY/

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Diplotots

The Department of State opened a Child Care

Center, Diplotots, in Washington, D.C., in

1996. In addition, a growing number of

embassies provide space for child care centers.

The Department of State issues an annual Child

Care Report on the availability, quality and cost

of child care at all Foreign Service posts.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

OTHER FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES

AND RESOURCES FOR FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

Resource and Referral Service

One of the strategic goals of the Department of

Labor is a quality workplace that supports a

greater balance between work and family. To

assist its employees in achieving this balance,

in 1998 the Department of Labor contracted

with the Dependent Care Connection, a leading

provider of comprehensive counseling,

educational, and referral services. Counselors

are available 24 hours a day through an “800"

number, LaborNet (a Department of Labor

Intranet service for employees), or the Internet.

This resource and referral service for child

care, elder care, adoptive care, tutoring

services, schools, and summer programs for

children is available to all Department of Labor

employees nationwide. For those with child

care issues, the service provides counseling,

education, referrals to family day care, child

care centers, in-home caregivers, baby-sitting

agencies, and nursery schools. For elder care

needs, it provides emergency care, education,

and referrals to nursing homes and home health

care. It helps employees to obtain care-

assistance for elderly parents living in a

state, enabling them to locate resources 

state in which their parents live. For em

interested in adoption, it provides adop

medical resources, state adoption speci

international adoptions, and public/priv

adoptions. Approximately 90 percent o

employees using this service have been 

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Providing Leadership In Teleworkin

Benefit Women And Families

The General Services Administration h

been a leader in furthering telework. Ch

by the President with a lead role to exp

flexible work arrangements, the Genera

Services Administration has worked wi

Office of Personnel Management and w

Department of Transportation to furthe

objectives of the National Telecommut

Initiative. Many of the arrangements al

workers to spend less time commuting,

therefore allowing them to more easily 

work and family responsibilities. Gene

Services Administration, along with m

other agencies, has embraced telework 

a family-friendly workplace. [GENER

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION/ O

OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTA

Working Spouses at U.S. Embassies a

Consulates Abroad

On May 24, 1998, the Department of S

launched the Family Member Appointm

employment mechanism for many non-

spouses and eligible children working i

Department of State appointments at Fo

Service posts abroad. Spouses can now 

federal employee benefits while workin

State Department jobs overseas. These 

are fully portable to other federal secto

Among these benefits are contributions 

credit toward a federal retirement pensi
212 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

insurance, health insurance, and U.S. Social

Security. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Family Liaison Office

The Family Liaison Office provides support to

family members of all U.S. government

agencies assigned to an embassy or consulate

in the areas of family member employment,

education, and crisis support. During

evacuations, the Office provides emotional and

practical assistance to and advocates on behalf

of displaced family members, the majority of

whom are women. Community Liaison Office

Coordinators at 150 overseas locations offer

similar support to their mission communities.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Family Friendly Workplace Advocacy Office

As a part of its commitment to a governmentwide, family-friendly workplace culture and its

desire to meet the needs of a changing

workforce, the Office of Personnel

Management has established the Family

Friendly Workplace Advocacy Office. Opened

on March 1, 1999, this office gives federal

employees information on family-friendly

programs, and it continues the work of the

Work/Life Programs Center by providing

assistance to federal agencies on setting-up or

improving comprehensive family-friendly

programs. To help employees, managers, and

agencies balance the ever-increasing work/life

demands and provide assistance in resolving

problems with family-friendly policies, the

office offers a number of resources and

programs to help eliminate any confusion

surrounding the expanding number of programs

available to federal employees.

The Family Friendly Workplace Advocacy

Office provides family-friendly federal agency

program coordinators with the tools and advice

necessary to establish or improve

comprehensive family-friendly programs by

supporting the use of flexible work schedules

and sites, leave programs, part-time

employment/job sharing, telecommuting,

Employee Assistance Programs, on-site child

development centers, and by addressing child

and elder care issues. In addition, the Office has

provided technical information to agencies,

convened a national summit on child care

issues, sponsored annual awards to agencies

with the most comprehensive and progressive

family-friendly initiatives, and served as the

federal leader in promoting the development of

these initiatives. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Family-Friendly Initiatives at a Glance

President Clinton issued a memorandum on

July 11, 1994, which asked agencies to

establish programs that encouraged support of

the expansion of part-time employment and job

sharing, alternative work schedules, and

telecommuting. On June 21, 1996, the

President reaffirmed his strong commitment to

helping families by issuing a second

memorandum to federal executive departments

and agencies directing them to again review

their family-friendly programs, expand such

programs to the extent feasible, and to report on

the progress. Federal agencies with

responsibility for these programs are charged

with periodic reviews of their program areas.

Programs currently being implemented by a

number of agencies include on-site child care;

flexible work arrangements including flexible

schedules, job sharing, and part-time

employment; telecommuting; elder care

information and referral services; child care

resource and referral services; support groups;

nursing mothers program; and policies that

promote active inclusion of fathers as well as
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

mothers in caregiving. Taken together, these

family-friendly policies provide employees

with a range of flexibilities, services, and

options that can be used throughout one’s

federal career. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Alternative Work Schedules

The law permits a federal agency to implement

for its employees flexible or compressed work

schedules, jointly referred to as alternative

work schedules. Alternative work schedules

allow employees to work several types of

workweeks other than traditional schedules

(eight hours per day/40 hours per week with

fixed starting and quitting times). Within rules

established by the agency, alternative work

schedules can enable employees to select and

alter their schedules to fit personal and

transportation needs. An employee on a flexible

work schedule can also elect to work in excess

of his or her basic work requirement in order to

vary the length of another workday or

workweek. These excess hours are credit hours,

and an employee can accumulate up to 24

credit hours. [OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Part-time Employment and Job Sharing

Since 1978 most federal agencies are required

by law to establish programs to promote parttime opportunities in all grade levels. To help

federal agencies and employees, the Office of

Personnel Management published Balancing

Work and Family Demands Through Part-Time

Employment and Job Sharing (September

1995). This booklet has been subsequently

updated and revised, as The Part-Time

Employment and Job Sharing Guide (August

1999). The guide outlines and provides tips on

how to successfully manage and participate in

part-time employment and job sharing. Some

topics covered include defining part-time

employment and job sharing; benefits for

permanent part-time employees such as leave,

retirement, and health and life insuranc

how a reduced schedule affects personn

issues such as pay, adverse actions or

grievances, service credit, and reductio

force. Today, nearly 42,000 permanent

employees are working part-time in fed

agencies across the country. For more

information, visit the Office of Personn

Management’s website at http://www.o

wrkfam/index.html-ssi. [OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT]

Telecommuting Initiatives

Telecommuting permits federal employ

work at home or at other approved sites 

from their offices for all or part of the

workweek. This workplace arrangemen

employees who need flexibility in work

scheduling, commuting, handling famil

responsibilities, or adapting to a physic

condition. The federal government has 

lead in promoting telecommuting. The 

presidential memoranda on creating a f

friendly workplace, dated July 11, 1994

June 21, 1996, directed each executive

department and agency to support the

expansion of flexible family-friendly w

arrangements and included the greater 

home-based telecommuting and telecen

The Office of Personnel Management i

issued guidance to federal agencies and

employees in Balancing Work and Fam

Demands Through Telecommuting in

September 1995 and updated and revis

September 1997. The booklet outlines 

elements that agencies, managers, and

employees need to consider when estab

and/or participating in a telecommuting

program. Some topics covered include 

that agencies offer telecommuting, the 

components of a telecommuting progra

personnel policies and issues that apply 

telecommuting employees. The bookle

provides a list of resources, a sample ag
214 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

between an agency and a telecommuter, and

answers to frequently asked questions about

telecommuting.

In addition, a manager’s briefing package,

Telecommuting Briefing Kit, issued in

September 1997, was developed to promote

telecommuting to federal managers. It contains

detailed how-to tips for conducting a briefing,

talking points, visual aids, and handouts that

describe telecommuting resources and videos.

To view these two documents, visit the Office

of Personnel Management’s website at http://

www.opm.gov/wrkfam/index.html-ssi.

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

Interagency Family Friendly Workplace

Working Group

To ensure that the federal government actively

pursues policies to support working families,

on May 24, 1999, President Clinton directed

the Office of Personnel Management to “...

establish an Interagency Family Friendly

Workplace Working Group to promote and

evaluate federal Family friendly workplace

initiatives.” Heads of executive departments

and agencies also were directed to appoint a

family-friendly work/life coordinator to serve

as a member of the Working Group.

These individuals serve as Family Friendly

Workplace Advocacy Office communication

points for information about program activities

and developments, share new ideas, and

formulate solutions to the implementation of

family-friendly workplace practices. This

establishes an infrastructure for the federal

government’s family-friendly workplace

initiatives to be systematically introduced into

the workplace. While many federal agencies

have identified employees to prepare familyfriendly reports and a few agencies have

appointed full-time employees to operate their

family-friendly initiatives, this group firmly

establishes the support necessary to change the

culture of the workplace to one that is

supportive of working families.

Also, the Family Friendly Workplace

Advocacy Office works with agency familyfriendly program coordinators to respond to

employee concerns and suggestions regarding

the agency implementation of family-friendly

programs. It also provides information on laws

that govern family-friendly policies. Working

with the agency family-friendly program

coordinator, the Office will assist agencies in

resolving problems with family-friendly

workplace policies, identify administrative or

regulatory obstacles to implementing familyfriendly policies and practices, and propose

regulatory or legislative changes where needed

[OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT]

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Child Care in Northern Ireland

As part of the U.S. Department of Labor/

Northern Ireland Training and Employment

Agency cooperative agreement signed in

September 1998 at the Northern Ireland Vital

Voices: Women in Democracy Conference in

Belfast, both agencies recognized the importan

role of available and affordable quality child

care in enabling women to enhance the wellbeing of their families and contribute to the

economic growth of their nations. The

Women’s Bureau is the lead Department of

Labor agency for the implementation of this

agreement.

As part of the implementation of this

Agreement, the Northern Ireland Training and

Employment Agency organized a U.S. study

tour, which took place in May 1999. One of the

focus groups concentrated on family-friendly
Women and the Economy2

Section F 

policies and programs. This group,

representatives of Northern Ireland businesses

and non-profit organizations, visited Kansas

City, MO, and was hosted by the Women’s

Bureau Region VII. They toured facilities and

met with government and non-profit

organization representatives, employers, and

employees. They finished their U.S. tour at the

U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in

Washington, D.C., where they shared their

experiences with other focus groups

participating in the tour and developed an

action plan to advance employer-assisted child

care and other work/family policies when they

returned home. Implementation of the plan is

now underway.

In early 1999 the Women’s Bureau assisted the

Northern Ireland Vital Voices office in

establishing a child care coordinating group

that is working to advance the issue of

employer-assisted child care. The Women’s

Bureau also provided the office with

information on Women’s Bureau projects to

advance the provision of employer-assisted

child care in the United States, as well as

private sector best practices in the area of

employer-assisted child care.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]
216 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
Women in Power and Decision-making

“Today, more than at 

other time in history, wom

have the opportunity and t

responsibility not only to r

our own voices but to empo

others to raise theirs as wel

women gathered here, we a

among the blessed. Even th

many have suffered, the sp

was not broken. And you a

here as testimony to resilie

and determination.”

—First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton, excerpte

from her keynote address t

Vital Voices of the Americ

Conference, Uruguay,

October 1998

G.
218 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

omen are seriously

underrepresented in all levels of

government and elective office, and are

underrepresented as candidates of

political parties. Equal participation of

men and women in decision-making is

necessary to provide a balance that more

accurately reflects the composition of

society and is needed to strengthen

democracy and promote its proper

functioning. Women’s equal

participation is more than a demand for

justice or democracy. It is also a

necessary condition for women’s

interests to be taken into account.

The Platform calls for measures to

ensure equal access to and full

participation in power structures and

decision-making and for measures to

increase women’s capacity to participate

in decision-making and leadership.

G.1. Take measures to ensure women’s equal

access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making.

EMPLOYING WOMEN IN HIGH-LEVEL

POSITIONS

Small Business Administration and Women

in High Positions

The Small Business Administration has

increased its record of advancing women over

the past several years. The head of the agency,

Administrator Aida Alvarez, is the first

Hispanic woman to lead the Small Business

Administration and the first Hispanic woman

and the first Puerto Rican in U.S. history to

serve at the Cabinet level. The agency’s Chief

of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff are also

women. Since September 1995 the agency has

promoted 2,207 people to higher positions; of

those, 71 percent were women, who now hold

more than 56 percent of the agency’s mid-level

management positions and more than 36

percent of the agency’s senior-level positions.

Almost half of the Small Business

Administration’s managers are now women.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION]

Department of Transportation Female

Employees

Women presently make up 42 percent of the 85

presidential appointees at the Department of

Transportation.

Federal Aviation Administration

During FY 1997 the Federal Aviation

Administration continued its aggressive efforts

to provide equal employment opportunities to

minorities, women, and people with

disabilities. Some examples include:

• In 1997 and 1998 women accounted for

almost 35 percent of all permanent

promotions and 24 percent of temporary

promotions.

• The Federal Aviation Administration hired its

first female helicopter flight test pilot in the

Southwest Region.

• The Civil Aviation Security organization

hired 219 employees during FY 1997.

Approximately 58 percent were minorities

and women.

• The Flight Standards organization supported

and participated in the annual Women in

Aviation Conference. Flight Standards

maintained a recruitment/exhibit booth

throughout the Conference to provide

information and assistance to potential

applicants. This recruitment effort allowed

Flight Standards personnel to assist many

diverse candidates by responding to job

inquiries and applications and by sharing

aviation career literature.

W
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

Within the Federal Aviation Administration,

the percentage of women in the Senior

Executive Service program, or its equivalent,

rose from 19.4 percent in FY 1995 to 24.2

percent in June 1999. In FY 1995 women

occupied 12.5 percent of the Federal Aviation

Administration GS-15 positions. The

percentage of women in GS/GM-15 positions,

excluding the Federal Aviation Administration,

rose from 16 percent in FY 1995 to 19.8

percent as of the third quarter of FY 1999.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION]

Central Intelligence Agency Leadership

The executive leadership of the Agency

includes a number of women, each integral in

decision-making processes for the crucial

issues of intelligence analysis to U.S.

policymakers. Intelligence analysis

periodically examines the changing political

role and status of women, particularly in

Muslim countries, where they have experienced

both advances and setbacks, depending on the

countries observed. [CENTRAL

INTELLIGENCE AGENCY]

Department of the Interior Statistics

Department of the Interior statistics show that

women and minorities have held their ground,

and in many cases even strengthened their

ranks, although the Department downsized

dramatically in the past several years. More

than 7,300 permanent positions were lost in the

Department between 1994 and 1998, a drop of

more than 11 percent. Although the largest

reductions were in clerical staff, most of whom

were women, the Department has managed to

increase the total population of women by

increasing their representation in professional,

administrative, technical, and blue collar

occupations. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Women At The Top Of The Organiza

Chart

At the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

the 1995 Beijing conference, an additio

women are in high-level positions. The 

outstanding improvement occurred at th

highest level. There are seven Under

Secretaries at the U.S. Department of

Agriculture. At the time of the Beijing

conference, a woman held only one of 

seven positions. As of September 20, 1

three women held Under Secretary pos

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

New Positions Created for Women

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

representative to the President’s Interag

Council on Women created a full-time D

of Women’s Programs to work on issue

affecting women, an unprecedented act 

Department. These combined actions le

sponsorship of the Second Internationa

Conference on Women in Agriculture, 

sponsored by the President’s Interagenc

Council on Women.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

Foreign Service Officers

The number and percentage of female o

in the Foreign Service and in senior po

has risen from nine percent in 1976 to 3

percent in 1998. The percentage of wom

the Senior Foreign Service has risen fro

percent in 1976 to 20 percent in 1998. I

1999, out of an entering class of 313 ju

Foreign Service Officers, 123 were wom

190 were men.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
220 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC POLICY

DEVELOPMENT

New U.S. Department of Agriculture

Initiatives

• Use existing U.S. Department of Agriculture

networks (including family and community

educators) to increase awareness of public

policy issues affecting women at the state and

local level, and to develop action plans

fostering women’s involvement in these

issues;

• Increase efforts to encourage women to

participate in the Farm Service Agency’s

state and county committee elections;

• Expand U.S. Department of Agriculture

program efforts to women’s groups that offer

potential leadership opportunities for women;

and

• Encourage cooperators in Foreign

Agricultural Service programs to include

small- and medium-sized firms in their

memberships. Cooperators are organizations

that work with U.S. Department of

Agriculture under an agreement or approved

plan to promote U.S. agricultural exports. It

is anticipated that such inclusion will result in

a stronger female voice in these private

organizations. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

Women’s Equality Day Celebration

More women are spearheading initiatives

throughout the federal government now than

ever before. Many of these women are working

to make significant contributions on behalf of

women and girls. In an effort to honor and

encourage their contributions towards the lives

of women, the White House Women’s Office

instituted an awards ceremony recognizing the

work of six women appointees from across the

federal government each year on Women’s

Equality Day with awards named after six wellknown suffragists. [WHITE HOUSE]

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

Graduate School Offers Activities Designed

Specifically For Women

A course offered by the Graduate School

entitled Women and the Management

Challenge focuses on the particular concerns of

women managers in the federal government

and addresses key management skills,

including strategic planning and leadership.

The Women’s Executive Leadership Program, a

12-month competency-based leadership

development program, is open to full-time

federal government employees. Program

components include a variety of team-based

activities, developmental work assignments,

Senior Executive Service “shadow”

assignments, and executive-level interviews.

Women in Health is one of the several broad

categories covered within the extensive

program curriculum. [DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE]

Department of Defense Executive

Leadership Development Program

The Executive Leadership Development

Program is intended to identify persons

exhibiting early leadership potential. It focuses

on attracting minorities and women. Students

are introduced to a variety of supervisory and

executive-level persons who impart personal

tips for success as a leader. Mentoring

relationships are established to assist

participants in moving forward in career paths

available in the Defense Department.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Vital Voices: Women in Democracy—

Vienna, Austria

The Vital Voices Initiative is directed by

Theresa Loar, the Senior Coordinator for

International Women’s Issues and the Director
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

of the President’s Interagency Council on

Women. The first Vital Voices Initiative was

launched with the Vital Voices Conference in

Vienna, Austria, in July 1997. The Vienna

Conference convened women leaders from the

governmental and private sectors of central and

Eastern Europe, the United States, and the

European Union. Approximately 300

participants explored ways to strengthen the

role of women as democracy-builders through

three tracks of workshops: law and leadership,

politics and public life, and economics and

business.

The Conference, conceived by Swanee Hunt,

then U.S. Ambassador to Austria, forged

partnerships among women. As a result of this

effort, U.S. government and private sector

support for programs and policies directed

towards the advancement of women and girls

significantly increased. First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton affirmed the U.S.

government’s support for women as

democracy-builders and announced a U.S.

government commitment of $3,000,000 for

Vital Voices follow-up projects.

At the Conference Secretary of State

Madeleine K. Albright stated, “We know that

we cannot build the kind of future we want

without the contributions of women. And we

know that around the world, women will only

be able to contribute to our full potential if we

have equal access, equal rights, equal

protection and a fair chance at the levers of

economic and political power. Advancing the

status of women is the right thing to do; and,

frankly, it is the smart thing to do.”

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Vital Voices: Women in Democracy—

Belfast, Northern Ireland

On May 7, 1998, President Clinton announced

the Vital Voices of Northern Ireland Initiative

to “showcase and support women’s role in the

economic and political life of their society” as

part of the U.S. government’s initiative

support Northern Ireland’s Good Friday

Agreement. He said, “The women of N

Ireland – wives, mothers and daughters 

borne an enormous share of trauma of T

Troubles. Now, their participation will 

essential to build a future of peace and

reconciliation.”

Vital Voices of Northern Ireland was la

by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton 

Belfast, Northern Ireland, at a regional

conference held August 31 to Septemb

1998. The U.S. government co-sponsor

event with the Secretary of State for No

Ireland and the First and Deputy First M

of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The

Department of Justice’s Violence Again

Women Office was also part of the U.S

delegation.

The Conference brought together 400 w

and men from Northern Ireland, Ireland

Scotland, Wales, England, and the Unit

States to establish new relationships, ex

partnerships, and secure resources to str

the roles of women in democracy. The 

Lady announced more than $2,000,000 

public-private partnerships to support V

Voices of Northern Ireland. These partn

include training, consulting, mentoring

internships, exchanges, and in-kind pro

and services for the following four obje

identified at the conference: support

community organizations, expand child 

services, provide assistance to women i

business, and strengthen advocacy and

leadership skills.

Vital Voices of Northern Ireland is part 

ongoing global initiative. Vital Voices

implements U.S. Secretary of State Ma

K. Albright’s commitment to promote t

advancement of women as a U.S. foreig

policy objective. The initiative gives wo

the skills, tools, and resources they nee
222 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

empower themselves, their communities, and

their countries. The Department of Commerce,

the Department of Justice, and the Department

of Labor also participate in Vital Voices efforts.

The website for the Vital Voices for Ireland

Initiative is http://www.usia.gov/vitalvoices.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Vital Voices: Women in Democracy—

Montevideo, Uruguay

The Department of State, the U.S. Agency for

International Development, the United States

Information Agency, and the Inter-American

Development Bank sponsored the Vital Voices

of the Americas conference, held in

Montevideo, Uruguay, from October 1 to 3,

1998. The Department of Justice’s Violence

Against Women Office was also part of the

U.S. delegation. This historic conference, the

first of its kind to bring together women from

all over the hemisphere, was part of a global

initiative of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton

and Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright to

promote women in democracy. The

Montevideo conference brought together

approximately 350 women leaders from

Canada, the United States, Latin America, and

the Caribbean. Women represented all social

and political roles, including a former prime

minister, a former vice president, current

ministers, senators and congresswomen, labor

leaders, heads of international corporations,

and heads of non-governmental organizations

and civil society groups. These women came

together to examine the status of women and to

develop strategies for advancing their role in

democracy along three thematic tracks: law and

leadership, politics and public life, and

economic integration and business growth.

Based on the strategies developed at the Vital

Voices conference, U.S. embassies in the

Western Hemisphere are working with

delegates to help implement country-specific

action plans. Proposals include developing

training programs on how to run for political

office and how to start a business; providing

women greater access to microcredit; enforcing

legislation to protect women (for example,

domestic violence); and creating networks of

resources and contacts. The Department of

State has also facilitated follow-up meetings

with Vital Voices delegates during stops in

Mexico and Central America by First Lady

Hillary Rodham Clinton. The State Departmen

provided $100,000 in FY 1999 for four

regional political training workshops in

Guatemala, Brazil, Trinidad, and Bolivia and

supported a follow-up Vital Voices conference

in Trinidad September 29 to October 1, 1999,

to examine issues specific to those small island

nations. The State Department is also working

with the Organization of American States’ Inter

American Commission on Women and the

Summit of the Americas process to incorporate

Vital Voices objectives into those fora.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Caribbean Vital Voices: Women in

Democracy—Port-of-Spain, Trinidad

The Department of State sponsored a

Caribbean Vital Voices Conference, that was

held September 29 to October 1, 1999, in Portof-Spain, Trinidad. The Conference provided a

forum for establishing a sustainable culture of

support for women in leadership in the

Caribbean and focused on establishing a

mentoring system for young women. The

Conference examined ways to address the

culture of inequality, politically, economically,

and socially; to create a mentoring system to

ensure that skills and experience are transferred

from one generation to the next; to create

institutions to support the implementation of

reforms to benefit women; and to promote

women in business, labor, and politics.

Officials from the Department of State and the

President’s Interagency Council on Women

attended. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton

addressed the conference via video.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

Vital Voices: Women in Democracy—

Reykjavik, Iceland

The Department of State’s Bureau of European

Affairs worked in partnership with the

President's Interagency Council on Women to

support a Conference on Women and

Democracy in conjunction with the Vital

Voices Democracy Initiative. The Conference

tool place in Reykjavik, Iceland, from October

8 to 10, 1999. Iceland hosted the Conference,

with the U.S. government and the Nordic

Council of Ministers co-sponsoring. First Lady

Hillary Rodham Clinton attended and

addressed the Conference.

The Conference brought together women from

governments, the media, business, nongovernmental organizations, the legal

community, academia, and elected officials

from Russia, the Baltic countries, the Nordic

countries, and the United States. Its goals were

to promote regional cooperation, strengthen

democracy, and bolster the role of women

through the development of prosperous market

economies. The Conference drew on the talents

and initiative of the business and nongovernmental organization communities, as

well as governments, to develop and implement

practical strategies to encourage the full

participation of women in political and

economic life. The Conference focused on

developing women's potential for economic

and political leadership, encouraging

entrepreneurship, supporting networking and

mentoring activities, encouraging participation

in public life, honing learning and leadership

skills, and making the best use of technology

and the media to enhance the role of women in

the region.

The Conference is one of the flagship projects

of the Northern European Initiative, in

partnership with the Vital Voices Democracy

Initiative. In 1998 the government of Iceland

proposed hosting the Conference in 1999, in

connection with its millennium celebrations

and its commitment to democracy and 

for women. Iceland prides itself on bein

oldest democratically oriented governm

Europe and having the first democratic

elected woman President. The governm

Iceland funded the Conference, includin

and expenses by the Russian and Baltic

participants to Iceland. The Nordic Cou

Ministers also contributed financially to 

Conference and to follow-up activities.

The Conference relied on an innovative 

private partnership to implement strateg

developed by women in the region. Suc

initiatives include providing internship

training opportunities for women, attra

new investment and credits for busines

ups, honing media skills, combating

discrimination and promoting equality 

legislative and other means, and increa

non-governmental organization effectiv

A follow-up conference, possibly in on

Baltic countries, is provisionally planne

the year 2001 to assess the results of th

Reykjavik conference and progress on 

affecting women's political and econom

status. The Icelandic Conference websi

http://www.stjr.is/democracy. The Vital 

Democracy Initiative website is at

http://www.usia.gov/vitalvoices.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

PROMUJER in Peru

In 1997 the Peruvian Congress approve

legislation requiring that women make 

least 25 percent of the party lists for Pe

town councils and Congress. The PROM

activity of the U.S. Agency for Internat

Development supported the efforts by f

local organizations to promote greater w

participation in the 1998 municipal elec

Activities included identifying and train

potential women candidates, increasing 

number of women voters through civic

education, and training newly elected w

politicians. The activity focused on the 
224 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

city of Lima, because of its large numbers of

voters, and on provinces that had the lowest

number of women in elected positions. The

percentage of women in local government

tripled from eight percent to 24 percent

nationwide. Further, voter participation in

Carhuaz-Ancash (a province with traditionally

low voter turnout) increased from 44 percent in

1995 to 76 percent in 1998. [U.S. AGENCY

FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

G.2. Increase women’s capacity to participate

in decision-making and leadership.

EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS AND

POLICY

International Leadership Forum for Women

with Disabilities

The International Leadership Forum for

Women with Disabilities, a joint project of the

Department of Education and the Social

Security Administration, was held June 15 to

20, 1997, in Bethesda, MD. The Leadership

Forum was attended by more than 600 disabled

women leaders from 80 countries and was

sponsored by 25 federal agencies and 25 nongovernmental and private organizations. The

participants discussed leadership, health and

reproductive rights, education, employment,

and technology. First Lady Hilary Rodham

Clinton served as honorary chair of the

Leadership Forum. U.S. Secretary of Education

Richard W. Riley addressed the Leadership

Forum, as did U.S. Secretary of State

Madeleine K. Albright and Secretary of Health

and Human Services Donna E. Shalala.

Participants heard from women leaders from

other countries, many of whom are disabled,

including two members of parliament from

South Africa and Kenya. The target population

consisted of disabled women leaders and

emerging leaders.

A final report was issued and two videos were

produced, one on the conference itself and the

other on aspects of leadership that included

interviews with established disabled women

leaders. A follow-up conference, celebrating

five years after Beijing, will be held in July

2000 in Washington, D.C. More information is

available online at http://www.wid.org.

[DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants on Research on Women in Political

and Leadership Roles

The National Endowment for the Humanities

has supported several research projects that

examine women and their participation in

public life, including:

• Female Politicians, Concurrent Patriots:

Gender and the First Party System, 1789-

1828 ($30,000 in 1996);

• Down To Now: Historical Memory and

Women’s Leadership in the Civil Rights

Movement;

• Public Roles of Privileged Women in PostCivil War South ($30,000 in 1997);

• Women’s Networks and the Political Process:

Grass Roots Suffrage Activism in New York

State, 1867-1917 ($30,000 in 1997);

• Margaret Thatcher and the Trade Unions:

Use of the Press in Public Policy Making

($2,100 in 1995);

• Political Discourse and Gender in Civil War

America ($4,000 in 1998); and

• Belva Lockwood: a Life in Law and Politics

(1830-1917) ($4,000 in 1998). [NATIONAL

ENDOWMENT FOR THE

HUMANITIES]
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

Women Presidential Appointments

The Clinton Administration has appointed

more women to senior positions in the Cabinet

and Administration than any other U.S.

President, including such first-ever positions as

Attorney General and Secretary of State.

Women serve in a wide variety of

senior positions as Secretary of Labor,

Secretary of Health and Human Services, U.S.

Trade Representative, Counsel to the President,

Counselor to the President, Small Business

Administration Administrator, Chair of the

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and

Administrator of the Federal Aviation

Authority.

As of October 1999, under the Clinton

Administration women held 27 percent of the

top positions requiring Senate confirmation, 39

percent of the non-career Senior Executive

Positions, and 57 percent of the Schedule C, or

policy and supporting positions.

Approximately 30 percent of the President’s

overall judicial nominees have been women,

and more than 54 percent of President Clinton’s

1999 judicial nominees were women and

minorities. [WHITE HOUSE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Project Harmony, Women’s Leadership

Training in Russia

In response to the United States Information

Agency’s request for proposals addressing

women’s leadership, Project Harmony

conducted a program in 1999 that will expand

the services of the two women’s resource

training centers in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude,

Russia. The goals of this program were to

provide a broad base of support for coalition

building and the implementation of initiatives

in government, business, and social ser

with an ultimate goal of fully transferri

program ownership to the Russian wom

centers. The program included seminar

non-governmental organization leaders 

volunteers on women’s leadership issue

urban and rural areas in the Baikal Reg

computer skill tutorials for Women’s C

users, a trainer-in-residence to help

institutionalize the current mentoring p

and a media campaign involving websi

development, radio, and print media. T

project is supported by a $82,912 grant

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Support in South Africa

In 1998 the United States Information S

Cape Town used speakers funded from 

sources to develop a strategy in support 

women-friendly bills that were recently 

by the South Africa parliament. A publ

booklet on women’s rights is one of the 

results of the United States Information 

Cape Town programs. The Cape Town

Information Resource Center, assisted b

Pretoria Information Resource Center, p

the U.S. Federal Law Violence Against 

Act of 1994 to the South Africa parliam

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Haitian Delegation for Vital Voices

Conference in 1998

United States Information Service Port

Prince played a major role in selecting 

Haitian delegation for the Vital Voices

conference in October 1998, organizing 

administrative arrangements for the ent

Haitian delegation and providing travel 

for five of the eight delegates (the U.S. 

for International Development paid for 

delegates). At the conference, the Haiti

delegation participated in a hands-on le

political activism. When the several Ca
226 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

delegations discovered that they did not have a

voice on the podium for the final plenary

session, they organized themselves and met

with the conference organizers to point out the

omission. A speaker from Guyana on the

platform was added, as was a morning meeting

for the Haitian delegation to express their

issues and concern. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Global Women in Politics Program

The Global Women in Politics program has

helped fulfill the commitment that the United

States made at the Beijing conference to

increase women's access to and participation in

political processes around the world. This

program has supported women and women's

organizations in more than 15 countries, as well

as regional programs in Asia, the Middle East,

Africa, and Latin America. Its goals are to

improve women's access to political positions,

train future women leaders, promote gender

equity in national legal systems and

government policies, increase women's

influence in determining public policy, and

establish regional and international solidarity

networks. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Enhancing Local Capacities

For both 1998 and 1999, the Department of

State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration funded a project called Local

Capacities: Humanitarian Programming For

and With Local Women through the Women’s

Commission on Refugee Women and Children

of the International Rescue Committee, which

concerns local capacity-building for women in

the total amount of $156,857. The program’s

objectives included identifying local women’s

groups or networks serving at-risk women,

providing technical support, advancing an

approach to humanitarian programming to

international and national non-governmental

organizations that involve and support women,

and strengthening relations between local

women’s groups and international

organizations in selected regions.

In 1999 the Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration provided $408,000 to the

International Medical Corps for the Afghan

Women’s Refugee Camp project. The project

was implemented with Afghan nongovernmental organizations (Ibn Sina, Afghan

Women’s Resource Center, and Afghan

Women’s Clinic). It provides training and

capacity-building to mobilize educated Afghan

women to meet the health needs of women and

children in six refugee camps in the Northwest

Frontier Province of Pakistan. The project also

provides a donation of medicines and medical

supplies to health units in those camps.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Leadership Development and the Peace

Corps

Peace Corps Volunteers work with women and

girls to build leadership skills and self-esteem

through a range of projects and activities. The

purpose of these projects is to help women take

active roles in the decisions that affect them,

their families, and their communities. Since

1994 the Peace Corps has organized

conferences and workshops that promote

leadership of local women in more than ten

countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe

These workshops include sessions on

team-building, women’s role in rural

development, self-esteem, conflict resolution,

and ways to pass leadership skills to other

women and girls. As a result of these

workshops, women have implemented projects

in their communities, conducted seminars,
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

created an information center, and organized

talks for girls. More information is available

online at http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/

community. For example:

• In 1999 Peace Corps Kazakhstan organized

an International Women in Development

Conference for women from Kazakhstan,

Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The 725 attendees included students, lawyers,

journalists, non-governmental organization

leaders, doctors, teachers, and artists. The

women shared ideas, discussed problems and

issues, and gained a greater understanding of

the position of women in the Newly

Independent States. Participants gained

practical skills for designing community

projects and wrote a detailed plan for a

specific project of their choosing. Many of

the participants stated that they planned to

continue the work they had done at the

conference by giving a seminar themselves,

creating an information center, or organizing

talks for school girls. A follow-up conference

is planned for 2000. [PEACE CORPS]

International Women’s Day Celebration

Peace Corps Volunteers actively participate in

International Women’s Day events in the

countries they serve and help to initiate

activities in communities where none are

planned. All events have the common theme of

celebrating women and their importance in

their communities. For example:

• Every year since 1997 Peace Corps

Dominican Republic has celebrated

International Women’s Day through a Girls’

Mentoring Day. Young rural women are

selected by Volunteers in their community

who then act as liaisons to bring these young

women to mentoring day activities. The

young women stay with professional

Dominican women in their homes and

accompany them to their places of work for

three days, allowing them to see wha

professional life could be like. In 199

mentoring activity focused on the

phenomenon of urbanization, and in 

will focus on rural communities. Part

discuss their experiences and then car

experiences back to their communitie

[PEACE CORPS]

Women in Leadership: A Project for

Chinese Women

Women in Leadership: A Project for Ch

Women brought 15 Chinese women lea

the United States. Visits with communi

leaders, local and state government offi

and non-governmental organization lea

provided an opportunity for the Chines

American participants to explore their r

the political, economic, and social lives 

countries. Chinese participants were ex

and pioneers in their fields and the forc

behind many groundbreaking initiative

advance the status of women and demo

China. Several delegates had participate

Dialogue with Chinese Women that the

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton held 

her June 1998 visit to Beijing. The prog

involved three intense weeks of activiti

including presentations, site visits, sma

discussions, and one-on-one meetings d

to further the work of women leaders in 

and the United States. Discussions focu

many of the critical areas of concern id

in the Beijing Platform for Action, incl

poverty, education and training, health, 

violence. Program delegates met with t

Lady at the White House on March 5, 1

The United States Information Agency

provided a grant of $182,234 for this pr

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]
228 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Legacy International Women’s Leadership

Training

Legacy International will use a $75,880 grant

from the United States Information Agency

provided in 1999 to implement an intensive 12-

month leadership development training

program for 128 Ukrainian women. The

program will illustrate the effectiveness of the

American grass roots-level democratic process

and will provide hands-on guidance for

working to effect change. The program consists

of training in Ukraine and in the United States.

During the United States-based component,

selected Ukrainian participants will meet with

experienced non-governmental organization

leaders and participate in interactive group

training activities to strengthen their leadership

skills. These participants will return to Ukraine

to train additional women to organize their

communities in support of democracy.

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Partners for Democratic Change Women’s

Leadership Training

Partners for Democratic Change was awarded

$150,000 from the United States Information

Agency in 1999 to run an 18-month women’s

leadership training initiative for 18 nongovernmental organization leaders from

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia entitled

Strengthening Women’s Capacity through a

Caucasus Women’s Leadership Training and

Network Program. Partners for Democratic

Change will train these leaders in

communication and organizational skills and

provide them with the know-how to build a

regional non-governmental organization

network. By the end of the grant, these leaders

will have provided more than 1,350 women

leaders with leadership skills training through a

series of region-wide training events.

[UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY]

Sub-Saharan Africa

African participants in a United States

Information Agency International Visitor

program, Women and the Law, met with First

Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the White

House on March 8, 1999. The project

familiarized participants with the U.S. system

of justice and the evolution of women's rights

in the United States. Participants included

female magistrates, judges, lawyers, and law

professors from 18 sub-Saharan African

countries. During the course of their threeweek program, participants examined such

issues as preventing domestic violence,

alternative dispute resolution, combating sexua

harassment, protecting children's rights, legal

education for women, and the impact of the

women's vote. These issues were examined

from national, state, and local perspectives,

providing exposure to a range of political and

cultural viewpoints. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

CIVITAS in Italy

CIVITAS is a United States Information

Agency initiative that promotes civic education

curricula that include tolerance, equality, and

human rights. CIVITAS is seeking to have such

curricula instituted all over the world, including

in societies that have well-entrenched gender

discrimination, as well as problems with

trafficking and female genital mutilation. The

adoption of CIVITAS-type curricula will help

change attitudes in the younger generations of

these societies. CIVITAS advocacy and

curricula also promote cultures of lawfulness,

which may mitigate trafficking. At the most

recent CIVITAS conference, CIVITAS World

Congress at Palermo in June 1999, the Vital

Voices team at the Department of State was

invited to participate in CIVITAS activities.

The United States Information Agency sought

their input and organization of a conference

workshop and funded the participation of their

representatives. The United States Information

Agency, CIVITAS, and the Vital Voices team

are seeking to collaborate on future efforts to

seek synergies in their networks and seek

additional input on CIVITAS programs,

speakers, workshops, and themes for future

CIVITAS conferences. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY/

DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Bolivia

The U.S. Embassy in Bolivia hosted three

political training workshops from September

1999 to November 1999 for 120 women

leaders. Delegates from Paraguay have also

been invited to participate. The workshops are

organized by Bolivian Vital Voices of the

are seeking to collaborate on future effo

seek synergies in their networks and se

additional input on CIVITAS programs

speakers, workshops, and themes for fu

CIVITAS conferences. [UNITED STA

INFORMATION AGENCY/

DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Bolivia

The U.S. Embassy in Bolivia hosted th

political training workshops from Septe

1999 to November 1999 for 120 wome

leaders. Delegates from Paraguay have 

been invited to participate. The worksh

organized by Bolivian Vital Voices of t

Americas representatives, Bolivian

congresswomen, local sponsoring

organizations, and the U.S. Embassy. T

workshops were held in Santa Cruz (Se

20 to 23), Tarija (October 18 to 21), an

Cochabamba (November 8 to 11).

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Brazil

The U.S. Consulate in Sao Paolo, Braz

hosted a political training workshop Se

20 to 22, 1999, as follow-up to the Mon

Vital Voices of the Americas conferenc

workshop focused on topics such as ca

organization and financing, networking

relations with the media and ethics in p

Approximately 600 participants from a

the country attended. [DEPARTMENT 

STATE]

Guatemala

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala hosted 

political training workshop August 19 t

1999, as follow-up to the Montevideo V

Voices of the Americas conference. Th

workshop provided training on how to 

the political participation of women, ho

Electronic Journals

Electronic journals examine major issues

facing the United States and the international

community by presenting U.S. policy along

with a broad range of responsible and informed

opinion on the issue. Two recent journals—The

Changing Roles of Women in the U.S. and

Population at the Millennium: The U.S.

Perspective—focused on women’s issues. The

Changing Roles of Women in the U.S. included

articles on U.S. progress since the 1995 United

Nations conference on Women in Beijing and

articles on women in politics, women’s

participation in diverse professions, and the

impact laws have had in opening up new

opportunities for women in the United States.

These two journals are available, in multiple

languages, on the U.S. Information Agency’s

international website at http://www.usia.gov/

journals/journals.htm. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

CIVITAS in Italy

CIVITAS is a United States Information

Agency initiative that promotes civic education

curricula that include tolerance, equality, and

human rights. CIVITAS is seeking to have such

curricula instituted all over the world, including

in societies that have well-entrenched gender

discrimination, as well as problems with

trafficking and female genital mutilation. The

adoption of CIVITAS-type curricula will help

change attitudes in the younger generations of

these societies. CIVITAS advocacy and

curricula also promote cultures of lawfulness,

which may mitigate trafficking. At the most

recent CIVITAS conference, CIVITAS World

Congress at Palermo in June 1999, the Vital

Voices team at the Department of State was

invited to participate in CIVITAS activities.

The United States Information Agency sought

their input and organization of a conference

workshop and funded the participation of their

representatives. The United States Information

Agency, CIVITAS, and the Vital Voices team
230 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

society groups can influence political

platforms, and how civil society groups can

promote debates among candidates to focus on

priority issues for women. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

Guyana

The Guyanese delegates to the Vital Voices of

the Americas conference in 1998 have formed

the Millennium Caucus, a group that cuts

across Guyana's racial, ethnic, and political

lines to provide a resource for existing women's

organizations and to become a model for how

women could act together to advance their

common concerns. The U.S. Agency for

International Development, through National

Democratic Institute, supported this group

financially and logistically throughout 1999

and sponsored its official launch on September

4, 1999. The Millennium Caucus will work to

organize, educate, and advocate for women's

rights through policy analysis, research, the

dissemination of information, and the

promotion of women's participation in all

aspects of Guyanese society. The Caucus is

exploring the possibility of forming a task force

to examine how women’s issues are addressed

in the national budget and to learn how to

ensure that the budget pays appropriate

attention to the priorities and concerns of

women. The launch of the Caucus was attended

by a former President of Guyana and ministers

and members of parliament. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE/ U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Cameroon

The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon in FY 1998

alone provided funding of about $55,500 for

programs aimed at political and economic

empowerment of Cameroonian women. One

program consisted of a series of four-day

workshops to train women as legislative

candidates to prepare them to run for elected

office. Another program was a set of workshops

to train female journalists and highlight issues

of gender in professional journalism. Other

educational programs supported with U.S.

government funds include the publication of a

guide to women rights under Cameroonian law

a radio campaign to sensitize Cameroonians to

the problem of violence against women, and

seminars to increase female participation in the

electoral process. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Bulgaria

In 1999 a Department of State Democracy

Commission Grant of $15,715 was made to the

Women's Alliance for Development in support

of a lobbying and public relations campaign to

promote more equitable representation of

women in municipal and mayoral offices

during the 1999 local elections. The Women's

Alliance for Development is a local nongovernmental organization working with

women on sustainable development and equal

opportunity issues.

The U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria provided

Democracy Commission Grants of $2,630 in

1996 and $3,532 in 1998 to the Bulgarian

Association of University Women in support of

a national writing contest on women's issues.

The contest focused on three topics: postcommunist changes in Bulgaria and their

impact on women, women's role in the

government, and women and family planning.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco

During her March 1999 visit to Egypt, Tunisia

and Morocco, First Lady Hillary Rodham

Clinton met with women leaders from the

government, opposition political groups,

independent associations, the press, the arts,

business, and academia. Her presence

demonstrated continued U.S. support for
Women in Power and Decision-making 2

Section G 

women’s advancement in Egypt and North

Africa. Her visit to family-planning training

centers in these countries also drew attention to

women’s health concerns. First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton also gave a keynote address at

a conference for Tunisian women.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ WHITE

HOUSE]

Democracy and Human Rights Fund for

Africa

The U.S. Department of State’s Human Rights

and Democracy Fund for Africa grants support

for country-specific, regional, and global

activities that promote respect for women’s

rights; adherence to international instruments,

such as the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the

Child, and the Convention on the Elimination

of All Forms of Discrimination against

Women; and the inclusion of gender-related

issues in fora, conferences, and workshops.

Advancing the status of women in emerging

democracies is an essential element of

furthering rule of law mechanisms and ensuring

the protection of fundamental human rights,

including the human rights of women and girls.

For example, in FY 1999, grants were made to:

• Cote d’Ivoire to the Organization of Women

Ministers and Parliamentarians of Africa for

a seminar on laws, regulations, and

traditional behaviors affecting women;

• Malawi to the Story Workshop Educational

Trust for the design and production of radio

spots promoting women’s rights;

• Mauritania to the Association des Femmes de

Carriers Liberales et Commerciales for three

seminars to raise awareness of women’s

issues;

• Mozambique to the Amodefa-Association for

the Promotion of Family for women’s rights

and leadership workshop;

• Niger to the Youth Association for Pro

of Initiatives for training on the role o

women and youth in democracies;

• Rwanda to the Women’s Council to tr

recently elected members of the Wom

Council and for distribution of inform

on women’s inheritance rights and law

• Senegal to the National Observatory 

Women’s Rights to establish a referen

center, for equipment, and for the

development of a manual on women’

• Togo to the Adventist Development a

Relief Agency for a women’s rights

campaign and a rural women’s rights

campaign; and

• Zambia to the High Court for semina

leaders on the rights of women and ch

Since 1996 the Department of State has

awarded $7,611,500 to umbrella organi

including the National Endowment for

Democracy and the Asia Foundation, th

turn, award several dozen smaller grant

women’s groups.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
232 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
Institutional Mechanisms for the

Advancement of Women

“Advancing the status 

women is directly related t

foreign policy goals. We wa

build peace and expand th

circle of democracy. We wa

sustain a growing global

economy that creates good j

for Americans. And we wa

see a future in which the v

we cherish are more widely

shared. In each case, we can

from where we are to wher

want to go if women are le

the sidelines; women must 

integrated at every step of 

way.”

—Secretary of State

Madeleine K. Albright,

excerpted from her speech 

U.S. Department of State 

International Women’s Da

March 12, 1997

H.
234 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

echanisms to advance the status of

women, such as commissions,

agencies, or special offices, have been

instituted in almost all governments and

at many levels. However, they are often

marginalized, lacking clear mandates

and top-level support, weak in resources

and staff. Although there is widespread

recognition of the need for such

structures and of the need to take gender

considerations into account in planning

policies, designing programs,

implementing and monitoring them, this

seldom happens. The result of strong

mechanisms and of gender analysis

should be the integration of women and

of a gender perspective on policy and

program into the mainstream of all

government activity and operations.

The Platform calls for the creation or

strengthening of such national

mechanisms or other governmental

bodies; the integration of a gender

perspective in legislation, public

policies, programs, and projects; and the

generation and dissemination of genderdisaggregated data and information for

planning and evaluation.

H.1. Create or strengthen national machineries and other governmental bodies.

PRESIDENT’S INTERAGENCY

COUNCIL ON WOMEN

Creation of the President’s Interagency

Council on Women

President Clinton established the Council in

August 1995, on the eve of the United Nations

Fourth World Conference on Women in

Beijing, in order to “make sure that all the

effort and good ideas actually get implemented

when we get back home.” The Council is

charged with coordinating the implementation

of the Platform for Action adopted at Beijing,

including the U.S. commitments announced

there. It also develops related initiatives to

further women’s progress and engages in public

education to support the successful

implementation of the Conference agreements

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton serves as

Honorary Chair. Secretary of State Madeleine

K. Albright has chaired the Council since

March 1997, following the strong leadership

provided by former chair Secretary of Health

and Human Services Donna E. Shalala. The

Council includes high-level representatives

from executive branch agencies.

The Council holds quarterly public briefings

and discussions. Sessions are intended as an

occasion for dialogue on the issues between

Council representatives and non-governmental

organizations.

The Council is responsible for publishing

America’s Commitment: Federal Programs

Benefiting Women and New Initiatives as

Follow-up to the UN Fourth World Conference

on Women, an inventory and analysis of

agencies’ current efforts and projected policies

and programs measured against the goals of the

Platform for Action. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Working Groups of the President’s

Interagency Council on Women

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women established several interagency groups

to work towards policy development, organize

around a specific event, or promote dialogue

and coordination on an issue. The working

groups are chaired by Council representatives,

but other staff members of agencies participate

As with all of the Council’s activities, the

M
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

working groups derive from specific strategies

or cross-cutting themes in the Beijing Platform

for Action. All groups have extensive contact

and consultation with non-governmental

organizations as they go about their work.

• Women and the Global Economy

This group is working to ensure that

Administration policy deliberations on global

economic issues give appropriate

consideration to the effects of various policies

and programs on women; to coordinate the

development of U.S. government

participation in international fora dealing

with economic issues of concern to women;

and to serve as a forum for interaction and

information exchange on global economic

issues with interested U.S. non-governmental

organizations. A subgroup worked on U.S.

preparations for the Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation Ministerial Meeting on Women

and the follow-up Framework to Integrate

Women in the Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation. For more information, visit the

working group’s website under “The

International Scene” at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb.

• Women and Prisons

Chaired by Bonnie Campbell of the

Department of Justice, the group seeks to

improve conditions for women incarcerated

in the United States and their families by

heightening public awareness, lending highlevel support to seek solutions, and

establishing cooperation among federal

personnel, state corrections officials, and

non-governmental organizations.

• Rural Women

Chaired by Jill Long Thompson of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, the group seeks

to improve the status of rural women. The

goal of the working group is to serve as

follow up to the International Conference on

Women in Agriculture held June 28 to July 2

in Washington, D.C.

• Trafficking in Women and Girls

Chaired by Anita Botti of the State

Department, the group works to coor

and increase U.S. government efforts 

prevent and combat trafficking in wom

girls. The group is implementing a co

and comprehensive plan of action foc

on prevention, protection and enforce

• Gender and Institutional Change

Chaired by the U.S. Agency for Inter

Development, this group is working t

develop procedures that ensure the

integration of a gender perspective in

policies and operations of governmen

different impacts on men and women 

determined and inequities addressed. 

includes the examination of disaggreg

data as a model to measure program i

• Microenterprise Development

Co-chaired by Ellen Lazar of the Dep

of Treasury’s Community Developme

Financial Institutions Fund and the C

Tansey of the Small Business Admini

this group is charged with better coor

of federal initiatives supporting

microenterprises. This work rose dire

from the United Nations Fourth Worl

Conference on Women in Beijing in 

when the United States made a comm

to promoting microenterprise develop

• Vital Voices: Women in Democracy

Chaired by Theresa Loar of the Depa

of State, this group is charged with fo

interagency attention and resources o

full participation of women in the pol

and economic life of their countries. 

Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has ke

the four Vital Voices conferences in V

Belfast, Montevideo, and Reykjavik. 

global roundtables have been held to c

to spur implementation of public-priv

partnerships.

• Empowering Disabled Women and 

Co-chaired by Judith E. Heumann of 

Department of Education and Susan D
236 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

of the U.S. Social Security Administration,

this working group will follow up on actions

taken at the International Leadership Forum

for Women with Disabilities in June 1997.

The two key issues this working group will

address are employment and leadership

development. Four domestic and four

international training sessions are planned for

1999 and 2000 with assistance from Council

members. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

COMMITTEES, OFFICES, AND

POSITIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT

U.S. Geological Survey’s Women’s Advisory

Committees

The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic

Division’s Women's Advisory Committee

consists of 14 elected members from across the

country, representing the administrative,

clerical, scientific, and technical professions.

The group serves as an advisory committee to

the Chief Geologist in fostering gender

diversity and improving work environments.

Women’s Advisory Committee

accomplishments include development of a

Geologic Division sexual harassment policy

statement, promotion of sexual harassment

prevention training for the Division,

employment of a pilot program for mentoring

and alternative work schedules, and

recommendations for RIF-related training for

all employees.

Current issues both advisory committees are

exploring include a family-friendly workplace,

employee training for all employees,

development of a first-line supervisor training

module, feasibility study on the creation of an

interdivisional human resources/women's

council, use of electronic databases and bulletin

boards to advertise career opportunities,

alternative dispute resolution programs, getting

beyond career plateaus, and employee morale.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Women Implementing New Goals

Successfully (WINGS)

The Department of the Interior’s National Park

Service officially established Women

Implementing New Goals Successfully to

educate and enhance the development of the

professional, emotional, and personal growth of

female employees. These goals are being

achieved through training, mentoring,

workshops, networking, recognition of nontraditional accomplishments, establishing

support groups, and contributing to the

National Park Service’s mission and goals as

they relate to workplace issues. For more

information visit http://www.nps.gov/wings.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Federal Women’s Program at the

Department of Defense

The Department of Defense’s Federal Women's

Program is designed to enhance the

employment and advancement of women.

Federal Women's Program Managers are

designated in organizations throughout the

Department. The Federal Women's Program

includes support for and participation in

national conferences and special observances

such as the annual Federally Employed

Women’s Conference and Women's History

Month. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal

Women’s Program

The Environmental Protection Agency’s

National Administrative Council for

Excellence (formerly the National Secretarial

and Administrative Advisory Council) and the

National Women in Science and Engineering

are working with the Agency’s Federal
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

Women’s Program to remove barriers to

recruitment, development, and advancement of

their respective constituencies. They are

working together to improve the employment

status of women in the agency and develop

strategies for promoting women’s professional

and personal growth. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Senior Coordinator for International

Women’s Issues at the Department of State

Established in 1994, this senior position,

located in the Office of the Under Secretary of

State for Global Affairs, is responsible for

advancing the human rights of women and

integrating issues of concern to women,

including those issues outlined in the Platform

for Action adopted at the United Nations

Fourth World Conference on Women, into the

U.S. foreign policy agenda. The Office of the

Senior Coordinator promotes the expansion of

women’s political and economic participation

and the elimination of violence against women.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's

Health

This new senior-level position was created in

1994 to coordinate and stimulate research,

service delivery, and education activities across

the Department of Health and Human Services

and to work with other government agencies

and consumer and health care professional

groups to advance women's health.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The Public Health Service Coordinating

Committee on Women’s Health

The Public Health Service’s Coordinating

Committee on Women’s Health was established

to advise the Assistant Secretary for Health and

the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health

(Women’s Health) on current and planned

activities across the Public Health Serv

safeguard and improve the physical and 

health of all women in the United State

The Coordinating Committee serves as 

for the Department to share ongoing an

proposed initiatives in women’s health,

identifying opportunities for collaborat

activities; provide advice and consultat

the Office on Women’s Health on its ini

identify programs that can be shared w

Department of Health and Human Serv

Regions to foster local activity on simil

priorities; receive information about pr

issues identified by women’s health

coordinators at the regional level to dis

need for national initiatives; identify an

evaluate women’s health issues likely t

become policy-critical issues; and recei

disseminate information about women’

issues internationally and participate in 

development of U.S. positions on polic

women in international fora. The Public 

Service’s Coordinating Committee is c

chaired by the Assistant Secretary of H

and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

(Women’s Health). Its membership inc

senior-level representatives of the agen

offices of the Department. [DEPARTM

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVI

Department of Health and Human S

Internal Task Force

In early 1996 the Department of Health 

Human Services, at the Secretary's dire

established a task force to further

implementation of the Platform for Act

adopted at the 1995 World Conference 

Women. The task force strives to:

• Analyze the Department's current and

projected policies and programs in te

the Platform;
238 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Identify new initiatives the Department could

take to advance the overall agenda of

improving the lives of women and girls; and

• Think towards long-range institutionalized

changes to complete this process.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Women’s Bureau

The Women’s Bureau was created by Congress

in 1920 “to formulate standards and policies

that shall promote the welfare of wage-earning

women, improve their working conditions,

increase their efficiency, and advance their

opportunities for profitable employment.” The

Director of the Women’s Bureau is the

principal advisor to the Secretary of Labor on

issues affecting women in the labor force. The

Women’s Bureau sees its mission into the

foreseeable future as:

• Informing working women about Women’s

Bureau programs and initiatives that benefit

them;

• Providing information to and receiving

information from women about economic

issues and their economic and social status;

• Providing reliable, useful information to

policymakers;

• Building partnerships with other agencies

within the Department of Labor and

throughout government, as well as with

unions, non-profit organizations, businesses,

community-based organizations, and working

women themselves; and

• Affecting workplace policies at all levels.

In 1995, the Women’s Bureau established its

Internet website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/.

In 1997 it added websites for all ten of its

regional offices, providing regional statistics,

updates, news events, Working Women Count

Honor Roll member organizations, and Fair

Pay Resource organizations.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

The Women’s Bureau National Resource

and Information Center

The National Resource and Information Center

was established in 1999 to provide the most

direct access to information on issues of

concern to working women, their families, and

their employers. The National Resource and

Information Center is accessible through two

toll-free phone numbers (1-800-827-5335 and

1-800-347-3741) as well as on the Internet. The

National Resource and Information Center

offers the following:

• The Work and Family Clearinghouse, created

in 1989, is a computerized database and

resource center on women's employment

issues that affect work and family life,

including child care and elder care. It

contains Women’s Bureau publications and

numerous supporting publications and

resources.

• The Fair Pay Clearinghouse, opened in 1996

provides technical assistance to employees,

employers, unions, and other organizations

on successful efforts to identify and eliminate

sex and race discrimination in wage-setting

policies. It contains a variety of information,

including Women’s Bureau publications, and

provides links to other government agencies

with related information.

• The Don’t Work in the Dark—Know Your

Rights public education campaign was

launched in 1994 to help alert America's

working women about their workplace rights

Women can access reader-friendly

information on laws on family and medical

leave, pregnancy discrimination, sexual

harassment (first published in 1993 and

updated in FY 2000), age discrimination,

wage discrimination, and disability

discrimination (first published in 1995,

updated in FY 2000). Supporting information

includes publications from the Women's

Bureau and other relevant agencies.
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

• An array of other publications and resource

materials provided on topics including small

business ownership, women in management,

apprenticeships and non-traditional

occupations, pensions, veterans affairs,

domestic violence, safety, and health,

upcoming worldwide conferences, and much

more.

The Women’s Bureau website is at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

NATIONAL INTEGRATION OF

WOMEN’S TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

The Transportation Research Board’s Task

Force On Women’s Issues in Transportation

This Task Force was initiated in 1997 to seek

ways to better integrate women’s transportation

issues into the national research agenda by

identifying research areas and stimulating new

and expanded studies on women’s mobility,

safety, and security issues. The mission of the

Task Force is to:

• Identify emerging women’s issues in the use

of transportation and encourage research and

information sharing on matters relating to

women’s travel behavior, transportation

needs, and utilization;

• Identify women’s safety and security issues

as they relate to transportation;

• Address women’s travel issues; and

• Promote women decision-makers in the

transportation industry. [DEPARTMENT

OF TRANSPORTATION]

Coast Guard Institutional Mechanisms for

Advancing Women

The Coast Guard was selected by the Vice

Presidential Task Force on Diversity

Benchmarking Study Team as the Benchmark

partner for Diversity. Coast Guard was the only

federal agency selected and ranked third

nationally.

The Department of Transportation Dive

Advocate recently served as keynote sp

the Coast Guard’s Diversity Summit fo

than 340 attendees including Coast Gu

leaders, human resources policymakers

process owners. The goal of the Summ

open discussion (focusing on best pract

the diversity management issues facing 

Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard developed a diversity 

website with information on different c

cultural observances and lesson plans f

conducted training on diversity.

The Coast Guard consolidated the Wom

Advisory Council and the Minority Ad

Council to form the Diversity Advisory

Council, which coordinates and provid

advice and recommendations across ini

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTA

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

The White House Office for Women’

Initiatives and Outreach

The White House Office for Women’s

Initiatives and Outreach was created by

President Clinton in 1995 to advocate p

related to women and families, often by

bringing the concerns of outside expert

constituency groups into the policy-ma

process. In 1999 the Office focussed on 

Security and Medicare, health care,

reproductive rights and family planning

policies to help families better balance 

and family responsibilities.

The Women’s Office initiates and supp

events, briefings, and roundtable discus

amplify and expand the Clinton

Administration’s agenda for women an

families.
240 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The Women’s Office distributes a resource

sheet with contact information and website

addresses for these federal government

programs. Information on the Clinton

Administration’s family agenda, including

child care, long-term care, after-school

programs, expansion of the Family and

Medical Leave Act, and other initiatives is

available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/

WH/EOP/Women/OWIO. [WHITE HOUSE]

National Women Veterans National Public

Information Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs has

developed a comprehensive national public

information program for women veterans to

address their special needs and concerns. The

program encourages use of the Department’s

program services and ensures that services and

benefits available through its regional offices

and other Department of Veterans Affairs

facilities are extended to all veterans and their

dependents regardless of their proximity to the

local office, social and economic status, and

physical or mental condition. The Department

of Veterans Affairs has a designated Women

Veterans’ Coordinator at each regional office

and medical facility who serves as the direct

contact point for the Department of Veterans

Affairs and non-Veterans Affairs service

providers. The Women Veterans’ Coordinators

provide claims assistance for the Department of

Veterans Affairs benefits and health care,

employing a case management approach

through maintaining liaison with community

resources and agencies as well as veterans

groups and state and local governments.

Other Department of Veterans Affairs program

elements that address women veterans issues

are access to a national toll-free telephone unit

for information on the Department of Veterans

Affairs benefits and services. Veterans Services

Representatives may be contacted at

1-800-827-1000 to discuss benefits women

veterans may be eligible to receive and claims

issues, including counseling and care for the

effects of sexual trauma experienced while on

active duty in the military. The Department of

Veterans Affairs also publishes newsletters and

sponsors women veteran seminars and “lunch

and learn programs” to provide fora for sharing

information about veteran benefits.

[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS]

Center for Women Veterans

In November 1994, with the passage of Public

Law 103-446, the Center for Women Veterans

was established to evaluate the various needs of

women veterans and the effectiveness of the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ programs,

benefits, and activities in meeting those needs.

The Center hosts approximately 25 to 30 fora

every year, where attendance ranges from ten to

600 women and women veterans advocates,

with an average of 30 participants at each

forum. These fora offer women veterans

throughout the country opportunities to discuss

concerns regarding the Department of Veterans

Affairs’ services for women with Center staff

and to identify the problems encountered by

women veterans in their attempt to access the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ benefit

program and health care services. Communitybased fora also provide Center staff a source of

input for the assessment and evaluation of the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ services

provided to women veterans and the

Department of Veterans Affairs’ effectiveness

in improving those services. [DEPARTMENT

OF VETERANS AFFAIRS]

Institutionalizing Issues Affecting Women

As part of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright’s

mandate to integrate issues affecting women

into U.S. foreign policy, the Department of

State’s Office of Resources, Plans and Policy

and the Office of the Senior Coordinator for
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

International Women’s Issues completed

several projects in 1998 and 1999 to

institutionalize these issues into the

Department’s ongoing strategic planning

process. In February 1999 an international

affairs strategic plan was completed. This plan

sets forth objectives and performance

indicators relating to the Senior Coordinator’s

international affairs priority areas of

eliminating violence against women and

increasing women’s political and economic

participation. The plan also explicitly ties these

objectives to key U.S. national interests,

including economic prosperity, democracy and

human rights, law enforcement, and

humanitarian response.

Concurrent to the development of its strategic

plan, the Senior Coordinator also worked

closely with the Office of Resources, Plans and

Policy to identify U.S. government resources

devoted to women’s initiatives in FY 1998, FY

1999, and FY 2000. The Senior Coordinator

solicited information from budget officers in

Department of State regional and functional

bureaus, the U.S. Agency for International

Development, and the U.S. Information

Agency to track resources supporting policies

and programs under trafficking in women and

girls, domestic violence, and women’s

economic and political participation.

In February 1999 the Senior Coordinator issued

guidance to Department of State Missions to

inform the development of FY 1999 to FY

2001 Mission Performance Plans.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

TRAINING

The 1999 Federally Employed Women's

Conference and National Training Program

The Department of the Interior co-sponsored

the 1999 Federally Employed Women's

Conference and National Training Program in

Phoenix, Arizona, from July 19 to 23, 1

Pre-Conference Training Day featured 

Hall Meeting, a Diversity Update, a Pa

Department of the Interior Women in N

Traditional Jobs, and a National Park S

slide show that chronicled Park Service 

at the Golden Gate/Presidio National P

part of the conference, the Department 

Interior conducted a panel entitled Wom

the Rise, which featured senior-level

Department of the Interior women disc

their paths to success. For more inform

visit http://www.few.org.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO

Foreign Service Training and Curric

In late 1997 the Office of the Senior

Coordinator for International Women’s 

at the Department of State and the

Department’s Foreign Service Institute 

discussions regarding the integration of

women’s issues into the core curriculum 

Foreign Service Officers. Since then th

of the Senior Coordinator has been pro

materials and lecturing at classes for Fo

Services Officers on reporting and integ

women’s issues into everyday work at U

embassies and consulates overseas.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

United States, Mexico, and Canada

The U.S. Embassies in Mexico and Can

each nominate 20 to 25 women leaders 

business, labor, politics, civil society,

education, and technology to attend a w

of the Women's Leadership Initiative in 

in April 2000 sponsored by the Interna

Foundation for Election Systems and th

women's MERCOSUR forum. The goa

identify priority areas of concern for w

North America Free Trade Agreement

countries and to maximize the benefit t

women of regional economic integratio
242 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

initiative will be implemented over a five-year

period and will include a series of four subregional workshops to bring together

organizations and networks to increase

women's participation in trade integration. In

2004 a final conference will develop a

hemispheric strategic action plan.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

H.2. Integrate gender perspectives in legislation, public policies, programs, and projects.

POLICY

Trade Policy

The Commerce Department’s International

Trade Administration provides a voice for

women-owned businesses on trade policy

matters through its Advisory Committee

Program and its involvement in Organization

for Economic Cooperation and Development

and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation fora

related to women:

• Advisory Committees

Originally chartered through the Trade Act of

1974, the Industry Functional Advisory

Committees and Industry Sector Advisory

Committees advise the Secretary of

Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative

on international trade policy. The Small and

Minority Business Industry Sector Advisory

Committee is one of the program’s most

active and vocal groups. This Committee is

currently analyzing whether minority

businesses, including women-owned

businesses, face exporting challenges that

differ from those encountered by other small

businesses. The Small and Minority Business

Industry Sector Advisory Committee will

recommend steps that the U.S. government

can take to address any minority-specific

problems found by the Committee. More

information is available online at

http://www.ita.doc.gov/icp.

• President’s Export Council

Created in 1973 by Executive Order, the

President’s Export Council advises the

President on government policies and

programs that affect U.S. trade performance,

promotes export expansion, and provides a

forum for discussing and resolving traderelated problems among the business,

industrial, agricultural, labor, and governmen

sectors. The Department of Commerce has

been successful in expanding the number of

businesswomen in its advisory committee

program. Through such dialogue with its

advisory committees, Commerce ensures tha

industry, including women-owned and

managed firms, has a strong voice in

international trade negotiations and in

formulating U.S. trade policy. More

information can be found online at

http://www.ita.doc.gov/pec.

• Organization for Economic Cooperation

and Development

The International Trade Administration

recently contacted women’s business

associations, financial organizations, and

government agencies to disseminate an

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development survey concerning financing for

women-owned businesses. This survey will

provide valuable information on the spectrum

of financial instruments available to women

business owners, as well as access to

financing and actual use of financial

instruments for women-owned businesses.

• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

The International Trade Administration

assisted in the development of policy issues

for the 1998 Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation Ministerial on Women. It also
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

participated in developing the statement that

was released at the Ministerial meeting,

offering advice for Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation countries on women’s business

issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Recruitment Refocus

The Commerce Department’s Patent and

Trademark Office professional staff includes

scientists, engineers, and attorneys as patent

examiners and trademark attorneys. In the past,

employee recruitment occurred at traditional

schools and universities located in the heartland

of America. The Patent and Trademark Office

now strategically reaches out to all women and

has specifically targeted minority women in

recruiting future patent examiners and

attorneys. Programs for the Hispanic

Association of Colleges and Universities, the

Historically Black Colleges and Universities,

the Asian Pacific community, and the Lakota

Nation have brought excellent results. Statistics

on 1998 and 1999 recruitment efforts show

that, in 1998, the Patent and Trademark Office

hired 184 women as patent examiners, which

represented more than 25 percent of new hires.

These new hires included 51 Asian-Pacific

women, 61 African American women, 12

Hispanic women, and 58 Caucasian women. In

1999, this effort continued and the hiring

through the first half of the year included 138

patent examiners (more than 33 percent of the

new hires), with 30 Asian-Pacific women, 33

African American women, 13 Hispanic

women, and 62 Caucasian women.

Additionally, the Patent and Trademark Office

hired 104 trademark attorneys, including 60

women (58 percent of the new hires).

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

The Peace Corps

In 1974, the Peace Corps Act of 1961 was

amended to include the Percy Amendment,

which states: “In recognition of the fac

women in developing countries play a

significant role in the economic produc

family support and overall developmen

process, the Peace Corps shall be admi

so as to give particular attention to thos

programs, projects and activities that te

integrate women into the national econo

developing countries, thus improving th

status and assisting in the overall devel

effort.”

The Peace Corps established its Wome

Development Office in 1975 to ensure 

agency’s projects and training program

the mandate to help integrate women in

economic, political, and social develop

their countries. The Women in Develop

coordinator provides technical support 

and Volunteers on how women’s needs 

addressed in Peace Corps’ developmen

activities. Many posts have Women in

Development committees run by Volun

promote local participation by women a

in these activities. Women in Developm

committees help conduct gender analys

project plans, strengthen the gender and

development components of training, a

staff capacity in applying Women in

Development and gender and developm

concepts. [PEACE CORPS]

U.S. Agency for International Develop

Gender Plan of Action

The U.S. Agency for International

Development has a long history of invo

in increasing the participation of wome

development efforts. In 1974 the Agenc

established the Office of Women in

Development, and its strategies have ev

over the past 25 years.

Since 1995 U.S. Agency for Internation

Development has built on the recommen
244 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

contained in the Beijing Platform for Action

that governments “mainstream” their gender

efforts. In 1996 the U.S. Agency for

International Development issued the Gender

Plan of Action, which turns a broad

commitment to gender equality into real,

everyday activities. The plan includes such

specific measures as introduction of

performance on gender integration as a factor

in personnel evaluations, incorporation of

gender considerations into technical training

programs, and a commitment to determine and

incorporate appropriate indicators of U.S.

Agency for International Development

program impact on women. In 1999 the

Agency established procedures to ensure that

gender was integrated into statements of work

and elements of requests for proposals and

further required in contractors' proposal

responses.

The Office of Women in Development has also

been able to highlight the U.S. Agency for

International Development's gender

accomplishments and disseminate state-of-theart thinking about gender issues through its

active role in multi-lateral and nongovernmental organizations globally. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Secretary's Conference to Establish a

National Action Plan on Breast Cancer

The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer

was established in 1993 in response to a

National Breast Cancer Coalition petition

signed by 2.6 million people and presented to

President Clinton. Under President Clinton’s

direction, Secretary of Health and Human

Services Donna E. Shalala convened the

Secretary’s Conference to Establish a National

Action Plan on Breast Cancer. The conference

brought together more than 300 individuals,

including breast cancer advocates, consumers,

clinicians, scientists, government officials,

educators, members of Congress, and the

media to craft recommendations for action in

education, research, public policy, and service

delivery. From this conference, a steering

committee of government and non-government

representatives was formed to build necessary

public/private partnerships and to guide a

comprehensive national plan to eradicate breas

cancer. More information on the National

Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Working

Group products can be found online at

http://www.napbc.org. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

PUBLICATIONS, EVENTS, AND

PROGRAMS

The National Park Service’s Women’s

History Websites

The National Park Service’s history division

sponsored a website dedicated to the history

and contributions of American women at

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/whm.htm.

Connections to other sites include Exploring a

Common Past, a resource guide to interpreting

women’s history in the National Park Service,

the National Women’s History Project website

and the Women’s History Resources website.

The National Register of Historic Places also

opened a website to explore the places

important to women’s history at http://

www.cr.nps.gov/nr/feature/wom/wom.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Seneca Falls: 150th Anniversary of the

National Women’s Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame was created in 1969 by

citizens of Seneca Falls as a permanent home

for the contributions of American women. On

July 11, 1999, the National Women’s Hall of

Fame inducted 21 new members, including

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, poet

Maya Angelou, and astronaut Shannon W.

Lucid. The Hall of Fame Induction ceremony
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

began a weeklong celebration of the 150th

anniversary of the Women’s Rights Convention

of 1848. Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and

Lucretia Mott, the Convention drafted the

Declaration of Sentiments, which called for a

woman’s right to vote, her right to higher

education, and the right to retain her own

wages and own property.

In 1920 the 19th Amendment to the Constitution

was ratified, granting women the right to vote.

In 1923 Seneca Falls was chosen as the place to

begin the drive for passage of the Equal Rights

Amendment. The Women’s Rights National

Historical Park today stands on the site where

the Convention was held. The National Park

Service and a non-profit group, Celebrate 98,

organized the 150th anniversary celebration. In

nearby Rochester, a series of academic

discussions of women’s rights, Forum 98, took

place. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

National Medal of Technology

Recognizing the continued contributions of

women in science and technology, the

Technology Administration’s National Medal

of Technology program is encouraging

nominations from the scientific community of

women candidates for the Nation’s highest

award for technological achievement. Equally

as important is the need for women scientists to

serve as role models for the youth of the United

States. Therefore, the Commerce Department’s

Technology Administration has developed

special promotional material soliciting

nominations. This document features a young

girl and highlights the need for women

scientists and technologists who will inspire

her to tackle the challenges of science,

mathematics, engineering, and technology.

Enacted by Congress in 1980, the National

Medal of Technology is awarded annually by

the President of the United States to

individuals, teams, or companies for

accomplishments in the innovation,

development, commercialization, and

management of technology, as evidenc

the establishment of new or improved p

processes, or services. The website for 

National Medal of Technology is at

http://www.ta.doc.gov/Medal.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Increasing The Number Of Women A

Receiving Art Commissions At Feder

Buildings

For more than a quarter of a century, th

Architecture Program of the General Se

Administration’s Public Building Servi

performed a unique service to the Natio

commission great works of public art fr

America’s most talented artists for the

enrichment of the Nation’s important fe

buildings and courthouses and for the b

improvement of the cultural landscape 

United States.

Since 1993 the Art in Architecture prog

commissioned 126 artists to provide ar

federal buildings. Approximately 35 pe

those artists (44) are women. Nearly ha

the women artists commissioned during 

year history of the program have been

commissioned since 1993. [GENERAL

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION]

National Endowment for the Human

Grants

The National Endowment for the Huma

has funded projects that enhance the pu
246 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

understanding of the contributions of women

historically, culturally, politically, and

artistically. Over the past five years, these

projects include:

• Summer Seminars and Institutes

Since 1983 the National Endowment for the

Humanities has supported Summer Seminars

and Institutes for kindergarten through 12th

grade, college, and university teachers. These

seminars and institutes allow teachers from

across the country to study with and learn

from top humanities scholars in their fields.

The teachers who participate in one of these

seminars or institutes often say that it was the

most significant factor to improving the way

they teach. Since 1995 the National

Endowment for the Humanities has given

grants totaling nearly $1,500,000 that were

on women or gender-related topics.

• Education Development and

Demonstration

Through its humanities teaching website,

EDSITEment (http://edsitement.neh.gov), the

National Endowment for the Humanities

provides online educational resources for

teachers and students to improve their

understanding of women’s historical and

societal significance. Highlighted websites

include Documents of African American

Women, Documents of Civil War Women,

Modern Francophone African Women

Writers, and Victorian Women Writers’

Project. EDSITEment also provides lesson

plans that integrate women’s perspectives and

contributions in historical context.

Over 1997 and 1998 the National

Endowment for the Humanities has given

$125,000 for the development of a website

that examines women in U.S. social

movements between 1830 and 1930.

• Preservation and Access Grants

The National Endowment for the Humanities

is helping to preserve the contributions of

women to literature and art through a

$150,000 grant in 1995 to catalogue and

conserve books, periodicals, manuscripts, and

original artwork of 19th century authorillustrators Beatrix Potter and Kate

Greenaway. Another grant in 1997 of

$206,000 went to support the cataloguing of

papers and publications of 150 women

authors.

The National Endowment for the Humanities

also seeks to preserve the contributions of

women throughout history so that they will be

studied and remembered. Such preservation

projects are being undertaken to preserve and

catalogue the papers of Jane Addams

($171,000 in 1997), Willa Cather ($40,000 in

1997), Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B.

Anthony ($188,000 in 1996 and $150,000 in

1998), and Margaret Sanger ($125,000 in 1996

and $155,000 in 1998). [NATIONAL

ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES]

Making a Difference for Work and Family

The President and Mrs. Clinton have elevated

issues of particular importance to women by

hosting a series of roundtables and conferences

at the White House. These events have included

a Roundtable on Equal Pay, a Roundtable

Discussion on Domestic Violence, a White

House Conference on Child Care, a White

House Conference on Mental Health, and the

unveiling of a report on the importance of

strengthening and modernizing Medicare to

women. The First Lady has also participated in

a Social Security teleconference and has

devoted many of her weekly columns to issues

that significantly affect women’s lives. These

events have helped to shape the national debate

and to build support for Clinton Administration

initiatives benefiting women.

[WHITE HOUSE]
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

Working to Celebrate Women in American

History

President Clinton became the first President to

formally recognize the importance of women’s

historical contributions to the creation and

development of the United States when he

established the President’s Commission on the

Celebration of Women in American History by

signing Executive Order 13090 on July 2, 1998.

The Commission seeks to tell the story of the

women who worked to win and exercise their

full rights of citizenship and highlight women

who have made a difference in communities

across the United States. The Commission

works to develop and implement

recommendations of how to acknowledge and

celebrate the roles and accomplishments of

women in American history and how to use

innovative technology to disseminate

information. The Commission has met with

women in regions throughout the United States

and has submitted their initial findings in a

report to the President.

The President and First Lady have both called

attention to the tremendous roles women have

played throughout the history of the United

States. Hillary Rodham Clinton honored the

women who struggled for equal rights and

justice in this country by delivering the keynote

address on the occasion of the 150th

Anniversary of the First Women’s Rights

Convention. She called on Americans to

celebrate the brave women and men who

played pivotal roles in the struggle for women’s

rights. The President joined with Mrs. Clinton

at the White House to host a Millennium

Evening dedicated to discussing how women

have shaped democracy and the sweeping

changes that have altered the lives of women

during the 20th century. [WHITE HOUSE/

GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION]

First National Leadership Conferenc

Physical Activity and Women's Healt

The Office on Women's Health, in

collaboration with the President's Coun

Physical Fitness and Sports, the Center

Disease Control and Prevention, and th

American College of Sports Medicine,

convened this conference in February 1

Washington, D.C., which provided stat

art information about the role of fitness 

women's health. It resulted in recommen

for action relevant to women of all age

physical abilities. [DEPARTMENT O

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Binational Israel-USA Conference:

Promoting Women’s Health Across

Generations

The Secretary of Health and Human Se

Donna E. Shalala, and the Israeli Minis

Health convened a conference in Decem

1998 in Jerusalem, Israel. This confere

promoted a dialogue between the two c

on women’s health issues and identified

priority areas to be addressed in the fut

The Office of Minority Health and the O

Research on Women’s Health, Nationa

Institutes of Health, have provided supp

the National Latina Institute for Reprod

Health for its proceedings from two reg

agenda-setting conferences in 1998.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Second International Conference on 

in Agriculture

To increase its interactions with women 

agriculture and rural communities, the 

Department of Agriculture assessed the
248 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

feasibility of organizing and hosting a National

Symposium for Women in Food, Agriculture

and Rural Communities as the centerpiece of

the agency’s response to the Beijing

conference. Rather than limit a symposium to

U.S. participants, the U.S. Department of

Agriculture and the President’s Interagency

Council on Women sponsored the Second

International Conference on Women in

Agriculture in June 1998. (The first was

sponsored by Australia in 1994.) There were

more than 1,000 participants from 50 countries.

The primary purpose of the conference was to

provide a forum, with an international

perspective, for discussing issues facing

women in agriculture and to facilitate the

exchange of information. The conference

included the broadest participation from

women in farming, farm labor, farm services,

food and consumer advocacy, natural

resources, research, agribusiness, and rural

communities. U.S. Department of Agriculture

information about program, grant, and

contracting opportunities was shared as well.

Feedback was solicited to ascertain how well

these programs are serving women, and ideas

for improvements were expressed. The followup to the conference has served as an important

networking and educational vehicle. A new

website was created to increase communication

and networking at http://www.wia.usda.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE/

PRESIDENT’S INTERAGENCY

COUNCIL ON WOMEN]

H.3. Generate and disseminate gender-disaggregated data and information for planning

and evaluation.

SURVEYS AND DATA COLLECTION

Current Population Survey

The Current Population Survey is a monthly

survey of about 50,000 households conducted

by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau

since 1942 for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Current Population Survey is the primary

source of information on labor force

characteristics of the U.S. population.

Estimates obtained from the survey include

employment, unemployment, earnings, hours

of work, and other indicators. They are

available by a variety of demographic

characteristics including age, sex, race, marital

status, and educational attainment. They are

also available by occupation, industry, and

class of worker. A selection of Census reports

based on these data includes Educational

Attainment in the United States(1998); Fertility

of American Women (1995); Household and

Family Characteristics (1998); Marital Status

and Living Arrangements (1998); and

Child Support for Custodial Mothers and

Fathers (1995). Information about the Survey,

as well as Survey data, can be found online at

http://www.bls.census.gov/cps/cpsmain.htm.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Data Collected by the Bureau of Labor

Statistics

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor

Statistics regularly issues a wide range of data

in the broad field of labor economics, including

an extensive amount of information about

working women. The Bureau of Labor

Statistics will continue to issue and improve

these data as part of its contribution to the

Department of Labor’s strategic goals.

Published data that contribute to the critical

areas of concern identified in the United

Nations Platform for Action include:

Women and Poverty

Monthly data on employment and

unemployment among men and women,

including separate information on women who

head households, and quarterly data on the

earnings of men and women. An annual report

on the working low-income includes data by

gender and family structure.
Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 2

Section H 

Education and Training

Monthly data on the employment status of

young men and women by school enrollment

and educational attainment, annual data on

college enrollment by recent high school

graduates, annual data on employment status of

adult men and women by educational

attainment, and periodic surveys on training.

• Violence

Annual data on workplace fatalities

(including homicides).

• Women and Armed Conflict

Biennial data on women veterans.

• Women and the Economy

Extensive information on occupations,

industries, hours of work, self-employment,

and other characteristics of working women;

monthly data on employment status of

women by age; quarterly data on usual

weekly earnings of men and women; annual

data on employment status of women by

family status and presence of children;

biennial surveys on contingent work and

alternative working arrangements; periodic

surveys of job tenure, worker displacement,

and work at home.

• Institutional Mechanisms for the

Advancement of Women

Extensive statistical information on women

as described in other sections; plans for new

information collection and dissemination

activities.

• Women and the Environment

Information on occupational illnesses;

information on consumer expenditures.

• The Girl Child

School enrollment, educational attainment,

and employment status of teenage girls (16 to

19 years of age).

Most of the data described above are available

at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website at

http://www.bls.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Report on Women’s Earnings: 1998

In April 1999 the Bureau of Labor Stat

the U. S. Department of Labor introduc

first in a series of annual reports focusi

women’s earnings. Drawing mainly on 

weekly earnings data from the Bureau o

Statistics Current Population Survey, th

examines various factors that influence 

of women and men. These factors inclu

race and ethnicity, marital status, educa

attainment, full- and part-time status,

occupation, and union membership. Mu

this information has been available from 

variety of reports and news releases, bu

series was the first time that it was brou

together in a comprehensive report.

The first report, Highlights of Women’s

Earnings in 1998, provides considerabl

on the earnings of women and men, a

descriptive summary of the data, and a

technical note detailing the source of th

and the operative concepts and definitio

report is online at http://www.bls.gov/

cpshome.htm. As part of the report’s

distribution, the Department of Labor’s

Women’s Bureau distributed 700 copie

report to selected women’s researchers 

advocates. [DEPARTMENT OF LAB

Where to Find Bureau of Labor Stati

Women

Periodically, the Bureau of Labor Statis

issues a report that summarizes the info

it has on women and assists users in ide

and locating the material. This report n

delineates the range of data that is colle

a regular or special schedule, but also l

articles and reports that contain descrip

and analyses of the data. The most recen

was issued in July 1998.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]
250 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Surveys of Peace Corps Volunteers

During the 1990s the Peace Corps has

conducted three surveys of Volunteers in the

field, the most recent in 1998. Approximately

3,400 Volunteers (75 percent) serving in 80

countries responded. Responses to all questions

were analyzed by gender, minority status,

assignment, and country of service.

Approximately 60 percent of the respondents

were women. The data are used to improve

recruitment, training, programming, support

services, and the safety and security of

Volunteers. [PEACE CORPS]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Data Collected by U.S. Agency for

International Development Missions

The U.S. Agency for International

Development was one of the first international

donors to include disaggregation of data by

gender as a part of program and project design

and evaluation. Examples of indicators being

collected by missions include the number of

business licenses being issued to women in

Morocco; scores of third graders, disaggregated

by gender, on standardized achievement tests in

El Salvador; and the percentage of women

voters in District Assembly elections in Ghana.

[U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]
 Human Rights of Women

“Women’s rights are hu

rights, and human rights 

women’s rights.”

—First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton, excerpte

from her remarks to the U

Nations Fourth World Co

ence on Women, Beijing, C

September 5, 1995

I.
252 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

lthough the universality of human

rights and fundamental freedoms

have been acknowledged by treaties and

other instruments to apply to all people

since the first days of the United

Nations, in reality they often did not

apply to women. It was not until the

1993 World Conference on Human

Rights in Vienna that it was clearly

affirmed, or reaffirmed, that the human

rights of women throughout the lifecycle are an inalienable, integral, and

indivisible part of universal human

rights. The Beijing Platform for Action

enlarges on this principle and applies it

to all areas of concern in the Platform,

making human rights, in fact, the

foundation of the entire Platform for

Action.

The Platform calls for the promotion and

protection of the human rights of women

through the implementation of human

rights instruments, especially the

Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Discrimination against

Women, the assurance of equality and

non-discrimination under the law and in

practice, and the promotion of legal

literacy among women.

I.1. Promote and protect the human rights of

women, through the full implementation of al

human rights instruments, especially the Con

vention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women.

INTERNATIONAL LABOR

ORGANIZATION CONVENTIONS

International Labor Organization

Convention 111 Concerning Employment

Discrimination

Convention 111 of the International Labor

Organization requires the ratifying country to

“undertake to declare and pursue a national

policy designed to promote...equality of

opportunity and treatment in respect of

employment and occupation...” The convention

aims to eliminate discrimination in

employment based on race, color, sex, religion

political opinion, national extraction, and socia

origin.

The Tripartite Advisory Panel on International

Labor Standards, which considers whether the

United States should ratify conventions of the

International Labor Organization,

recommended to the President’s Committee on

the International Labor Organization that the

President seek ratification of Convention 111.

The President sent this convention to the U.S.

Senate for its advice and consent in mid-1998.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES

United States Information Agency’s

Introduction to Human Rights

The United States Information Agency’s

Introduction to Human Rights devotes 20

percent of its discussion of human rights in

U.S. history to women’s issues. Brief

A
Human Rights of Women 2

Section I 

biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt and Nobel

laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as excerpts

from their writings, appear in a section of the

pamphlet that highlights persons prominent in

human rights issues. This publication was first

issued in 1996 and was distributed worldwide.

It was updated and reprinted in 1998 for the

50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

International Women’s Day Address

In March 1999 Hillary Rodham Clinton

continued a tradition of honoring International

Women’s Day by delivering a United Nations

International Women’s Day Speech at the

United Nations before delegates and

nongovernmental organizations on women’s

rights. The First Lady called on countries to

continue to work to protect women’s rights and

to work to give women access to opportunity

within their own countries. [WHITE HOUSE]

IMMIGRATION AND REQUESTS FOR

POLITICAL ASYLUM

Asylum Based on Coercive Population

Control Practices

The Immigration and Naturalization Service of

the Department of Justice is implementing a

new law that would grant political asylum to

individuals who have been forced to abort a

pregnancy, undergo involuntary sterilization, or

persecuted for failure or refusal to undergo

such a procedure or for resistance to a coercive

population control program. [DEPARTMENT

OF JUSTICE]

Asylum Based on Fear of Genital Mutilation

The Department of Justice urged the Board of

Immigration Appeals to recognize that fear of

being subjected to female genital mutilation

may be a basis for asylum, and on June 13,

1996, the Bureau of Immigration Appeals

issued a precedent-setting decision indi

that female genital mutilation may be a 

for asylum. [DEPARTMENT OF JUS

Guidance for Asylum Officers

The Department of Justice provides gui

asylum officers on the principles of U.S

asylum laws that bear on gender-related 

such as domestic and sexual abuse. The

Department’s guidance also addresses s

procedural matters as the desirability o

female interviewers and interpreters in

appropriate cases and the need to interv

women and their male relatives separat

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Relief for Battered Immigrant Wome

The Violence Against Women Act of 1

enables battered spouses and children o

citizens and legal permanent residents t

petition for lawful permanent residence 

the help or knowledge of their abusers. 

than 8,000 petitions have been filed wit

Justice Department’s Immigration and

Naturalization Service as of October 19

more than 4,300 petitioners have been 

permanent residence.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

Defense Incident-Based Reporting Sy

A Defense Incident-Based Reporting S

was established on October 1996. This 

is a centralized database for all crimina

reporting requirements, to include crim

incidents punishable under the Uniform 

of Military Justice that do not rise to th

of criminal incident, such as sexual har

and fraternization.

[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]
254 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Central Intelligence Agency

Intelligence analysis keeps key U.S.

policymakers informed of systematic violations

of human rights in response to the increased

U.S. government determination to assist

international tribunals concerned with such

issues. [CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

AGENCY]

Human Rights of Women

The March 7, 1996, Africa Journal

WORLDNET TV interactive on Human Rights

of Women was praised for making a positive

contribution to public awareness by engaging

in in-depth discussion of the rights of women.

Female social and political leaders and

government officials in four countries—

Namibia, Mali, Uganda, and Burkina Faso—

discussed the rights of women in the United

States and in other countries with three experts

in Washington. This program was organized by

the United States Information Agency as a

follow-up to the United Nations Beijing

Women’s Conference in 1995. [UNITED

STATES INFORMATION AGENCY]

I.2. Ensure equality and non-discrimination

under the law and in practice.

PROTECTION OF EQUALITY

Sexual Misconduct in U.S. Prisons

As of March 1999 the Department of Justice

has provided on-site technical assistance for

addressing sexual misconduct to correctional

agencies in 17 states and the District of

Columbia. As of April 1999, 41 states and the

District of Columbia had enacted laws

specifically criminalizing certain types of

sexual misconduct in prisons. In 1997 the

Department of Justice amended its policy and

practices in sexual-assault cases involving

female inmates to include instances of sexual

assault against prisoners by prison staff.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

The New York City Gay and Lesbian AntiViolence Project

The New York City Gay and Lesbian AntiViolence Project, funded by the Department of

Justice, is providing technical assistance to

local anti-violence initiatives serving lesbian

and bisexual women who are victims of

domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking

The Project is also working with national

domestic violence and sexual assault

organizations to enhance their capacity to

provide culturally appropriate services to same

sex victims. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Protecting Persons Confined in Public

Institutions

Under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized

Persons Act, the Department of Justice

enforces the federal Constitutional and

statutory rights of persons confined in public

institutions. Between the enactment of the

statute in 1980 and the present, the United

States has conducted 300 investigations aimed

at redressing the deprivations of constitutional

or federal statutory rights of persons in publicly

operated facilities for the mentally disabled, the

elderly, juveniles, and prisoners. Most of these

activities have improved protections for the

rights of women.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Enforcement of Non-discrimination Laws

The Department of Justice enforces the Fair

Housing Act. The Fair Housing Act prohibits

discrimination in housing based on race, color,

religion, sex, national origin, handicap, and

familial status, and also prohibits sexual

harassment by male landlords against female

tenants. In a case settled in January 1997, the

Department of Justice entered into a consent

decree resolving its complaint that the manager

of a housing unit and a male tenant had

engaged in a pattern or practice of sexual and

racial harassment against female tenants. In

two other sexual harassment cases under the

Fair Housing Act, the Department has charged
Human Rights of Women 2

Section I 

owners of rental property with engaging in

long-standing and pervasive practices of sexual

assault and sexual harassment of women

tenants. The Department of Justice also files

amicus briefs in the courts of appeal in familial

status cases litigated by private parties and has

successfully prosecuted cases in which

defendants had to pay damages and make their

housing available to families with children on

the same terms and conditions as their housing

is made available to others.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Human Rights Reporting

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and

Labor, in close connection with the Office of

the Senior Coordinator for International

Women’s Issues and the President’s

Interagency Council on Women, has

strengthened reporting on women’s human

rights issues within the annual Country Reports

on Human Rights Practices, the primary

document issued by the U.S. government on

human rights. Emphasis has been given to

women’s political participation; access to

education; domestic violence; trafficking in

persons, particularly women and children;

sexual harassment; female genital mutilation;

discrimination in the workplace; and women’s

non-governmental organizations. The annual

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,

submitted to the Congress each year in

February, can be found online at

http://www.state.gov.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Advisory Information to Immigration

Officials

The Office of Country Reports and Asylum

Affairs, within the Department of State’s

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and

Labor, has paid particular attention to women’s

issues in its reporting to U.S. immigrat

officials. Information on women’s right

and women’s rights in various countrie

been provided to officials of the Immig

and Naturalization Service in advisory 

on individual cases, profiles on country

conditions, and the annual Country Rep

Human Rights Practices. Issues covere

included violence against women, for e

domestic violence and female genital

mutilation. [DEPARTMENT OF STA

Kenya

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya assisted in 

establishment of a network of low-incom

and urban women called SAMUKE, a 

acronym for The Voice of the Kenya W

SAMUKE was established to ensure th

voices of rural women are heard by Ke

decision-makers. Its mission is to empo

women economically, politically, and s

and to enhance rural women's participa

development.

The U.S. Information Service provided 

for SAMUKE to hold a three-day legal

education workshop for about 80 wome

ten men in northeastern Kenya in July 

The three-day workshop was organized 

non-governmental organization Woman

Kenya, which is part of SAMUKE. The

workshop informed women about their 

legal rights under the Constitution of K

and focused on property rights. SAMU

plans further workshops in other rural a

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the Department of State f

project to create community legal aid c

under the Ministry of Justice in several

districts. The centers provide women ac

legal advice in cases of abuse and dom

violence and in divorce proceedings; th
256 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

centers also help women obtain maintenance

payments after divorce. The Department of

State is supporting human rights commissions

in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. These

governmental institutions are tools in the

protection of women’s rights, including

protecting women against violence, preventing

harassment of non-governmental organizations,

and combating child labor. Through its South

Asia Regional Democracy Fund, the

Department of State is supporting democracybuilding programs in the region, including

strengthening local government and civic

participation. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Women's Legal Rights Initiative

At the United Nations Fourth World

Conference in Beijing, then-United Nations

Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright announced

a new U.S. government initiative called the

Women's Legal Rights Initiative. Since then,

the U.S. Agency for International Development

has programmed more than $20,000,000 to

promote and protect women's rights worldwide.

For example, a $5,200,000 grant program

provides grants of up to $100,000 for a twoyear period. Examples of grants programs

include helping women develop networks to

promote human rights in Croatia and securing

land rights for women in South Africa.

The U.S. Agency for International

Development is supporting an innovative

program in India to document the nature and

scope of domestic violence in several Indian

states. The information will be used to advocate

for legal reform and other systemic changes

that address gender-based violence. The

$4,100,000 India program fosters collaboration

between local non-governmental organizations,

crisis centers, women's shelters, academic

institutions, and government officials,

including police. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

Judicial Reform Projects

As part of broader judicial reform projects, the

U.S. Agency for International Development

supports programs in Colombia, Ecuador,

Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Peru to

strengthen alternative dispute and legal

assistance programs. For example, in

Colombia, through the Judicial Reform Project

judicial service centers are now offering

alternative dispute resolution. Women represen

75 percent of the users. In many cases, women

seek justice against abuse by their husbands or

partners. In Guatemala, a network of justice

centers is increasing access to the judicial

system by disadvantaged women. [U.S.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

Pakistan and Afghanistan

The Department of State highlights women’s

issues in its human rights advocacy with the

Pakistani government. Of particular concern is

violence against women (so-called honor

killings), trafficking in women and children

(Pakistan is a “receiving” country), and certain

legal statutes prejudicial to women. Secretary

of State Madeleine K. Albright spoke out

publicly on the rights of women and met with

Afghan women refugees during a visit to

Pakistan in 1997. The U.S. Government has

also been an active promoter of Afghan

women’s rights. First Lady Hillary Rodham

Clinton recognized the work of two Afghan

women and their organizations in a White

House Human Rights Day celebration in

December 1998. The Department of State’s

South Asia Bureau Assistant Secretary, the

Senior Coordinator for International Women’s

Issues, and other Department officials have

raised the issue of women’s rights in meetings

with Taliban and Pakistani officials and in

Congressional testimony. In 1998 and 1999 the

United States drafted the country resolutions on

Afghanistan in the annual meeting of the
Human Rights of Women 2

Section I 

United Nations’ Commission on the Status of

Women. In 1999 and 2000 the Department will

be supporting programs in the United Nations

Common Appeal that promote women’s rights

in Afghanistan and in the Afghan refugee

camps in Pakistan. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Sri Lanka

The Department of State has supported a

number of non-governmental organizations in

Sri Lanka to assist domestic violence victims.

The Sri Lankan penal code was amended in

1995 to strengthen laws against rape and to

make sexual harassment illegal.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

El Salvador

In El Salvador the U.S. Embassy’s Labor

Officer has investigated, evaluated, and

reported on rights abuse; used trade policy to

pressure for improved rights protection; and

worked with workers, non-governmental

organizations, the government, and business

sectors to recognize and address worker rights

problems in the in-bond assembly (Maquila)

sector where 85 percent of workers are women.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Mexico

In Mexico the U.S. Embassy’s Labor Officer

has been involved with United States-Mexican

governments’ programs to address

employment-related gender issues raised in the

North American Free Trade Agreement Labor

Side Agreement. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic

of the Congo is examining ways, through the

Great Lakes Justice Initiative, to alleviate the

legal discrimination against women in the

Congo.

Through the Democracy and Human Rights

Fund Program, the U.S. Embassy in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo has

provided grants to non-governmental

organizations that specialize in the prom

of women's rights, including the Nation

Women's Union and Christian Women 

Democracy and Development. These

organizations, run by women for wome

organize educational seminars on huma

and democracy. The Embassy has also 

a strong advocate by encouraging other 

society partners, like the League of Ele

and the Association of Human Rights

Observers, to target women for their pr

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Gabon

The U.S. Embassy in Gabon’s Special 

Help Program supported an annual You

Women's Seminars in Oyem and Moab

included 26 young women from nine to

throughout Gabon. The theme of the se

was “Women's Rights,” focusing on

empowering the participants to take ch

their lives, particularly through knowle

Gabonese law, good health, and educat

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Zimbabwe

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe’s Dem

and Human Rights Fund Program has

increasingly focused on promoting wom

and children's human rights in Zimbabw

1999 the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers

Association was granted $12,000 from 

Democracy and Human Rights Fund re

for a legal education and advocacy proj

legislation affecting women's and child

inheritance rights, to promote awarenes

new Administration of Estates Act.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Near East

U.S. embassies across North Africa and 

Middle East have conducted numerous

activities, from roundtable discussions 

exhibits featuring women artists, design

promote the full participation of wome
258 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

society and eliminate gender discrimination.

U.S. diplomatic missions make conscious

efforts to include female invitees at all

receptions and embassy-sponsored events, and

some have held representational events

specifically for prominent women who are

active in promoting women’s rights.

Ambassadors and embassy personnel actively

raise women’s issues during discussions with

host government officials and provide

encouragement for initiatives granting greater

societal rights to women. [DEPARTMENT

OF STATE]

Syria

In Syria the United States has acted to increase

the voice of women in the region, where the

U.S. Embassy established the CIVITAS

program in 1997. CIVITAS participants come

from a rich cross section of Syrian society—

Christians, Muslims, non-governmental

organization members, lawyers and

intellectuals—and approximately 98 percent of

those who participate are women. This group,

meeting under U.S. Information Service

auspices, acts as a discussion group,

clearinghouse for information, and an

important networking opportunity.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

I.3. Achieve legal literacy.

WORKING WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Don’t Work in the Dark—Know Your

Rights Campaign

In January 1994 the Department of Labor

Women’s Bureau launched its Don’t Work in

the Dark— Know Your Rights campaign with

three reader-friendly brochures on the Family

and Medical Leave Act, pregnancy

discrimination, and sexual harassment. In 1995

and 1996 the Women’s Bureau added three

more brochures on age, wage, and disability

discrimination. Each brochure gives numerous

examples of discrimination, describes what the

law says, give examples of what a woman can

do if she’s discriminated against, and gives

information on where to get help and additiona

information. Public service announcements

advertised the brochures, which have been

widely distributed. The brochures were updated

in FY 1999. For more information, call the

Women’s Bureau’s National Resource and

Information Center at 1-800-827-5335 or visit

the Women’s Bureau’s website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

The Philippines

The Department of State’s regional Democracy

and Human Rights Economic Support Fund

provided funding to the Asia Foundation to

carry out a program in the Philippines with the

partner Sentrong Alternatibong Lingap

Panlegel (SALIGAN) to raise awareness

regarding international documents on the

human rights of women; to train women’s

organizations in the legislative process; and to

develop advocacy strategies for support at

provincial and local levels to promote human

rights of women.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
Women in the Media

“Freedom and progres

not born from silence. . . .O

by making their voices hea

advocating their causes, a

expressing their opinions c

women become full partici

pants in society.”

—First Lady Hillary

Rodham Clinton, excerpte

from her letter of introduc

to Finding Your Public Voi

Media Guidebook for Wom

published by the United S

Information Agency,

June 1995.

J.
260 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

dvances in information technology

have facilitated a global

communications network that transcends

national boundaries and has an impact

on public policy, private attitudes, and

behavior, especially of children and

young adults. This impact is especially

noticeable in its influence on

consumerism and its use of violence,

especially violence against women.

Although women work in the

communications industry, only a limited

number have jobs at the decisionmaking level or serve on boards that

make or influence public policy. At the

same time, negative influence

notwithstanding, media have a

tremendous potential to help eliminate

stereotypes of women and to portray

women in a positive light.

The Platform calls for the increased

participation and access of women to

expression and decision-making in and

through media and new technologies of

communication and promotes a

balanced and non-stereotypical portrayal

of women in the media.

J.1. Increase the participation and access of

women to expression and decision-making in

and through the media and new technologies

of communication.

PUBLIC INFORMATION

Public Telecommunications Facilities

Program

The Public Telecommunications Facilities

Program, operated by the Department of

Commerce since 1979, is a federal competitive

grant program that supports the delivery of

public radio and television services to all

Americans. This program gives special

consideration in its distribution of funds to

projects that foster ownership of, operation of,

and participation in public broadcasting by

women and minorities. This special

consideration encourages applicants to include

women in ownership, policy-making, and

management positions. Public stations are also

encouraged to respond to the educational,

cultural, and related programming needs of

women. Further information on the Public

Telecommunications Facilities Program can be

found online at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Finding Your Public Voice: A Media

Guidebook For Women

For the United Nations Fourth World

Conference on Women in Beijing, the U.S.

Information Agency produced a pamphlet

entitled Finding Your Public Voice: A Media

Guidebook for Women, that provides basic

information for women who want to become

more familiar with and skilled in dealing with

the media. This pamphlet was widely

distributed at the UN conference and through

U.S. embassies. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Creative Uses of the Media

A Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay assists in

the design and implementation of a daily radio

program that focuses on local environmental

issues. The Volunteer works with two young

women in the community who volunteer their

time to provide the on-air talent for the show. In

1999 they broadcast approximately 100

programs of one hour each, including five

community interviews and coverage of two

A
Women in the Media 2

Section J 

educational field trips. The show is extremely

popular, and the station estimates that it has a

minimum of 7,000 listeners in ten

communities. [PEACE CORPS]

Celebration of International Women’s Day

in Africa

In 1996 a WORLDNET TV interactive

program with Madagascar, Dakar, and

N’Djamena marked the celebrations of

International Women's Day. African

representatives of women's organizations,

female journalists, politicians, and social

leaders discussed the progress made and the

challenges ahead for women with female

executives from the International Women’s

Media Foundations and the Women’s Institute

for Freedom of the Press. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Journalism in Ethiopia

United States Information Service Addis

Ababa sponsored a three-day skills

development workshop for Ethiopian women

journalists in 1996. Coordinator of the October

29 to 31 session was a Voice of America

journalist, anchor of the Francophone edition of

Africa Journal and one of the organizers of the

new Women’s Media Center, Dakar. The

women journalists, whether from government

or independent print or broadcast media, were

so enthusiastic they decided to form a national

organization. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Turkey

In 1996 the U.S. Embassy in Turkey sponsored

a U.S. media consultant to run a two-day media

workshop with KIDOC, a consortium of

women's organizations in Turkey, focusing on

how to effectively advocate for women's issues.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

El Salvador

In El Salvador the Labor Officer at the 

Embassy routinely copies and shares it

from the wireless file on events affectin

women’s rights and worker rights and

distributes them to government offices, 

non-governmental organizations, and p

and civil society leaders. These articles 

timely and important insight on women 

labor issues to the major actors, are a re

for activist groups, and are concrete evid

the U.S. government’s commitment to 

issues. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab

Emirates

Recognizing that women can influence 

and public opinion through the media, 

United States has actively aided female

members of the media in the Near East

and television reporters have been sent 

United States on exchanges and interna

visitor programs to learn how the medi

United States works and to adopt best p

for use back home. In the United Arab

Emirates, a female professor from the

University of North Carolina programm

conducted training workshops for repor

editors at United Arab Emirates Univer

Two separate U.S. speakers in Saudi A

conducted journalism training worksho

specifically tailored for female Saudi

journalists. [DEPARTMENT OF STA

International Telecommunication Un

Promoting Gender Equality In and T

Telecommunications

The World Telecommunications Develo

Conference held in Valletta, Malta, in M

l998 adopted a resolution that establish
262 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Task Force on Gender Issues within the

Development Sector of the International

Telecommunication Union. This resolution was

unanimously supported and reaffirmed at the

l998 Plenipotentiary Conference in

Minneapolis chaired by the United States. Its

aim is to serve as an avenue to increase

awareness of the developmental impact of

telecommunications on women, to promote

mainstreaming of gender issues into

telecommunications policy and programs, and

to ensure that the benefits of

telecommunications applications are made

available to all women and men in developing

countries on a fair and equitable basis.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

J.2. Promote a balanced and non-stereotyped

portrayal of women in the media.

National Endowment for the Humanities

Research Grants on Women and the Media

The National Endowment for the Humanities

has supported study and research that seeks to

highlight the accomplishments of women in the

media and how women are portrayed. A

$30,000 grant given in 1995 by the National

Endowment for the Humanities sought to

examine the changing image of unmarried

women in the United States, and another grant

in 1996 for $30,000 examined women and

publishing in 18th century London. Other grants

examining women and the media include

Margaret Thatcher and the Trade Unions: Use

of the Press in Public Policy Making ($2,100 in

1995) and The Rise of Women’s Press

Organizations in the Professionalization of

Women Journalists, 1880-1925 ($4,000 in

1997). [NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR

THE HUMANITIES]

Images of Women Information Technology

Workers

Based on concerns that media images of

scientists, engineers, and information

technology workers do not often portray

women in these professions, Commerce

Secretary William Daley announced a new

partnership between the Commerce

Department’s Technology Administration and

Hollywood-based Women in Film, a non-profit

organization with members from the

entertainment industry. A public service

campaign is being developed to dispel negative

stereotypes of technical workers and encourage

teenagers to pursue careers in science and

technology. Public service announcements and

other informational materials will reach at leas

one million teenagers in 2000.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Women in the Military

This PBS production entitled Politics and

Warriors: Women in the Military highlights the

strides women have made in American society,

specifically addressing the Marine Corps’

separate recruit training procedures. Arts and

Entertainment Investigative Reports aired a

special titled Women Warriors featuring female

recruit training at Parris Island, South

Carolina. [DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Argonne Information Center Women in

Science and Technology Display

The Argonne Information Center Women in

Science and Technology display showcases the

accomplishments of women scientists and

engineers at the Department of Energy’s

Argonne National Laboratory and demonstrate

to visitors that women are contributing to

science. The display is located in the Argonne

Information Center, where visitors learn about

the programs and research conducted at the

Laboratory. The display was proposed through

the Women in Science and Technology

Steering Committee in FY 1999 and is funded

by the Laboratory.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]
Women in the Media 2

Section J 

Providing a Forum for Women in Science

and Engineering

Women in Science and Engineering at the

Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore

National Laboratory hosts a monthly seminar

series to highlight the technical achievements

of women scientists and engineers at the

Laboratory. Women in Science and

Engineering was started at the Laboratory in

1997 to address the special concerns and needs

of women pursuing careers in science and

engineering. Because the number of women in

individual scientific fields at the Laboratory is

often quite small, women may feel isolated or

disconnected from colleagues with common

interests and experiences. Women in Science

and Engineering provides an opportunity for

women in all scientific disciplines to

collectively address issues relevant to their

chosen careers.

The primary objectives are to:

• provide more visibility for women sc

and engineers at the Laboratory by

highlighting their contributions and

achievements;

• provide an effective networking envir

for women scientists and engineers; a

• enhance communication between wo

scientists and engineers and Laborato

management, as well as the Laborato

scientific community.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

Non-Traditional Jobs

The Women’s Bureau encourages wom

consider opportunities in high-wage, hi

opportunity jobs, many of which are in

“traditionally male” fields. Monthly, be

in April 1999, the Bureau highlights a

promising non-traditional occupation f

women on its website. The Women’s B

provides information from the Bureau o

Statistics 1998-99 Occupational Outloo

Handbook on the nature of the work, w

conditions, training requirements, earni

job outlook. The Bureau also interview

woman currently working in the field. T

website is at http://www.dol.gov/dol/w

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]
264 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
 Women and the Environment

“We must stand firm f

tough environmental and 

lic health standards so tha

children, and their childr

and all the generations to 

won’t worry as we do abou

safety of our air, water, an

land. Our worries today sh

be just memories tomorrow

children deserve no less. A

deserve no less.”

—Administrator of the

Environmental Protection

Agency Carol M. Browner

excerpted from her remark

the 1998 Women’s Issues 

ference, September 12, 19

K .
266 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

omen have an essential role to play

in sustainable development. They

are managers of environmental

resources, make many decisions for the

family regarding consumption, and, as

caretakers of their families and often

communities, have an interest in the

quality and sustainability of life for

future generations. Yet they are often

absent from positions where they might

influence policy decisions, and those

women who live in poverty often are

subjected to unhealthy and hazardous

environments in which they must care

for their families.

The Platform calls for involvement of

women in decision-making about

environmental issues at all levels; the

integration of gender concerns and

perspectives in policies and programs

for sustainable development; and the

strengthening or establishment of

mechanisms to assess the impact of

development and environmental policies

on women.

K.1. Involve women actively in environmental

decision-making at all levels.

Environmental Justice Program

In December 1998 the Federal Highway

Administration issued an order to address

environmental justice for minority and lowincome populations. The order outlines the plan

to achieve environmental justice by identifying

and addressing disproportionately high and

adverse human health and environmental

effects including the interrelated social and

economic effects of its programs, policies, and

activities on minority populations and lowincome populations. Because a significant

portion of the low-income population consists

of single working mothers, this program can be

used as a tool to address their concerns about

transportation-related environmental matters.

The Federal Highway Administration, through

its contract with the Center for Environmental

Justice at Clark University in Atlanta, is

developing reference material for use by

employees and other organizations involved in

the transportation industry. Revised draft

guidance titled Environmental Justice and

National Environmental Policy Process for the

Federal Highway Administration was received

from Clark University in 1999 and is currently

being reviewed by Federal Highway

Administration staff. [DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Transit Benefits

The Department of Transportation continues to

encourage the use of public transit by offering

employees an incentive—a transit benefit. This

benefit, in the form of a Metrochek or voucher

is designed to improve air quality, reduce traffic

congestion, and conserve energy, by

encouraging employees to commute by means

other than single-occupancy motor vehicles. A

the same time, it provides a means for some

women to obtain affordable transportation for

their commute to work. Transportation costs

comprise a substantial portion of the family

budget. The Department of Transportation was

the first Cabinet-level agency to implement a

Transit Benefit Program in 1991. Over the last

eight years, the Department has continued to be

the largest user and distributor of transit

benefits, with 5,000 participants in the

Washington Metropolitan area and hundreds of

fewer cars in rush-hour traffic—easing

congestion and reducing pollution.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION]

W
Women and the Environment2

Section K 

Telecommuting

In August 1997 the Department of

Transportation completed the second

Congressionally mandated telecommuting

study entitled Successful Telecommuting

Programs in the Public and Private Sectors.

This study documented a number of successful

telecommuting programs in the public and

private sectors and the benefits and costs of

telecommuting. The Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 provide

the legislative mandate for travel demand

management measures including

telecommuting. The Department of

Transportation was designated as the lead

agency under the National Performance Review

and the Global Climate Change Action Plan to

promote and evaluate telecommuting in the

federal government, as well as state and local

agencies and the private sector. To demonstrate

the federal commitment to telecommuting, the

Department, in cooperation with the General

Services Administration, initiated a joint

National Telecommuting initiative under the

President’s Management Council. The

objective of the joint initiative is to increase

federal telecommuting to 60,000 employees

and promote increased telecommuting in state

and local governments and private industry.

According to an annual survey conducted by a

private research firm, the number of

telecommuters increased from 6.4 million in

1995 to 7.0 million in 1996, an increase of 9.4

percent. It is estimated that as of early 1998,

approximately 20,000 federal employees are

participating in formal telecommuting

programs nationwide. This number is an

increase from 3,000 in 1995 and 9,000 in 1996.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/

GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION]

PARTNERSHIPS

The Girl Scouts of America and the U

Environmental Protection Agency

The Girl Scouts of America and the

Environmental Protection Agency have 

an innovative partnership to promote

environmental stewardship among girls

Scout troops in Washington, D.C., can 

badge for involvement in community-b

watershed activities. The Environmenta

Protection Agency’s Region 8 (Colorad

participated in a Girl Scout Health Fair 

working with the Agency for Substance

Disease Registry to find a Girl Scout C

interested in developing a badge related 

asthma awareness and prevention. Thes

initiatives could potentially lead to the

development of more badges relating to 

and the environment. The Girl Scout ba

provide an excellent opportunity for gir

including those in low-income and/or m

communities, to learn about the import

protecting the environment, both for pu

health and environmental stewardship. 

through these badges girls can get invo

scientific issues and projects that may i

them in a career in the environmental

protection field. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air

Transportation and Air Quality Pub

Information Initiative

The It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air Prog

interagency collaboration between the U

Environmental Protection Agency and 

Department of Transportation, was init

1994 to support and facilitate state and 

government efforts to meet goals set fo

congestion and air quality under the

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st C
268 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and the Clean Air Act. The program’s goal is to

inform the public about the link between

transportation choices, traffic congestion, air

pollution, and public health. It stresses an

individual’s ability to make a difference, once

informed about the environmental

consequences of daily travel. It All Adds Up to

Cleaner Air is targeted to specific segments of

the general driving public. Research conducted

during program development indicates that the

audience most receptive to the messages

emphasized through the initiative is women

who care for their children’s health. More

information can be found online at http://

www.epa.gov/oms/traq/traqpedo/italladd.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY/ DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION]

Let Kids Lead: Involving Youth in

Transportation Choices

This pilot program, a partnership between the

Environmental Protection Agency and the

Academy for Educational Development, was

created to empower youth to become involved

in transportation choices that improve air

quality and quality of life in their communities.

The pilot phase of Let Kids Lead is a three-year

program ending in March 2000. Emphasis will

then shift to applying lessons learned in

communities throughout the country.

Let Kids Lead is being undertaken in three

diverse pilot communities, and resource

materials are being developed by communities

that want to encourage youth to participate in

transportation and air quality decision-making

and problem-solving across the country. Youth

may evaluate current transportation options and

may propose improvements such as expanded

bus routes, alternatively fueled bus fleets, or

community-wide pedestrian and bicycle paths.

For example, youth in Massachusetts

successfully rallied to enforce a state idling law

for buses by issuing their own “tickets” to

diesel buses idling more than five minutes.

More information can be found online at

http://www.letkidslead.org.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

TRAINING AND VOLUNTEER

PROGRAMS

The Brownfields Job Training and

Development Demonstration Pilots

The Environmental Protection Agency works

to ensure that disadvantaged residents do not

bear a disproportionate burden of the effects of

environmental contamination. Revitalization of

communities that are distressed due to

uncertain liabilities related to environmental

contamination (“brownfields”) typically results

in improved job opportunities. To help

residents take advantage of new jobs created by

the assessment and cleanup of brownfields, the

Environmental Protection Agency initiated the

Brownfields Job Training and Development

Demonstration Pilots. These demonstration

pilots focus on residents living in brownfields

communities, many of whom are unemployed

women currently supported by welfare.

The demonstration pilots receive up to

$200,000 over two years. Through 1999 the

Environmental Protection Agency has funded

21 pilot projects and plans to fund ten

additional pilot projects in FY 2000. The funds

are used to bring together community groups,

job training organizations, educators, lenders,

developers, and other affected parties to

address the issue of providing training for

residents in communities effected by

brownfields.

In addition, the Environmental Protection

Agency has funded a jobs training initiative so

residents may be hired by companies doing

actual cleanup work; thus, some funding spent

on cleanup will have a direct, beneficial impact
Women and the Environment2

Section K 

on residents, particularly because many

cleanups occur in low-income areas. While this

program is not targeted specifically to women,

a large number of women are participating in

this training program and are gaining valuable

skills and opportunities to apply those skills in

the workplace. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Superfund Jobs Training Program

The Superfund Jobs Training program was

created by the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency because many of the Nation’s most

contaminated sites are located in severely

disadvantaged communities. The initiative was

also established to address the public’s requests

to participate in the environmental cleanup and

restoration of Superfund sites in their

communities.

Access to this training has empowered the six

female participants to move from

unemployment or low-wage jobs into more

promising career fields. These women have

gained the technical skills necessary to obtain

greater financial independence. Upon

completion of the training, the class

valedictorian—one of the female participants—

immediately received employment with the

contractor working on the remediation of that

particular Superfund site. On a larger scale, the

training program has helped to increase the

representation of women in the environmental

field. [ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

Volunteer Monitoring Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has

provided strong support for various groups

across the country to organize and train teams

of volunteers to protect streams, estuaries,

wetlands, and lakes by monitoring water

quality conditions and becoming active

stewards of the environment. Data collected by

these volunteers are used to build awareness of

pollution problems, encourage water cl

and help water quality managers make

pollution control decisions. Approxima

of all volunteer monitoring program

coordinators are women, and half of all

programs work with school-aged childr

school teachers. More information is av

online at http://www.epa.gov/owow/

monitoring/vol.html. [ENVIRONMEN

PROTECTION AGENCY]

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Expanding Your Horizons in Science 

Mathematics

The Environmental Protection Agency, 

6 (Texas), participated in a one-day con

held February 20, 1999, for sixth to eig

grade girls. The conference, sponsored 

American Association of University W

and held at Texas Woman’s University 

Denton, TX, was designed to emphasiz
270 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

importance of mathematics and science classes

through hands-on experience and expand the

participants’ knowledge of careers in the

mathematics- and science-related fields.

Approximately 400 young women, parents, and

teachers attended the conference. Region 6

Environmental Protection Agency participants

conducted several sessions and presented an

overview of the Agency’s goals and a brief

description of the work they do. Session topics

included safe drinking water and potential

harmful effects of improperly disposed waste.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

National Pesticide Telecommunications

Network

The National Pesticide Telecommunications

Network, a cooperative effort between Oregon

State University and the Environmental

Protection Agency, is a toll-free telephone

service that provides impartial information

about pesticides to anyone in the contiguous

United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin

Islands. The majority of callers to the National

Pesticide Telecommunications Network are

women. In 1998, 66 percent of callers were

women. Of these calls, about 45 percent were

health related, and about 14 percent involved

children's health or pregnancy.

[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY]

RISK ASSESSMENTS

Modifications to Hazardous Waste Risk

Assessment Models

The Environmental Protection Agency is

modifying risk assessment models to give

special consideration to children and women of

childbearing age. These risk assessments are

used to guide the toxic waste cleanup process at

sites where people may have been exposed and

to determine the necessity for further regulation

of chemicals and waste. Specific contaminants

for which the risk assessments are being

modified include lead and other chemicals that

can accumulate in the body and be passed on to

children through breast milk. Recent efforts

have established more realistic scenarios for

evaluating risks for women and children.

Efforts have been primarily focused in the area

of lead contamination. The Office of Solid

Waste and Emergency Response continues to

improve the analysis of risk to both children

and pregnant women. The target population is

women of childbearing age who may be

effected by exposure to toxic chemicals in the

environment and children who may have been

exposed to lead. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN

EMPLOYER

The Department of the Interior

Female leaders occupy a variety of positions

within the Department of the Interior.

Examples of key roles that these women

perform include Chief of Staff, Assistant

Secretary for Water and Science, Assistant

Secretary for Land and Minerals, Director of

Congressional Affairs, Director of External

Affairs, Associate Solicitor for Land and Water

Resources, Deputy Assistant Secretary of

Policy and International Affairs, Deputy

Assistant Secretary of Human Resources, and

Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.

In the Bureau of Land Management, the Senior

Executive Service staff is 42 percent female.

The representation of women within this

program has increased substantially over the

past seven years. Eight of the Bureau’s 19

current Senior Executive Service positions are

now filled by women. These women are

performing in vital decision-making positions

in the Bureau, including Deputy Director.

Women also hold seven of the twelve state

Director positions in the Bureau of Land
Women and the Environment2

Section K 

Management. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Global Persistent Organic Pollutants

Negotiations

In 1995 the Governing Council of the United

Nations Environment Program adopted a

mandate to develop an international mechanism

for the reduction and elimination of 12

persistent organic pollutants. The persistent

quality of these chemicals allows them to travel

long distances from their point of release.

Persistent organic pollutants are a concern to

human health and the environment; research

suggests persistent organic pollutants affect

reproduction in women and the development of

fetuses and newborns.

Countries around the world are participating in

negotiations to reduce the threat from persistent

organic pollutants to human health and the

environment. The International Negotiating

Committee, of which the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency’s Office of International

Activities, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and

Toxic Substances, and Office of Air and

Radiation are active members, expects to

conclude its negotiations in the year 2000 and

begin its implementation of reducing or

eliminating emissions from the 12 persistent

organic pollutants to reduce exposure of

humans and the environment to protect future

generations. The negotiations also will develop

criteria for adding new substances to the treaty

with the intention of reducing or eliminating

additional persistent organic pollutants in the

future. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Quebec-Labrador Foundation, Women’s

Leadership Training

The Quebec-Labrador Foundation received a

$74,960 grant from the United States

Information Agency in 1999 to conduc

program that encourages the growth of 

democratic institutions in the Czech and 

Republics through a training and excha

program for women working on enviro

and development issues in rural commu

The project will focus on women who a

playing a leadership role in non-govern

organizations and local and regional

governments. The project activities will 

a two-week U.S. study tour for eight w

three-day workshop on strategic planni

institutional management for 25 wome

Czech Republic, and a three-day works

coalition- and network-building for the 

women in the Slovak Republic. [UNIT

STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Pakistan

With support from United States Inform

Service Lahore, Pakistan's Ministry of

Environment has initiated South Asia's 

teacher-training program under Vice Pr

Gore's GLOBE (Global Learning and

Observations to Benefit the Environme

initiative. During the week of April 19, 

of 35 teachers from Pakistan's four prov

learned about the GLOBE approach to

instructing students about the environm

United States Information Service help

GLOBE and the World Wildlife Fund i

appropriate participants from Lahore's

environmental and educational commun

the post is serving as a clearinghouse fo

information on GLOBE and environme

awareness. Pakistan signed a GLOBE

agreement in 1997 and began its partici

with three schools in Islamabad the fol

year. [UNITED STATES INFORMAT

AGENCY]
272 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

K.2. Integrate gender concerns and perspectives in policies and programs for sustainable

development.

Gender and Renewable Energy

This research effort at the Department of

Energy’s National Renewable Energy

Laboratory explores gender differences in

energy use. In recent years, momentum has

been gathering and considerable interest has

been generated by the topic of gender at the

intersection of energy/environment/

development concerns. Men and women use

energy differently in many parts of the world

and have different energy needs and

requirements. Gender issues refer to

differential effect and impact on the activities

of both men and women. Because existing

gender disparities tend to disfavor women,

however, most gender-related interventions

relate to supply and consumption of energy by

women. Gender differences need to be

addressed to remove market barriers that

impede energy technologies from reaching

many households.

[DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Peace Corps and the Environment

Women play a key role in protecting and

preserving the environment at the grass roots

level. Approximately 1,000 Peace Corps

Volunteers in dozens of countries work with

women on sustainable natural resource

management projects and environmental

education. More information can be found

online at http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/

environment. An example of environmental

projects follows:

• In Honduras, between 1996 and 1998, Peace

Corps Volunteers in the western region

worked with a local women's group to build

and promote the use of Lorena stoves. These

stoves reduce firewood consumption and, in

turn, the time needed to gather firewood for

fuel by 50 percent. They also cook food

faster, which saves time spent in the kitchen;

carry smoke out of cooking areas, reducing

respiratory problems and eye irritation; and

aid in kitchen hygiene. Initially, 77 stoves

were built, 16 women were trained in their

use, nine women were trained as future

trainers, and 425 people in total were served

Other municipalities throughout the country

are now replicating this stove construction

project. [PEACE CORPS]

Women as Natural Resource Managers

In dealing with a range of environmental

issues—from solid waste management to

coastal resources management to biodiversity

conservation—the U.S. Agency for

International Development has supported

research and interventions to understand the

gender dimensions of environmental problems

and propose realistic solutions. In many

countries in which the Agency works, women

are the de facto primary resource managers as

they fulfill their responsibilities to collect water

and fuelwood, raise food and livestock for

family consumption and for sale, and dispose

of solid waste.

In Kenya, Namibia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and

other countries, the U.S. Agency for

International Development environmental

programs include a component that increases

revenue-producing opportunities for women

and involves them in decision-making about

how to conserve and manage resources. In

Namibia, for example, the Living in a Finite

Environment project supports the establishmen

of “conservancies” in targeted communal areas

which ensure nearby residents' rights to

manage natural resources and to receive

benefits derived from those resources. Women

are proving to be the major program
Women and the Environment2

Section K 

participants. In another example, in Peru,

women have received loans to start up or

expand solid waste collection businesses that

improve the environment and increase revenueproducing opportunities for low-income, urban

women. [U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT]

The United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees’ Environmental Trust Fund

In FY 1998 the Department of State’s Bureau

of Population, Refugees and Migration

contributed $600,000 to the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees’

Environmental Trust Fund. The Trust Fund was

involved with ten different activities that

included various environmental planning,

education, and protection programs along with

a program concerning gender and environment

projects in the Horn of Africa. Given the harsh

natural resource constraints in the Horn and the

resulting impact on women in particular, the

United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees aimed to assess gender-related

environmental needs.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania

In 1999 the Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration gave $1,499,614 in support of

CARE’s program in the Dadab refugee camp in

Kenya and Somalia to provide fuel-efficient

stoves to refugee women. These stoves reduce

cooking time and use 50 percent less firewood

and other fuels that are often scarce in refugee

situations. The Bureau has funded this program

since 1992. These stoves also address a major

security issue since women and girls who

gather firewood are often raped or sexually

harassed. Since the initiation of this program,

there has been a marked drop in sexual

violence. The Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration also funded CARE’s program in

1999 for $185,000 for environmental

management work in and around the ca

the Kigoma region of Tanzania. The pr

includes the provision of fuel-efficient 

stoves and training. The environmental

management program in the Ngara dist

indirectly funded by the Bureau, is run 

local non-governmental organization.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

K.3. Strengthen or establish mechanis

the national, regional, and internation

els to assess the impact of developmen

environmental policies on women.

POLICY, RESEARCH, TESTING, A

ASSESSMENT

The Federal Interagency Working Gr

the Environment and Women's Healt

Many major causes of death and disabi

women are environmentally mediated,

including breast and ovarian cancers,

osteoporosis, endometriosis, and uterin

fibroids. To bring coherence and organi

to existing diverse efforts on women’s h

and the environment and to provide a fo

point for action in this area, the Office 

Women's Health in the Department of H

and Human Services established the Fe

Interagency Working Group on the

Environment and Women's Health in 19

Working Group includes more than 40

representatives from Department of He

Human Services agencies, the Environm

Protection Agency, the Department of L

and the Department of Defense. The W

Group shares information, develops joi

initiatives, and mobilizes multiple agen

address women's health and the environ

focuses on how environmental factors a

and work, such as pollutants, exogenou
274 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

hormones, and other environmental factors may

contribute to the risk for diseases in women.

Four subcommittees carry out the Working

Group’s initiatives: Environmental Hormones,

Occupational Health, Environmental

Exposures, and Initiatives. The last

subcommittee has developed an inventory of

federal activities that address women's health

and the environment. The Working Group will

develop strategies to protect women from

environmental hazards. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE]

Gender Differences in Susceptibility to

Environmental Factors: A Priority

Assessment

On May 21, 1997, the Institute of Medicine

convened a panel of experts in a workshop and

deliberated on the state of knowledge on gender

differences in susceptibility to environmental

factors, appropriate research, and policy

strategies to ensure adequate protection of both

women and men from environmental factors

throughout their life cycles. The workshop was

co-sponsored by the Environmental Protection

Agency, the Office of Women's Health, the

Office of Research on Women's Health of the

National Institutes of Health, the National

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the

National Institute of Child Health of the

National Institutes of Health, and the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention.

In April 1998 the Institute of Medicine released

the workshop report Gender Differences in

Susceptibility to Environmental Factors: A

Priority Assessment. Recommendations from

the Institute of Medicine Committee focused

on three main areas: research on exposure,

basic biological research, and policy. The

report is available online at

http://www.nap.edu.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer

The Etiology Working Group of the National

Action Plan on Breast Cancer is working to

expand the scope of biomedical research

activities related to the causes of breast cancer

including environmental exposures. The

Working Group has sponsored ground-breaking

workshops, bringing together scientists and

breast cancer activists, on topics such as

hormones and the environment, ionizing

radiation exposure, and electromagnetic fields

and light-at-night. As a result of the Workshop

on Hormones, Hormone Metabolism, and the

Environment, a supplement was published in

Environmental Health Perspectives (105 [Supp

3], 1997). Summaries of these workshops are

also available online at http://www.napbc.org.

Additionally, the Working Group has

developed the Breast Cancer Comprehensive

Questionnaire, designed to provide researchers

with standardized questions on environmental

factors linked to breast cancer. The complete

questionnaire and interviewer’s manual are

available on the National Action Plan on Breas

Cancer website. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]
The Girl-Child

“This basic idea of val

each human person fairly 

what has united our move

across the boundaries of ge

phy, status, culture and tim

is what gives us faith that 

day will come when every 

everywhere, will be able to 

ahead with confidence that 

life will be valued, her ind

uality respected, her rights 

tected and her future

determined solely by her ow

ability and character.”

—Secretary of State

Madeleine K. Albright,

excerpted from her remark

the International Women’

Forum’s Hall of Fame Aw

Gala, October 15, 1999.

L.
276 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

round the world girls are regarded

as inferior to boys and face

discrimination, neglect, and exploitation

from the earliest stages of life,

throughout childhood, and into

adulthood. Even in developed countries

the evidence points to subtle or overt

discrimination in the family, schools,

and public life.

The Platform calls for the elimination of

all forms of discrimination against girls;

the elimination of negative cultural

attitudes and practices against girls; the

protection of girls’ rights and increased

awareness of their needs and potential;

the elimination of discrimination against

girls in education and training, in health

and nutrition; the elimination of

exploitation of child labor; the

eradication of violence against girls; the

promotion of girls’ awareness of and

participation in social, economic, and

political life; and the strengthening of

the role of the family in improving the

status of girls.

Many of the initiatives and programs

described in the preceding sections of

this document affect girls as well as

women, especially those initiatives and

programs related to education, health,

poverty, and violence.

L.2. Eliminate negative cultural attitudes and

practices against girls.

ADVOCACY

Child Fighters—Uganda

During her 1998 trip to Uganda with the

President, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton

spoke to more than 5,000 people at Makerere

University in Kampala, Uganda, about the

practice of abducting and forcing young

children to serve as resistance fighters in

Northern Uganda. She emphasized the

importance of health care, education, access to

credit, and other tools of opportunity needed

for women to support themselves and their

families. She also visited and spoke with

women business owners in Jinja, Uganda, who

received microcredit loans to establish their

businesses. [WHITE HOUSE]

L.3. Promote and protect the rights of the

girl-child and increase awareness of her

needs and potential.

DEVELOPING GIRLS’ SKILLS

Women’s Bureau Programs for Girls

The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau

regional offices co-sponsor and provide

technical assistance to various events and

programs for girls. Examples include programs

promoting hands-on experience with

technology, mathematics and science

education, non-traditional jobs, and young

women’s leadership. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

A
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

Garrett A. Morgan Technology and

Transportation Futures Program

The Garrett A. Morgan Program, introduced in

1997, seeks to inspire students of all ages to

consider transportation careers and to provide

them with the knowledge and skills to pursue

those careers. Because many transportation

professionals are approaching retirement age

and one in seven jobs in the economy is

transportation related, a large number of skilled

workers are needed. This program seeks to

raise awareness at all levels of education to the

needs of training and technology to meet the

needs of the 21st century. [DEPARTMENT

OF TRANSPORTATION]

Buena Park High School and the Willa

Brown Scholarship Program

For the past several years, the Federal Aviation

Administration's Western Pacific Region has

been working with Buena Park High School,

Buena Park, California. The high school has an

aviation magnet program, School of Aviation

Research, and draws students from the

Fullerton Unified School District and beyond.

The Federal Aviation Administration Regional

Office wrote an air traffic control training

curriculum for the school to use and donated

surplus air traffic control equipment the school

used to create a mock air traffic control tower.

In 1998 the Federal Aviation Administration

cemented their partnership with the school by

formally “adopting” them in a ceremony at a

local airport.

The school participates in a California-funded

program called the Willa Brown Scholarship

Program. The Federal Aviation Administration

picked the day for the formal adoption of the

high school and the airport location to coincide

with a significant event for three young women

enrolled in the school's School of Aviation

Research program—all three accomplished

their first solo flight that day as part of the Willa

Brown program. The three women have since

earned their private pilot certificates an

still enrolled in the School of Aviation

Research program at Buena Park.

[DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTA

Youth First: The Future of Indian

America—Planting the Seeds of Cult

Knowledge

The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affa

Commissioner of the Administration fo

Americans, and the Director of Indian H

Services joined together to sponsor a n

Indian youth conference entitled Youth 

The Future of Indian America—Plantin

Seeds of Culture and Knowledge in De

CO, in 1999. The conference not only p

Indian girls and boys with leadership sk

also addressed health, wellness, educat

identity issues facing today’s Indian you

conference also offered adult volunteer

opportunity to learn more about the ma

national resources available to assist

communities in developing initiatives f

youth. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Zimbabwe

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe's Spec

Help Program is promoting and protect

rights of the girl-child and increasing

awareness of her needs and potential. T

Help Program supported the Harare Ch

Halfway House, which provides shelter 

orphan girls and the Gwapa Women's C

the Midlands, an HIV/AIDS organizati

gives skills training and HIV/AIDS edu

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

GRANTS

National Endowment for the Human

Grants

The National Endowment for the Huma

Public Programs Division has supporte
278 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

projects over the past five years to promote the

potential of girls:

• Girls Dig It: A Nationwide Archaeology

Program for Girls

Through the National Endowment for the

Humanities’ support of $240,000 since 1996

for this five-year project, up to 100 adolescent

girls ages 12 to14 in six cities around the

United States will explore several aspects of

archaeology, from hands-on technical skills

to interpretation, with scholars at urban sites.

The project hopes to develop the investigative

and critical thinking skills of girls, primarily

from lower-income, minority families.

• Teen Mothers’ Reading Program

A $70,000 grant to the Vermont Humanities

Council in 1995 for multi-year support of this

project seeks to provide teenage mothers with

humanities reading and discussion programs

and encourages them to read to their small

children. [NATIONAL ENDOWMENT

FOR THE HUMANITIES]

EDUCATION

GIRL POWER!

Girl Power! is a multi-phase, national public

education campaign sponsored by the

Department of Health and Human Services to

help encourage and empower girls ages nine to

14 to make the most of their lives. Studies show

that girls tend to lose self-confidence and selfworth during this pivotal stage, becoming less

physically active, performing poorly in school,

and neglecting their own interests and

aspirations.

• First phase

During its first phase, Girl Power! combines

strong “no use” messages about tobacco,

alcohol, and illicit drugs with an emphasis on

providing opportunities for girls to build

skills and self-confidence in academics, arts,

sports, and other endeavors. Subsequent

phases will address related issues such as

physical activity, nutrition, and mental health

• Campaign Materials

To provide positive messages, accurate health

information, and support for girls and those

who care about them, the Girl Power!

campaign products include a diary for girls

containing writings and drawings by girls

ages nine through 14. Also available is a Girl

Power! Community Education Kit that

contains resources that adults can use to set

up a Girl Power! program in their community

For more information, check out the Girl

Power! website on the National

Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug

Information website at http://www.health.org

and national toll-free number 1-800-729-

6686.

Since its launch in 1996, the Girl Power!

campaign is becoming more visible and more

entrenched in local communities. As of

November 1998 Girl Power! reached more than

8.7 million people through messages, website

visits, and media circulation. The campaign

empowers girls while promoting good health.

• BodyWise Eating Disorders Educational

Campaign

The Office on Women’s Health is sponsoring

the BodyWise Eating Disorders Educational

Campaign for middle school educators. The

goal of the program is to increase awareness

and knowledge of eating disorders, including

their signs and symptoms, steps to take when

concerned about students, and ways to

promote healthy eating and reduce

preoccupation with body weight and size. An

information packet, distributed in fall 1999,

includes materials emphasizing the links

among healthy eating, positive body image,

and favorable learning outcomes. It will also

be available on the Girl Power! website.
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

• Improving upon Previous Government

Efforts

The Girl Power! campaign is distinct from

past federal government efforts. The Girl

Power! campaign recognizes that while some

messages work equally well for boys and

girls, girls also need to hear health messages

targeted to their unique needs, interests, and

challenges. The Girl Power! campaign takes a

comprehensive approach, addressing not only

a range of health issues but also the erosion of

self-confidence, motivation, and opportunity

that is too typical for many girls nine to 14

years of age. The Girl Power! campaign is

based on research indicating that girls at eight

or nine years of age typically have very

strong attitudes about their health. According

to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America's

1995 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, for

example, the overwhelming majority of girls

and boys in fourth through sixth grades

believe that “using drugs is dangerous.”

Younger girls also tend to be more physically

active than older girls. This campaign works

to reinforce and sustain these positive values

among girls nine to 14 years of age.

• Girl Neighborhood Power!

Girl Neighborhood Power! Building Bright

Futures for Success is a five-year national

demonstration program based on the

principles of positive youth developm

Initiated in 1997 as a component of th

Secretary’s National Strategy to Preve

Pregnancy, Girl Neighborhood Power

under the larger umbrella of the Depa

Girl Power! program. Its objectives in

promoting health and well-being of g

adolescents between the ages of nine 

encouraging connectedness between g

the communities in which they live,

developing leadership skills in girls a

young female adolescents, and foster

community and neighborhood investm

youth. Community partners develop

mechanisms to help girls and their fa

identify physical and mental health n

enroll in Medicaid and state Children

Health Insurance Programs, and to ac

appropriate health care services. Beca

school success can protect against en

in health-risky behaviors, community

partners develop programming to hel

with schoolwork and to help them fee

connected to school, and develop cre

service programs, including sports, fie

and writing projects to help girls deve

language skills and self-expression.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AN

HUMAN SERVICES]

Gender and Development Training a

Girls’ Education

The Peace Corps, with support from th

Agency for International Development

developed in 1997 a series of gender an

development training and girls’ educati

booklets for Peace Corps Volunteers an

to use during their overseas service. Th

booklets provide guidance on how to:

• Provide training for gender integratio

project design, implementation, and

evaluation;
280 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Strengthen women’s participation in Peace

Corps projects;

• Raise awareness of girls’ education issues

among Peace Corps staff, Volunteers, and

host-country counterparts;

• Increase the number of Peace Corps

education projects that specifically address

girls’ education issues; and

• Integrate girls’ education themes into other

Peace Corps program sectors, such as health,

environment, youth development, and

business development. [PEACE CORPS/

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]

*Girls’ Education and Scholarships

Education is the path to progress and

achievement for many women in the

developing world. Given the important role that

women play in development, the Peace Corps

places a high priority on strengthening

education for girls. Peace Corps Volunteers

work to increase girls’ life options through both

formal and non-formal education activities.

More information is available online at http://

www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/education. To

help families send girls to school and keep

them in school, Peace Corps Women in

Development committees work with schools

and local organizations in more than 20

countries worldwide to develop scholarship

programs. These scholarships target girls who

are academically talented and motivated and

are in need of financial assistance in order to

stay in school. Scholarships are provided at the

primary, secondary, and continuing education

levels. More than 1,000 girls have benefited

from the scholarships as of September 1999. A

creative project aimed at keeping girls in school

was supported by Peace Corps Volunteers in

Cote d’Ivoire in 1998. They helped to conduct

a 16-day bike-a-thon through 17 villages as

part of a national campaign to encourage

Ivoirian families to send their daughters to

school. Each village along the bike-a-thon

participated in a series of events—

presentations, contests, sports, and skits—

involving Ivoirian and international nongovernmental organizations and village

representatives. In 1999 Peace Corps

Volunteers in Mali initiated “bike across Mali”

based on the Cote d’Ivoire model. [PEACE

CORPS]

Girls’ Education Conferences

Peace Corps Volunteers in Ecuador,

Guatemala, Guinea, Malawi, Moldova,

Namibia, Panama, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda,

and Zimbabwe organize conferences and

workshops with girls to develop their selfesteem and self-confidence and broaden their

view of future options. The on-going

conference program began in the early 1990s.

Topics focus on girls’ education; girls’

strengths and abilities; life planning; life skills

job skills; health; division of labor within

families; female literacy rates; domestic

violence; issues girls face in the classroom; and

women in non-traditional roles such as doctors

lawyers, and entrepreneurs. Many of the girls

who attend the workshops give presentations a

primary and secondary schools when they

return to their towns or villages. [PEACE

CORPS]
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

L.4. Eliminate discrimination against girls in

education, skills development, and training.

PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

White House Office of Science and

Technology’s Committee on Science

The U.S. Geological Survey, within the

Department of the Interior, is an active member

of the White House Office of Science and

Technology’s Committee on Science. The

Committee sponsored a conference on the

Workforce of the Future and is finalizing a

report that identifies both barriers and solutions

to ensuring that girls receive the appropriate

education and training to succeed as scientists,

mathematicians, and engineers in the future

workforce. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of

Indian Affairs’ Partnerships

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of

Indian Affairs is committed to bringing

corporations and schools together in

partnerships. The initiatives and programs that

these partnerships support are opportunities for

both girls and boys to explore computer

technology in their schools. [DEPARTMENT

OF THE INTERIOR]

Community Activities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is actively

involved in community activities designed to

inform students (girls and boys) about the

agency’s mission and career opportunities.

Because many major occupations in the

workforce have been non-traditional career

choices for women, and because there is a need

to increase the representation of women

employed in these occupations, girls are

encouraged to pursue these career fields.

Agency personnel conduct community

activities nationwide. They participate in career

days, science fairs, and other school and

community activities. In addition, the a

has adopted schools and supports activ

schools adopted by U.S. Department of

Agriculture or other federal agencies.

[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUR

Career Awareness and Resource Edu

Program

The Career Awareness and Resource Ed

Program is a community program spon

since 1979 by the Commerce Departme

Technology Administration at its Natio

Institute of Standards and Technology’

Boulder Laboratories. This program is a

promoting mathematics and science aw

to students in fourth through 12th grade

Scientists and engineers talk to children 

the classrooms and when schools visit 

Laboratories. In addition, educational m

such as publications, videos, slide show

science kits are lent to teachers for clas

use. All program services are free of ch

More information can be found online 

http://www.boulder.nist.gov/exec/care.h

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

SCIENCE: Get Psyched!

The SCIENCE: Get Psyched! event is h

by the National Institute of Standards a

Technology, part of the Commerce

Department’s Technology Administrati

year for three local Girl Scout Councils 

girls the skills and encouragement to co

in the fields of science, technology, and

corporate leadership. Sponsored by the

National Institute of Standards and

Technology’s Physics Laboratory and

organized by staff from the Physics Lab

and the Building and Fire Research Lab

the SCIENCE: Get Psyched program b

May 1994. Approximately 200 girls att

day-long program of hands-on demons

and oral presentations by National Insti

Standards and Technology volunteers.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]
282 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

INTERNET

Patent and Trademark Office Kids Pages

On August 31, 1999, the Commerce

Department’s Patent and Trademark Office

introduced a website for children. The Kids

Pages website, fully funded by the Patent and

Trademark Office, provides patent and

trademark information in a language that kids

can understand. The website exposes children

to the inventive thinking process in a positive,

fun environment and will generate an interest in

inventing and the patent and trademark

systems. The site answers kids’ most frequently

asked questions and contains games, puzzles,

and stories about inventors and inventions. The

target audience is children in kindergarten

through 12th grades, as well as their parents,

teachers, and coaches. The website encourages

girls in particular, giving them the opportunity

to find, explore, and interact with science and

technology in an entertaining way. Exposing

girls to such materials at an early age increases

the likelihood of more future scientists and

engineers who are female. More information

can be found online at http://www.uspto.gov/

web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/index.html.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Health Science Curriculum Online

The National Institutes of Health, Office of

Science and Education, and the Office on

Women’s Health are collaborating to make

available on the Girl Power! website access to

an existing project, Health Science Curriculum

Online. This Curriculum is a unique learning

experience that integrates science, health

information, health resources, and career

opportunities. The Curriculum consists of

scenarios based on topics such as diabetes,

cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It

emphasizes the importance of understanding

one’s personal health risk factors, the science

behind the risk factors, and the interdisciplinary

nature of science. Students explore their family

and community risk factors to determine their

own health risks to make appropriate lifestyle

changes. [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Africa

The United States Information Service

Conakry used the March 3 Africa Journal

Educating the Girl-Child in Africa as a focal

point for its first Women’s History Month

activity. The Peace Corps Director and a

Guinean doctor (both women) led a discussion

on sensitizing people to the need for girls’

education. Violence against women and female

genital mutilation were talked about, and the

audience of 45 men and women from civic

education groups and the legal profession

found the debate enriching. This Africa Journa

provided a prime opportunity for the post to

support Peace Corps’ and U.S. Agency for

International Development’s girls’ education

efforts in Guinea. [UNITED STATES

INFORMATION AGENCY]

Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia

The Department of State’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration provided

the United Nations Children’s Fund with

$8,000,000 for the Balkans region in 1999,

about 20 percent of which has been used for

primary and secondary education in Kosovo,

Albania, and Macedonia. The Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration is

contributing approximately $2,500,000 to the

International Medical Corps and the

International Rescue Committee to establish

youth centers throughout Kosovo that

incorporate youth activities, job-skills training

counseling, health education, and capacity

building for youth-focused non-governmental

organizations. These projects focus on

empowerment and provide psychosocial

support to war-affected Kosovar youth.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

Kenya

In 1999 the Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration funded the Lutheran World

Federation in Kakuma, Kenya, for a

psychosocial program aimed at allowing young

girls to participate in after-school activities. In

refugee camps, many young women miss out

on a traditional childhood and are not allowed

to attend school because they are needed at

home. The Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration provided $417,640 towards the

psychosocial component of this program. The

money goes toward giving extra food rations to

refugee families in return for allowing girls to

participate in after-school activities. The

program also provides counseling to young

women who have been traumatized by conflict

or living in a refugee situation.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Tanzania

Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration

Assistant Secretary recently announced a

$70,000 contribution to the United Nations

Children’s Fund for its Peace and Conflict

Resolution program for primary schools in the

refugee camps in Tanzania. This program will

benefit young girls who may have dealt with

war and conflict throughout their young lives.

They will be educated in getting along with

those of differing backgrounds, to prevent

future conflicts with neighboring ethnic groups.

Approximately 80,000 school children from

first through sixth grades are currently enrolled

in 47 schools in nine camps stretching more

than 400 km from Ngara to Kigoma districts.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Somalia

The Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration is supporting Save the Children’s

$231,997 program to benefit the children of

North Western Somalia. The area known as the

Horn of Africa has been the scene of wars,

drought, famine, and floods and a focus of U.S.

government humanitarian concern for 40 years.

The program is designed to assist returning

children, especially girls, who do not h

access to education. The program focus

teacher training, building schools, and w

with the government on the rights of th

This program is designed to promote p

and programs in North Western Somali

consistent with the United Nations Con

for the Rights of the Child by the gover

of Somalia. [DEPARTMENT OF STA

Palestinians

The Bureau of Population, Refugees an

Migration also contributes about $80,00

year to support the United Nations Reli

Works Agency for Palestine Refugees i

Near East for the general program budg

almost 60 percent of which is focused o

providing education to nearly 500,000

Palestinian refugee students in 650 sch

Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, an

The Bureau of Population, Refugees an

Migration also supports the United Nat

Relief and Works Agency for Palestine

Refugees in the Near East’s eight vocat

training centers, including one exclusiv

women, that provide advanced technica

education to Palestinian refugee men an

women. [DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Efforts to Keep Girls in School

The U.S. Agency for International

Development sponsors a variety of acti

address girls’ participation and perform

school. Activities in Latin America and 

Caribbean include messages to parents 

the importance of girls’ education, teac

training on gender stereotypes, school f

programs, and bilingual curricula. In A

the Agency supports local efforts to kee

in school, such as waiving fees, employ

more female teachers, digging wells an

latrines, revising curricula to address gi

needs, and creating new primary schoo

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT]
284 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

L.5. Eliminate discrimination against girls in

health and nutrition.

Take Time to Care Project

The Office on Women’s Health will be

partnering with the Food and Drug

Administration to develop a Girl Power!

component to the current Take Time to Care

project. This project is aimed at older women to

raise awareness of using medications wisely

and properly. A variation of this program will

be developed that targets girls with chronic

illnesses. Girl Power! will provide the message

that taking charge of one’s body and one’s

health is an important component to having

Girl Power! An informational brochure for girls

as well as a module for the Girl Power! website

will be created. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

L.6. Eliminate the economic exploitation of

child labor and protect young girls at work.

ENFORCING LABOR LAWS IN THE

UNITED STATES

Safe Work/Safe Kids

In FY 1999 the Secretary of Labor announced a

new initiative, Safe Work/Safe Kids, to increase

compliance with U.S. labor laws and maintain

momentum in reducing on-the-job injuries to

American teenagers. The goal is to assure that

young people have opportunities for instructive

and constructive early work experiences that

enhance and do not compete with their

education and that are safe. The initiative

employs a comprehensive strategy of enhanced,

targeted enforcement; increased compliance

education aimed at employers, parents, and

teenagers; stronger partnerships with states,

businesses, and other organizations; and

heightened public awareness. Two previously

underway campaigns have been incorporated

into this initiative. The Work Safe This

Summer campaign, launched each spring

beginning in 1996, kicked off the Department’s

efforts to keep the four to five million teenagers

who work during the summer safe. The Fair

Harvest/Safe Harvest campaign, launched in

fall 1998, focuses on ensuring the safe

employment of teenagers in agriculture. For

more information, see the Wage and Hour

website at http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/public/

whd_org.htm. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

INTERNATIONAL CHILD LABOR

Research and Reporting

In response to a direct request from Congress in

FY 1994, the Department of Labor’s Bureau of

International Labor Affairs established a

specialized unit to investigate, research, and

report on the plight of working children around

the world, particularly those involved in the

production of goods imported into the United

States. The Bureau of International Labor

Affairs has established itself, and thus the U.S

government, as one of the most important and

reliable sources for information and policy

recommendations on exploitative child labor.

In FY 1999 Congress asked the Bureau of

International Labor Affairs to undertake a study

on the economic benefits that could be realized

from the elimination of abusive and

exploitative child labor and the increased

enrollment of these children in school. The

study will look at the economic benefits to

individual countries and to possible global

benefits, in particular U.S. trade, that would

result from the elimination of abusive and

exploitative child labor.

In June 1999 President Clinton signed

Executive Order No. 13126, which prohibits

federal procurement of goods that are mined,

manufactured, or produced, wholly or in part,

using forced or indentured child labor. In

October 1999 the Department of Labor, in
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

consultation with the Department of Treasury

and the Department of State, published a list of

goods that the Department of Labor believes

may have been made with forced or indentured

child labor. This list will be maintained on a

regular basis. [DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

International Program on the Elimination of

Child Labor

Since 1995 Congress has appropriated a total of

$37,100,000 for the Department of Labor’s

Bureau of International Labor Affairs to

contribute to the International Labor

Organization’s International Program on the

Elimination of Child Labor—a worldwide

program to eliminate child labor. In FY 1999

the Clinton Administration, with the support of

Congress, allocated about $30,000,000 to fund

activities addressing child labor internationally,

including a nearly tenfold increase in funding

for the International Program on the

Elimination of Child Labor. The Bureau of

International Labor Affairs plans to focus this

funding on four major goals: eliminating child

labor in specific hazardous occupations,

increasing the number of countries effectively

participating in the International Program on

the Elimination of Child Labor program,

documenting the extent and nature of child

labor in order to develop effective policies and

programs for its elimination, and raising public

awareness and disseminating information about

the plight of working children.

Among the International Program on the

Elimination of Child Labor programs funded

by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs

are the following:

• Guatemala: Combating child labor in the

stone quarries and fireworks workshops;

• Haiti: Program to help child domestic

servants;

• Pakistan: Programs to phase children 

the soccerball and carpet industries, p

them with educational opportunities, 

establish a system for monitoring

compliance;

• South Africa: Statistical survey on chi

in South Africa;

• Thailand: Program to prevent child la

child prostitution;

• Southeast Asia: Programs to combat 

labor in the footwear and fishing indu

and

• Bangladesh: Program to remove child

from Bangladesh Garment Manufactu

and Exporters Association factories a

provide the children with educational

opportunities. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR]

International Labor Organization

Convention 182 Concerning the Proh

and Immediate Action for the Elimin

the Worst Forms of Child Labor

In June 1999 President Clinton and Sec

of Labor Alexis Herman addressed the

International Labor Organization in Ge

and pledged their support for a new con

to prohibit the worst forms of child lab

International Labor Organization’s una

adoption of Convention 182 on the Wo

Forms of Child Labor represents a sign

first step in the struggle to eradicate the 

intolerable forms of child labor, includi

forced or indentured labor of children, 

prostitution, forced recruitment of child

use in armed conflicts, and employmen

children in other forms of work that are

harmful to their health, safety, or moral

November 1999 the U.S. Senate ratified 

International Labor Organization Conv

For more information on international c
286 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

labor, visit the Department of Labor’s

International Child Labor Program website at

http://www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/programs/

iclp/.

[DEPARTMENT OF LABOR]

Department of State Efforts

The Department of State has been active in the

elimination of child labor. Programs in

conjunction with the International Labor

Organization have been initiated in the soccer

ball industry in Pakistan and the garment

industry in Bangladesh. In 1999 a new program

will be implemented in the carpet belt in India.

The State Department has also targeted the

trafficking in girls from Nepal and Bangladesh

for bonded labor and forced prostitution in

India and Pakistan as areas needing serious

U.S. attention and funding support.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

At-Risk Children and Youth

The Peace Corps’ youth development programs

often work with at-risk youth, including street

children and orphans, and seek to enhance the

capacity of local organizations serving at-risk

youth. Examples include:

Since 1997 a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador

has worked with the National Institution of the

Family and Child, a semi-autonomous

government organization that works with

families, communities, and schools; enhances

family and children’s rights; and strives for the

eradication of dangerous child labor. The

National Institution of the Family and Child

has focused on populations of at-risk girls and

boys, particularly those who work in the city

garbage dump collecting materials for

recycling. In 1998 the Institution formed a

youth group close to the dump to provide

alternative educational activities in the

afternoon for approximately 30 children. Youth

group meetings include self-esteem activities

and art projects.

In the Youth Education Project on the Eastern

Caribbean Island of Grenada, Volunteers work

to increase employment opportunities for atrisk-youth by strengthening existing nongovernmental, alternative educational

institutions that provide academic, technical,

and life-skills training and encourage selfemployment and a self-help approach.

Volunteers have worked with the Adolescent

Self-Development Program (organized by

Grenada Save the Children) and have targeted

35 youth (ages 11 to 13, half females) at a

secondary school to focus on prevention of

teenage pregnancy. As part of the Parent

Exchange Program (organized by Grenada

Save the Children), 15 parents received

information at monthly meetings on subjects

such as child development, being a single

parent, raising children’s self-esteem,

discipline versus abuse, and activities for

children aged six months to five years. In

addition, a weekly radio parenting program

series of approximately 20 shows devoted a

half-hour presentation to these topics, followed

by a half-hour of questions and answers from

the listeners. [PEACE CORPS]

L.7. Eradicate violence against the girl-child.

VIOLENT CRIMES

Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children

and Sexually Violent Offender Registration

Act

Enacted as part of the 1994 Violence Against

Women Act, the Jacob Wetterling law provides

states with a financial incentive to establish

registration systems for child molesters and

other persons convicted of sexually violent

crimes. Megan’s Law amends the Jacob
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

Wetterling Act and addresses notifying

community members when an offender is

released into their community. The Department

of Justice has filed amicus briefs in cases

challenging the constitutionality of these laws

and has participated in state and federal

litigation defending the validity of sex offender

registration and notification systems.

[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

Statutory Rape

To train state and local law enforcement on the

prevention and prosecution of statutory rape,

the Department of Justice sponsored a national

symposium for prosecutors, police, social

workers, and educators in June 1997 and is

funding the development of a compendium of

promising practices for handling statutory rape

cases.

Through a cooperative agreement with the

International Association of Chiefs of Police,

the Violence Against Women Office supported

the development of a model policy for police

departments to address the problem of

domestic violence perpetrated by police

officers. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

SERVICES

Child Welfare

The Department of Health and Human Services

funds state child welfare agencies to provide a

range of child welfare services to help keep

families at risk or in crisis together when

appropriate or to ensure that children achieve

permanency in another family, including family

preservation and support services, child abuse

and neglect services, and foster care and

adoption services. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

Foster Care and Adoption Assistance

Programs

The Department of Health and Human Services

is also authorized by Title IV-E of the Social

Security Act to provide funds to states 

foster care maintenance payments to ce

eligible children who require placement 

of their homes and adoption assistance 

parents who adopt children with specia

In December 1996 the President announ

goal of doubling the number of adoptio

2002. In response, the Department of H

and Human Services recommended a s

to accomplish this goal that included m

tax credits available to adoptive familie

financial incentives to states to increase 

number of children adopted from the p

foster care system. Congress subsequen

authorized the tax credits and adoption

incentives and passed legislation that re

the child welfare system by focusing on 

timely permanency and safety of childr

The Child Abuse and Neglect program 

states and grantees in several different

programs authorized by the Child Abus

Neglect Prevention and Treatment Act. 

programs seek to assist states to meet th

responsibilities for the prevention and

integration in cases of child abuse and 

by providing funds and technical assist

generating knowledge by funding resea

service improvement programs, and

demonstration projects; generating kno

through the ongoing collection of data 

the scope and nature of the problem, its

consequences, and the effectiveness of

prevention and treatment services; facil

information dissemination and exchang

supporting policy development and the

education of professionals in the field.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

The Indian Child Welfare Act

The Indian Child Welfare Act provides 

resources to protect Indian children and 

the separation of Indian families. Burea
288 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Indian Affairs and Tribal social services

programs are mandated to respond to all reports

of child abuse and neglect in Indian Country.

As these programs assist in the protection and

preservation of the Indian family, Indian

women are thereby supported in their role as

both mother and, often, head of household. In

1998 there were more than 27,000 referrals to

the more than 500 Bureau and Tribal programs

for child abuse and neglect investigations.

More than 40 percent of the referrals involved

some form of substance abuse.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Refugee Children

The Department of State’s Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration has long

been a global leader in addressing the needs of

refugee children. In 1998 the Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration supported

the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees and its programs for at-risk refugee

children and adolescents with a $4,230,000

contribution. The United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees’ programs include

the improvement of education, child rights, life

skills, tolerance education, girls’ education, and

capacity building in Afghanistan and Pakistan,

in the Commonwealth of Independent States, in

the Horn of Africa, and in West Africa. In

addition, a focus was placed on the

identification and reunification of

unaccompanied minors in the Great Lakes

Region of Africa. [DEPARTMENT OF

STATE]

Liberia

The Bureau of Population, Refugees and

Migration contributed $1,500,000 to the

Liberian Children’s Initiative, which was

developed jointly by the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees and the United

Nations Children’s Fund to address the rights

and needs of returnee and internally displaced

children and adolescents in Liberia stemming

from seven years of war and instability. The

Initiative directly assisted an estimated 90,000

returning Liberian children and adolescents to

recover from the effects of war and to

reintegrate back into their home communities.

These efforts were accomplished through

support to educational facilities, child tracing,

income generation, and child rights awareness

Included as part of the educational sector are

support programs focusing on girls who have

suffered rape or are adolescent mothers.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

L.8. Promote the girl-child’s awareness of and

participation in social, economic, and politica

life.

YOUTH PROGRAMS AND CAMPS

Hermanita Summer Institute

The Office of Minority Health supported

MANA, a National Latina Organization, in

conducting its First Annual Hermanita Summer

Institute July 9 to 11, 1998. This event is a

youth leadership development, mentoring, and

stay-in-school effort geared to teenage Latinas

and their families.

The Second Annual Hermanita Summer

Institute was held during the summer of 1999

in Washington, D.C. The Bureau of Health

Professions and the Maternal and Child Health

Bureau contributed a total of $15,000 in

support of this event. The Office on Minority

Health contributed an additional $5,000.

[DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES]

Science Camp

The Department of the Interior’s U.S.

Geological Survey sponsors a summer Science

Camp with several two-week sessions for
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

children at various age levels. Approximately

half of the participants are girls. The campers

work with U.S. Geological Survey scientists

and learn about science through fun, interactive

programs. In addition, the bureau sponsors and

cooperates with other science-related camps in

various regions of the country.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Indian Youth Programs

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of

Indian Affairs offers a variety of Indian youth

programs, including a series of intramural and

scholastic sports programs that offer both girls

and boys an opportunity to participate and

develop leadership skills. The Mountain High

Program teaches self-confidence and reinforces

self-esteem. It includes a ropes course, outdoor

group and classroom training, and individual

study. [DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR]

Boys and Girls Clubs of America

Jointly with the Department of Justice, the

Department of Labor provides funding for the

start-up and operation of career preparation

programs at 40 Boys and Girls Clubs

throughout the country. With additional

funding provided by the Taco Bell Foundation,

the Clubs establish and operate Teen Supreme

Centers, which provide job readiness training

and career guidance to youth who reside in the

targeted communities. [DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]

The Youth with Disabilities Leadership

Forum

The Youth with Disabilities Leadership Forum

is a unique career leadership training program

for high school juniors and seniors with

disabilities, providing them with an opportunity

to learn full citizenship skills, thereby

enhancing both their employment potential and

their ability to contribute to society. Started in

California in 1992, the Youth with Disabilities

Leadership Forum has been replicated 

states and Puerto Rico, with planning un

12 more states. At least 50 percent of th

participants are female.

The Youth with Disabilities Leadership 

is a four-day, concentrated, educational 

motivational experience during which t

delegates participate in a wide range of

activities and learning experiences in sm

large group sessions. Delegates take pa

facilitated discussions and exercises de

to develop their personal leadership ski

career development plans. In order to p

leadership by example, the staff and the

presenters at the Forum are successful 

accomplished adults with disabilities w

traveled the same path these young peo

facing. At the end of the Youth with Dis

Leadership Forum, the student delegate

a commitment to follow through on var

goals they set for themselves. For more

information visit http://www.pcepd.gov

[PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON

EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WIT

DISABILITIES (DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR)]

Spearheading Lifetime Learning Wit

Spend Time With America's Youth P

The Spend Time with America's Youth

Summer Program was created as a mod

learning program in response to the Pre

Summit for America's Future. Eight yo

women, ages 14 to 16, were selected fr

General Services Administration's “ado

school,” the Options Public Charter Sch

the Capital Children's Museum, for

participation in the program. This schoo

a population of the 100 most-at-risk fif

eighth grade students in Washington, D
290 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

As part of the program, the General Services

Administration addressed three program

objectives: to provide consistent role models to

foster personal development and increase selfesteem, to improve communications and

interpersonal skills, and to instill a desire for

learning. During the six-week program, the

young women learned listening skills, respect,

courtesy, and consistency in attendance and

punctuality. They became proficient in

elementary computer usage and Internet

exploration. In addition, the Department of the

Interior organized many of the field trips for the

students.

As a direct result of participating in the

program, two students were placed in jobs

within the General Services Administration

under the D.C. Summer Youth Employment

Programs. [GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION]

BENEFITS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY

FOR CHILDREN

Social Security Benefits for Children

Children may be eligible for benefits

administered by Social Security:

• Supplemental Security Income is payable to

children with disabilities under age 18 who

have limited income and resources or who

come from homes with limited income and

resources. Currently, almost one million

disabled children receive these payments.

• Social Security dependent’s benefits are

payable to children under age 18 on the

record of a parent who is collecting

retirement or disability benefits from Social

Security, or survivor’s benefits are payable to

children under age 18 on the record of a

parent who has died. Currently, 3.7 million

children receive Social Security benefits: 1.9

million as survivors of deceased parents, 1.4

million as children of disabled workers, and

0.4 million as children of retired workers.

• If a child has disabilities and those disabilities

continue into adulthood, the Social Security

benefits described above will continue

beyond age 18.

More information is available online at

http://www.ssa.gov. [SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION]

REDUCING TEEN PREGNANCY

National Strategy to Prevent Teen

Pregnancy

In 1997 the Department of Health and Human

Services launched its National Strategy to

Prevent Teen Pregnancy—a comprehensive

plan to prevent teen pregnancies and to support

and encourage adolescents to remain abstinent

The new strategy will strengthen the

Department's ongoing efforts to assure that

every community in the country is working to

prevent teenage pregnancies. Department of

Health and Human Services-supported

programs that include teen pregnancy

prevention already reach an estimated 30

percent of communities in the United States.

Two such programs are:

• The Community Coalition Partnership

Program for the Prevention of Teen

Pregnancy

In 1995 two-year grants were awarded to

community-wide coalitions in communities

with high rates of teenage pregnancy.

Renewed funding since FY 1997 has helped

the 13 community coalition partnerships

implement their action plans for supporting

effective and sustainable teen pregnancy

prevention programs, evaluate the impact of

these programs, and support related data

collection, evaluation, and dissemination

activities.
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

• The Adolescent Family Life Program

This program, administered under Title XX

of the Public Health Service Act, supports

demonstration projects to reduce adolescent

pregnancy, largely through abstinence-based

education, and to provide comprehensive

social and medical services to pregnant and

parenting adolescents and their infants. An

independent evaluation is required of each

demonstration project. In FY 1998, 83

projects were funded in 37 states and the

District of Columbia. In addition, the

program supported eight research projects

examining causes and consequences of

adolescent pregnancy. [DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES]

INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

Mentoring

Peace Corps Volunteers in more than 20

countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia

are involved in mentoring activities that link

girls to professional women from the girls’

regions. Their goal is to broaden girls’ view of

the value of education and to encourage them to

stay in school, to expose girls to different

professional and non-traditional opportunities

available to them, and to establish a mentoring

system. Each year, approximately 200 girls

from rural communities visit larger cities and

observe women at work in traditional and nontraditional professions and witness the

responsibilities and freedom that come from

being an educated professional woman. For

example:

• In Ethiopia a local non-governmental

organization is continuing a Young Girls'

Mentoring Project, initiated and pioneered by

Peace Corps Volunteers in 1997. The project

brings young girls to Addis Ababa to meet

and stay with prominent Ethiopian women,

observing their life at home and at work.

These girls are chosen on the basis of an

essay contest entitled Why Girls’ Edu

is Important; 24 girls and 12 adult rol

models attended the 1998 workshop.

• In February 1999 Peace Corps Paragu

organized the Day of the Professiona

Woman. Eight young women from th

countryside visited and interviewed fi

professional women at their workplac

reporter at a radio station, a hair styli

beauty salon, a nurse at the Red Cros

general manager of a bank, and a pos

clerk. The goal was to introduce rural 

to professional role models, some of 

had come from rural backgrounds, an

demonstrate that a variety of opportu

exist for women in the workplace.

• In November 1998 the Women in

Development/Gender and Developme

Committee in Panama held its second 

Rural Women’s Conference. The goa

teach 30 rural women from seven pro

how to give presentations in their

communities on five different subject

esteem, conflict resolution, nutrition,

violence against women, and women

rights. The Committee members had

previously given similar presentation

this conference trained highly motiva

women to continue that work in the f

[PEACE CORPS]

Preparing Orphans for the Future

Peace Corps Volunteers work in approx

14 countries with teenage girls in orpha

provide them with skills that will increa

employment options when they leave th

orphanage.

In Bulgaria in 1997 a Peace Corps Volu

began working with girls in an orphana

help them build self-esteem and develo

better chance of employment when the

eventually left the orphanage at age 18

girls received training in computers, co
292 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

cosmetology, and clothing design. After the

courses, the girls took a qualifying exam and

were certified as computer proficient (11 girls)

and as assistant cooks (16 girls). They are

working in restaurants, offices, and a

manufacturing plant. Young women remaining

in the institution now have a better chance of

employment when they leave the orphanage.

In Kenya a Peace Corps Volunteer works with

two rehabilitation centers for orphans and street

children in Nakuru. She encourages home

hygiene and self-esteem among the 38 children

(girls and boys). The Volunteer has organized

seminars for the social workers at the centers to

develop their skills in working with the

children, and, through a Lions Club in her

home town, she has collected books and school

supplies for distribution to the orphans and

street children. [PEACE CORPS]

Girls Business Development

Peace Corps Volunteers are teaching or serving

as business consultants for Junior Achievement

projects in at least 30 countries worldwide.

These projects educate young women about

business and economics, broaden their

horizons, and help to prepare them for the

workforce. For example, as part of a Junior

Achievement project in a secondary school

economics class in Moldova in 1997, young

women started and successfully operated their

own company. The girls designed and sold

clothing for teens, incorporating traditional

Moldavian embroidery motifs. The class used

the profits to purchase curtains for their school

and fund a trip to participate in the European

Junior Achievement annual Student Company

in Poland. Additional information on business

development activities may be found online at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/business

Examples of business development activities

include:

• With local teachers, city education

department representatives, and the Ministry

of Education, Peace Corps staff in

Turkmenistan organized a three-day

Women’s Job Opportunity Fair for girls

between the ages of 15 and 17. The fair was

held in the spring of 1998, and approximately

250 girls attended.

• In 1997 Peace Corps Volunteers in

Kazakhstan organized activities in

conjunction with International Women’s Day

as a way to increase young women’s

knowledge about career options and their

future possibilities. Approximately 25

women and high school students participated

in the event. The students visited professiona

women during their work day to gain an

understanding of different careers. The

women learned the importance of nurturing

the younger women and their own

importance as role models. [PEACE

CORPS]

L.9. Strengthen the role of the family in

improving the status of the girl-child.

Take Your Child To Work Day at the

Department of Commerce

In April 1999 the Office of Administration for

the Department of Commerce sponsored Take

Your Child to Work Day, a series of workshops

and activities aimed at educating young people

about the Department’s mission and programs,

as well as issues affecting the workplace. More

than 175 children participated in the April 27,

1999, event held at the Herbert C. Hoover
The Girl-Child 2

Section L 

Building, the highlight of which was a morning

“press conference” with Commerce Secretary

Daley. Following a lively question and answer

session with the Secretary, the children spent

the day learning about a variety of careers and

issues Commerce employees address each day.

Take Your Child To Work Day was also

sponsored in 1998.

[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE]

Take Your Children to Work Day at the

Department of the Interior

The daughters and sons of Department of the

Interior employees are encouraged to

participate in the annual Take Your Children to

Work Day in April each year. Various

Department offices sponsor tours and exhibits,

shadowing opportunities, meetings with female

senior managers, and other activities as part of

this program. Many offices coordinate with

their local schools to follow up with the

activities the children started at work.

[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR]

Take Our Daughters to Work Day at the

Department of State

On April 23, 1998, the President’s Interagency

Council on Women sponsored a special activity

for Take Our Daughters to Work Day. The

theme for the day was Imagine a Day...When a

Woman is President of the United States.

Approximately 45 high school junior and

senior girls from D.C. public schools visited

the Department of State and participated in

working group discussions and a reception with

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

Council Members from the President’s

Interagency Council on Women served as

mentors for the students during their visit. The

students spent time with mentors attending

meetings, touring the building, and learning

about their jobs.

[DEPARTMENT OF STATE]

Take Our Daughters To Work Day A

Environmental Protection Agency

Each April the U.S. Environmental Pro

Agency sponsors activities in support o

Our Daughters to Work Day. Hundreds 

young girls between the ages of nine an

come to work with adult mentors—par

grandparents, cousins, aunts, and friend

learn first-hand the range of life options 

them. Young girls receive a better

understanding of the Agency’s work an

inspired to share the Environmental Pro

Agency’s commitment to public service 

environment. [ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY]

Take Our Daughters to Work Day at 

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration als

participates in the Take Our Daughters 

Day. Since 1995 annual attendance at th

Business Administration program has b

about 80 to 100 girls between the ages 

and 14. Typically, the day-long program

includes a theme and a formal program 

Let’s Communicate Success and Ordina

Women Doing Extraordinary Things. T

spend their day in the workplace with a 

or a sponsor, accompanying them to me

and helping with work assignments in t

offices.

[SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRA
294 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF STATE SUMMARY

Under the leadership of Secretary of State

Madeleine Albright, the U.S. Department of

State is putting the advancement of the human

rights of women in the forefront of U.S. foreign

policy.

The Department of State has an outstanding

record in advancing women’s political and

economic participation, working to eliminate

violence against women and supporting access

to health and education for women. Our

Embassies and Consulates overseas and

Bureaus within the Department regularly carry

out programs, policies and activities that

advance the status of women in countries

around the world.

Within the Department of State, the joint office

of the President’s Interagency Council on

Women and the Office of the Senior

Coordinator for International Women’s Issues

is responsible for coordinating policy on

women, advancing the human rights of women

and integrating issues of concern to women into

the U.S. foreign policy agenda. Congress

created the Senior Coordinator position in 1994

to promote women’s human rights within U.S.

foreign policy. The Senior Coordinator for

International Women’s Issues, Theresa Loar,

also serves as Director of the President’s

Interagency Council on Women.

The major vehicle for Secretary Albright’s

mandate to expand women’s political and

economic participation is the on-going, Vital

Voices Initiative, first launched in Vienna,

Austria in July 1997 and later convened for

Northern Ireland; Latin America; the

Caribbean; Russia and the Baltic States 

Central Asia. Through workshops in la

leadership, politics and public life, and

economics and business, women leader

government and private sectors work to

for strong democracies and economic

prosperity. The Initiative is directed by 

Loar, Senior Coordinator for Internatio

Women’s Issues and Director of the Pre

Interagency Council on Women. Vital 

has the full support of the White House 

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton add

each of the Conferences and Roundtabl

As follow-up to the Vital Voices Initiat

Uruguay and Trinidad, U.S. embassies 

supported training throughout Latin Am

and the Caribbean on economic and po

participation of women.

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women and the Office of the Senior

Coordinator has taken the lead in highl

violence against women. It has worked 

coordination with other bureaus and of

the Department to eliminate violence a

women. President Clinton, First Lady H

Rodham Clinton and Secretary Albrigh

repeatedly raised this issue in major sp

and with leaders of governments aroun

world.

President Clinton, in his March 11, 199

Executive Memorandum on Steps to Co

Violence Against Women and Traffickin

Women and Girls, directed the U.S.
296 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

government to increase its efforts to match the

increased sophistication and scope of

worldwide trafficking as a criminal and human

rights violation and to improve protections for

its victims. The President’s Interagency

Council on Women, chaired by the Secretary of

State, leads the development and coordination

of the U.S. government’s domestic and

international policy on this issue. An

Interagency Working Group on Trafficking,

which is headed by the Deputy Director for

International Initiatives of the President’s

Interagency Council on Women implements a

comprehensive anti-trafficking strategy

focusing on prevention, protection and

enforcement.

The treatment of women in Afghanistan by the

Taliban in all its forms is a human rights

violation and an issue of concern in U.S.

foreign policy. The Office of Senior

Coordinator has worked closely with the

Bureau of South Asian Affairs to call attention

to the despicable treatment of women in

Afghanistan by the Taliban. The Bureau of

Population, Refugees and Migration has

increased funding for health and education for

Afghan women and girls in refugee camps in

Pakistan. In 1998 and 1999, the Department

drafted country resolutions on Afghanistan in

the annual meetings of the UN’s Commission

on the Status of Women.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law

Enforcement has supported a number of grants

to conduct anti-domestic violence programs in

several cities in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova,

Kyrgystan and Kazakstan. These programs are

multi-disciplinary in approach (prosecutors,

judges, law enforcement, psychologists, social

workers and physicians) and are conducted in

the United States and/or in the target country.

The Bureau also provided funds for a number

of seminars and programs on international

exploitation of women and children. With

Bureau funding, the Office of the Senior

Coordinator for International Women’s Issues

and the President’s Interagency Council on

Women organized a joint conference with the

Russian government in October 1998 to

address domestic violence against women. This

marked an important step forward in raising the

profile of domestic violence in Russia.

The United Nations High Commissioner on

Refugees estimates that over 80% of

refugees are women and children. In light

of this, the Bureau of Population, Refugees

and Migration contributes a significant

amount of its funding to programs that

address the needs of refugee women and

the girl-child. Funding also addresses

violence against women, trafficking in

women, empowerment of women and

control in decision-making. The Bureau is

responsible for U.S. international

population policy, and plays an active role

in the international arena in advancing the

status of women; sustainable development;

comprehensive sexual and reproductive

health care, including for refugees and

adolescents; and in promoting the role of

women in civil society.
Summaries

U.S. embassies in Africa are setting examples

of the U.S. commitment to improving the lives

of women and girls. They have taken full

advantage of such resources, as the

Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund and the

Democracy and Human Rights Fund. These

small but important programs support

thousands of African women and young girls in

activities that further their progress in all

spheres of their lives. Democracy and Human

Rights Fund grants support country-specific,

regional and global activities that promote

respect for women’s rights and adherence to

international instruments.

The Department’s Bureau of East Asian and

Pacific Affairs allocated a portion of its

regional Democracy and Human Rights

Economic Support Fund towards the

advancement of women in East Asia and the

Pacific. Awards to the Asia Foundation have

been made to expand its ongoing activities to

address violence against women, support for

constitutional reform, economic rights, labor

rights and other human rights issues involving

women.

U.S. embassies in the Middle East have

conducted numerous activities to promote the

full participation of women in society.

Ambassadors and embassy personnel actively

raise women’s issues human rights during

demarches and discussions with host

government officials. After the Amir of

Kuwait issued a decree granting women the

right to vote and run for national elections, the

U.S. Ambassador made calls upon senior

Kuwaiti government officials to show our

strong support. In Yemen, the U.S. Amb

has discussed women’s issues with the 

President and delivered a major speech 

domestic violence.

The European Bureau and its overseas

embassies has hosted four Vital Voices 

and implemented several follow-up pro

has also integrated anti-trafficking prog

into several multi lateral institutes.

The Office of the Coordinator of U.S.

Assistance to the New Independent Sta

played a leadership role in directing pro

in Russia and the former Soviet Union 

support women and girls from Vital Vo

follow-up to innovative anti-trafficking 

rights programs.

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women and the Office of the Senior

Coordinator have worked closely with 

Department’s Office of Resources, Plan

Policy to institutionalize issues affectin

women into the Department’s on-going

strategic planning process. In 1999 an

international affairs strategic plan tied

objectives related to women’s issues to 

U.S. national interests, including econo

and prosperity, democracy and human r

law enforcement and humanitarian resp

With the full support and leadership of

Secretary Albright, the Department of S

made giant strides in making the advan

of the status of women a permanent par

foreign policy.
298 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS FUND

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SUMMARY

The Community Development Financial

Institutions Fund is a wholly owned

government corporation within the Department

of the Treasury. Its vision: an America in which

all people have fair and equal access to capital

and financial services. Its mission: promote

access to capital and local economic growth by

directly investing in and assisting in

community development financial institutions

and expanding financial service organizations’

lending, investment, and services within

underserved markets.

Although no program is designed exclusively

for women, the Fund provides financial and

technical assistance to many organizations

owned or operated by women and

organizations that serve women and other

people lacking adequate access to capital,

credit, and other financial services.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUMMARY

The Department of Defense is committed to

expanding its programs and initiatives aimed at

ensuring career opportunities for women and

reaffirming the human rights of women and

their families worldwide.

The Defense Department continues to be the

world’s largest employer of women. Women

serve as members of the active duty military, as

reservists and as civilians. The Department also

continues to expand its non-traditional career

fields for women. The military Services have

more than 600 women flying a variety of

military aircraft as well as participating in

NASA’s astronaut program. As of July 1999,

8.6 percent of the U. S. Forces deployed to the

Bosnia peacekeeping mission are women.

The Department of Defense has partnered with

the Departments of Justice, Agriculture, the

Small Business Association, and Health and

Human Services, developing programs for atrisk youth, child care, domestic violence,

spouse and child abuse, parenting, and spouse

employment.

The Department continues to provide the

Nation’s largest affordable child care program.

In April 1997, President Clinton declared the

Military Child Care Program the “model for the

Nation” and asked the Defense Department to

share lessons learned with other federal, state,

local, and private child care organizations.

In 1997 the Department of Defense entered into

a partnership with the Small Business

Association to provide business training and

technical assistance to military spouses

interested in establishing their own bus

The program produced more than 100

graduates and more than 60 business pl

start-ups.

The integration and essential role of wo

the military, spouses, and families with

Department of Defense demonstrates it

commitment to the objectives establishe

the United Nations Fourth World Confe

on Women.
300 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SUMMARY

The Department of the Interior has taken

strong, positive measures to ensure equal

opportunity for women in its workforce. A

proactive approach has been adopted in

designing and supporting career development

and workplace improvement programs that

meet the unique demands upon women,

recognizing the common challenge of

balancing both workplace and home

responsibilities. The outcome of efforts to help

women succeed in the workforce has resulted

in improved benefits for all employees, both

men and women, such as flexibility in

workplace and schedules, support in training

and education, and opportunities in career and

decision-making.

As the bureaus and agencies working within the

Department of the Interior promote their

mission to “...protect and provide access to our

natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust

responsibilities to Tribes,” they have not

forgotten the importance of women to the

Nation’s natural and cultural heritage. From the

Bureau of Indian Affairs’ conference, Youth

First: ...Planting the Seeds of Culture and

Knowledge, by addressing the identity issues

facing today’s Indian youth, to participating in

the Women’s Executive Leadership Program,

the Department of the Interior actively supports

the continuing education of women and girls.

Informal mentoring has evolved into formal

programs supported by the Department’s

leadership. Additionally, the Bureau of Land

Management is working with the Department

of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service to support

the Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship

Program, in which seven of the 22 class of

1999 participants were women.

Department of the Interior statistics show that

women and minorities have held their ground,

and in many cases even strengthened their

ranks, despite the dramatic downsizing of the

past several years. Programs focused on

recruitment and retention of underrepresented

professionals, including women of all races,

exist in the diversity plans of many of the

Department’s offices. The U.S. Geological

Survey’s Bureau Outreach Recruitment Teams

for example, target colleges and universities

with high enrollments of underrepresented

students majoring in courses leading to science

and technology careers in the U.S. Geological

Survey.

In recognition of the challenge of balancing

home life and work responsibilities as more

women ascend in the workplace, the

Department of the Interior has implemented

many supporting programs to deal with rising

issues. The U.S. Geological Survey has started

a New Mothers’ Support Group that provides a

forum for changing families to address these

issues with their peers. Most agencies have

implemented innovative family-friendly

policies, such as flexitime and telecommuting,

so that family members can adjust their

schedules more effectively. The Bureau of

Reclamation developed the Work and Family

Team in 1995 to serve as a clearinghouse for
Summaries

program information for its employees. More

than 34 of these programs are monitored and

assessed by the Work and Family Team. The

National Park Service officially established

Women Implementing New Goals Successfully

to educate and enhance the development of the

professional and personal growth of its

employees.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is committed to

bringing corporations and schools together in

partnership to support opportunities for both

boys and girls to explore computer technology

in their schools. The Bureau of Indian Affairs

has a variety of technology initiatives in place

to promote this goal, including the Four

Directions Project. The Microsoft Corporation

supports this project by supplying computer

equipment and software to Indian schools.

Other corporations, such as Intel and Compact

are working with the schools to provide teacher

training and technical support. These are the

types of partnerships that support the

Department’s commitment to “enhance

education, economic opportunities, and the

quality of life” for American Indian and Alaska

Native Tribes. It is through opportunities for

education and self-determination that these

children will thrive.

Most of the programs and initiatives discussed

in this document are open to both women and

men in the Department of the Interior—

opportunities exist for all employees. However,

the Department recognizes the need to

continually monitor and assess the balance of

diversity within its organization to ensure

access to these opportunities. The Department

is constantly reviewing these programs 

developing new ways to create more ef

programs that enhance both the Depart

and its employees. The diversity plans 

by many of the bureaus ensure commit

and accountability at all levels for achie

and maintaining diversity. The Departm

the Interior requires the continuing invo

of its entire workforce in facilitating

organizational change and instilling div

values through performance manageme
302 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SUMMARY

At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many

strides have been made to ensure that

opportunities for women and girls are

promoted through techniques such as focused

research, effective policy strategies, program

development, funding, and implementation.

Highlights of U.S. Department of Agriculture

progress include:

• The Second International Conference on

Women in Agriculture, sponsored by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture and President’s

Interagency Council on Women, took place in

June 1998. The primary purpose of the

conference was to provide a forum, with an

international perspective, for discussing

issues facing women in agriculture, and to

facilitate the exchange of information. More

than 1,000 participants from 50 countries

attended the conference. The broadest

participation was solicited from women in

farming, farm labor, farm services, food and

consumer advocacy, natural resources,

research, agribusiness, and rural

communities. A new website was created to

increase communication and networking at

http://www.wia.usda.gov.

• Business and industry loans help rural

women. Businesswomen have received an

average of $42,634,259 per fiscal year (1996

to 1999) from the U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s Business and Industry Loan

programs. In 1995, $10,750,146 was loaned

to women. Program loans to women

increased by an average of 397 percent since

the 1995 Beijing conference. These loans

help create jobs and stimulate rural

economies by providing financial backing for

rural businesses. Loan proceeds may be used

for working capital, machinery and

equipment, buildings and real estate, and

certain types of debt refinancing.

• Multi-Family and Farm Labor Housing

programs greatly benefit women. An

outstanding 73 percent of the funding from

these programs was spent to provide housing

for rural women in FY 1999, serving 312,155

women. Rural Housing Service assistance to

individual residents of multi-family

dwellings comes primarily from rental

assistance. Low-interest loans and grants are

made to public and non-profit entities, as wel

as to individual farmers, for the construction

of farm labor housing. Rural Housing Service

is the only national entity providing funding

for this use. Grants are provided to buy, build

improve, or repair housing for farm laborers,

included persons whose income is earned in

aquaculture (fish and oyster farms), and those

engaging in on-farm processing.

• Funding for Child Care Center Facilities

increased almost four-fold. More than

$45,650,000 was spent funding 154 child

care centers between 1996 and 1999. This

funding represents a 396 percent increase (or

$34,129,000) over expenditures in the

previous four years. These programs offer

direct and guaranteed loans and grants

designed to finance and facilitate the

development of more than 80 different types
Summaries

of essential community facilities serving rural

areas. These facilities include, but are not

limited to, hospitals, elderly care facilities,

child care centers, fire and rescue stations,

vocational and medical rehabilitation centers,

schools, and public transportation

infrastructure.

• There has been a substantial increase in farm

loans to women. The amount of money

loaned to women farmers has increased by 65

percent in the past four years. This

percentage translates into an additional 1,702

loans made to women for maintaining or

expanding their farm operations.

• More women are in high-level positions. A

total of 228 additional women have been

placed in high-level positions in the four

years following the Beijing conference. At

the top of the organization chart in 1999,

three (out of seven) Under Secretaries are

women. This progress exemplifies the

positive direction toward ensuring women’s

equal access to and full participation in power

structures and decision-making.
304 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Commerce works in

partnership with the Nation’s businesses,

universities, communities, and workers to help

the private sector lead a strong economy. The

mission of the Department is simple: “To

promote job creation, economic growth,

sustainable development, and improved living

standards for all Americans.” The Department

is proud to provide information about its many

programs and policies that benefit women.

Since the United Nations Fourth World

Conference on Women in 1995, the

Department has increased funding for

programs that assist women and to integrate

women more fully into policy decisions and

management structures. The Department’s

efforts to incorporate additional programs and

policies that benefit women are wide-reaching

and are notably impressive in the areas of trade

and science and technology.

To help America retain its prominent status as a

trading partner in the global marketplace, the

Department of Commerce works to foster

strong commercial relationships with other

regions, promote U.S. exports, and enforce

trade laws on behalf of American firms. The

Department’s Bureau of Export Administration

is responsible for numerous programs that help

women involved in export-related work,

including conducting seminars on U.S. export

policy and providing one-on-one counseling

services upon request. Similarly, the

Department’s International Trade

Administration organizes several hundred trade

events each year, including events specifically

focused on women business owners. The

International Trade Administration’s Womenin-Trade Initiative facilitates equal access to

resources and trade and strengthens women’s

economic capacity and commercial networks.

The Department’s efforts to promote the

advancement of women in trade will ensure

that women-owned businesses become

competitive players in the world economy.

The Department of Commerce has also made

significant strides to involve and encourage

women in the field of science and technology.

The Department’s National

Telecommunications and Information

Administration has issued three reports in its

Falling Through the Net series to track

Americans’ access to telephones, computers,

and the Internet; these reports have led to a

better understanding of the level of women’s

access to information technologies. The

Department’s Technology Administration plays

a significant role in ensuring that women are

involved in the science and technology field—

the GO4IT website at http://www.go4it.gov

serves as a resource for disseminating

information about opportunities in the

information technology workforce, including

programs focused on girls and women. The

Technology Administration’s National Institute

for Standards and Technology is responsible for

several internal programs focused on the

education and advancement of women and also

has developed cutting-edge technology relating

to mammographies and DNA research.
Summaries

In addition to progress in the areas of trade and

science, the statistical programs of the

Department’s Economics and Statistics

Administration also benefit women. The data

collected and published by the Bureau of the

Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis

provide women with important information for

decision-making and provide researchers with

vital information needed to understand the

roles of women in the economy and society.

The Commerce Department’s Economic

Development Administration has also a long

history of helping women achieve parity in the

workforce. Assistance is provided on a costshared basis, targeted to rural and urban areas

of the Nation experiencing high

unemployment, low income, or other severe

economic distress. The Economic Development

Administration has established training

facilities for skills enhancements, business

incubator facilities that generate jobs and

opportunities, and revolving loan funds and

technical assistance that help women succeed

in business.

Through the Department’s programs, U.S.

companies, including women-owned

businesses, find assistance in staying

competitive and on the cutting edge of

technological advances, allowing the United

States to build for the future and increase

opportunities for economic expansion.
306 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Labor fosters and

promotes the welfare of job seekers, wage

earners, and retirees by improving their

working conditions, advancing their

opportunities for profitable employment,

protecting their retirement and health care

benefits, helping employers find workers,

strengthening free collective bargaining, and

tracking changes in employment and other

national economic measurements. In carrying

out this mission, the Department administers a

variety of federal labor laws including those

that guarantee workers’ rights to safe and

healthful working conditions, a minimum

hourly wage and overtime pay, freedom from

employment discrimination, and family and

medical leave.

The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau

was created by Congress in June 1920 and

celebrates its 80th anniversary in the year 2000.

The Women’s Bureau is the single

governmental unit at the federal level

exclusively concerned with serving and

promoting the interests of working women.

Specifically, its mandate is “to formulate

standards and policies that shall promote the

welfare of wage-earning women, improve their

working conditions, increase their efficiency,

and advance their opportunities for profitable

employment.” Central to its mission is its

responsibility to advocate for women, as well

as to inform women and the public of women

workers’ rights and employment issues.

The Director of the Women’s Bureau is the

principal advisor to the Secretary of Labor on

issues affecting women in the labor force. From

its organizational position in the Office of the

Secretary, the Bureau participates in the

development of Department of Labor policy,

legislation, and regulations along with other

agencies within the Department. This role was

reaffirmed by the May 1995 issuance of

Secretary’s Order 3-95, Coordination and

Direction of Department of Labor Programs

Affecting Women, which confirms that “all

components of the Department of Labor have

the responsibility to work cooperatively to

ensure that their missions fully address the

needs and concerns of women in the labor

force.”

Women now comprise 46 percent of the total

U.S. labor force, and 60 percent of U.S. women

are participating in the labor force. Fully 99

percent of American women will work for pay

at some point in their lives. The expansion in

women’s participation in the labor force has

only increased the importance of Department

programs benefiting women.

Since 1995 the Department of Labor has

launched a number of new initiatives to

advance the status of women and girls. Among

them are the following:

• Enforcing Labor Standards

Garment workers, who are mostly female, are

among the most exploited and vulnerable

workers in the United States. In 1995 the
Summaries

Wage and Hour Division launched its No

Sweat campaign to protect garment workers

by increasing compliance with labor

standards (such as the minimum wage,

overtime pay, and child labor requirements).

Wage and Hour began a campaign for

agricultural workers in FY 1998 and health

care workers in FY 1999.

• Increasing Welfare-to-Work Job

Opportunities

In FY 1998 and FY 1999 the Employment

and Training Administration provided

$2,800,000,000 in grants to states and local

communities to create additional job

opportunities for the hardest-to-employ

recipients of Temporary Assistance for

Needy Families.

• Preventing Work-Related Musculoskeletal

Disorders

Many predominantly female jobs require

repetitive motions or heavy lifting, and

women comprise 70 percent of those

suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. In

November 1999 the Occupational Safety and

Health Administration published its proposed

ergonomics program standard to prevent

work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

• Promoting Retirement Security

Since women live longer on average than

men, have lower average earnings, and are

less likely to be covered by a pension plan,

they are less likely to have a financially

secure retirement. In 1996, as part of its

Retirement Savings Education Campaign, the

Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration

launched a program to provide facts about

retirement benefits and practical tips on

saving for retirement.

• Expanding Employment and Train

Opportunities

The Employment and Training

Administration administers the Work

Investment Act of 1998, which provid

framework for a national system of

employment preparation and placeme

services. Employment and Training

Administration Youth Opportunity G

(initiated in 1996) address the pervas

joblessness of out-of-school young w

and men living in high poverty areas. 

the President launched the Youth Opp

(YO!) Movement, a new partnership 

such youth obtain training and educa

find jobs and develop careers. The

Employment and Training Administr

also expanding its successful Child C

Development Specialist registered

apprenticeship program into many ad

states.

• Advancing Equal Pay

Begun in 1999, the Secretary of Labo

Equal Pay Initiative uses enforcemen

education, and partnership to advance 

pay. Among the Initiative’s aims are

increasing the number of Office of Fe

Contract Compliance Programs’ “gla

ceiling” reviews to ensure that wome

minorities do not encounter artificial 

to advancement into higher levels of

management; and emphasizing pay is

all other Office of Federal Contract

Compliance Programs focused review
308 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

• Promoting Work/Family Balance

The Women’s Bureau’s Working Women

Count Honor Roll campaign, launched in

1995, encouraged employers and other

organizations to initiate programs or policies

that improve women’s pay and benefits, help

them balance work and family, and/or

improve women’s respect and opportunity on

the job. Work and family initiatives led the

way. In 1999 the Women’s Bureau built on

that effort with its Business-to-Business

Mentoring Initiative on Child Care, in which

business mentors with effective child care

programs assist other employers considering

child care options.

• Giving Working Women a Voice

The Women’s Bureau held regional Working

Women’s Summits in 1996 and a national

Working Women’s Summit entitled

Economic Equity: Realities, Responsibilities

and Rewards in 1997, with participants at 450

downlink sites sharing a wide range of

concerns with policymakers.

• Eliminating International Child Labor

Since 1995, the Bureau of International

Labor Affairs has contributed more than

$37,000,000 to the International Labor

Organization’s International Program on the

Elimination of Child Labor—the most

effective worldwide program to eliminate

child labor. And in June 1999, the President

and the Secretary of Labor addressed the

International Labor Organization and pledged

support for a new convention on the worst

forms of child labor, which the International

Labor Organization unanimously adopted. In

November 1999 the U.S. Senate ratified

International Labor Organization Convention

182 Concerning the Prohibition and

Immediate Action for the Elimination of the

Worst Forms of Child Labor.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES SUMMARY

The Department of Health and Human Services

offers a wide range of programs and initiatives

that benefit women through its many agencies

and offices. The Department of Health and

Human Services agencies and offices whose

programs and efforts have been catalogued in

this submission include those within the Office

of the Secretary, including the Office on

Women’s Health, the Office of Minority

Health, the Office of Population Affairs, the

Office of HIV/AIDS, the Office of Disease

Prevention and Health Promotion, the

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and

Sports, and the Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Also

important to women’s health is the work of the

Public Health agencies: the Agency for Health

Care Policy and Research, the Administration

on Aging, the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration,

the Health Resources and Services

Administration, the Indian Health Service, the

National Institutes of Health, and the Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration. The Administration on

Children and Families and the Health Care

Financing Administration also benefit large

numbers of American women through their

programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services

is the U.S. government's principal agency for

protecting the health of all Americans and

providing essential human services, especially

for those who are least able to help themselves.

The Department administers and supports more

than 300 programs, covering a wide sp

of activities. Some highlights include:

• Medical and social science research;

• Preventing outbreak of infectious dis

including immunization services;

• Assuring food and drug safety;

• Medicare (health insurance for elderl

disabled Americans) and Medicaid (h

insurance for low-income people);

• Financial assistance for low-income f

• Child support enforcement;

• Improving maternal and infant health

• Head Start (pre-school education and

services);

• Preventing child abuse and domestic

violence;

• Substance abuse treatment and preven

• Services for older Americans, includi

home-delivered meals; and

• Comprehensive health services delive

American Indians and Alaska Native

The programs and initiatives benefiting 

in the Department of Health and Huma

Services span a wide range of means fo

improving women’s health. Some targe

specific diseases and health conditions 

cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular dis

and HIV/AIDS, while others use an int

approach to women’s health by promot

comprehensive systems of care and mu

disciplinary research. The Department 

works to address service delivery and a
310 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

care for all populations of women, to improve

the quality of women’s health care and increase

opportunities for women in the health

professions through programs that target health

care providers, and to improve the availability

of accurate health information.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY

The Department of Housing and Urban

Development is committed to developing

programs that advance women at every level.

The Department’s programs have built a bridge

for women to achieve self empowerment

through job training, business development,

rental assistance, homeownership assistance,

child care, and transportation.

A comprehensive approach to housing and

economic development allows the Department

to address both the symptoms of poverty, lack

of housing, as well as the causes, such as lack

of training and employment. The Department

of Housing and Urban Development’s

Continuum of Care systems, for example,

provide necessary emergency shelter as well as

more permanent housing and supportive

services for homeless families and individuals

to achieve independence.

Along with helping women acquire the tools

needed to become self sufficient, the

Department also funds support services that

families need to move towards economic

independence, such as child care,

transportation, youth mentoring, and tuition

assistance. The Department of Housing and

Urban Development’s Family Self Sufficiency

program has given thousands of participating

families opportunities for job training,

counseling and other social services, while they

are living in assisted housing.

The Department’s housing program is giving

more women the opportunity to become firsttime home buyers. By providing mortgage

insurance, through the Federal Housing

Administration, and supporting other

homeownership programs for women, 

Housing Opportunities for Women, the

Department is helping make the dream 

homeownership a reality for women aro

country.
312 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SUMMARY

At the 1995 United Nations Fourth World

Conference on Women, the United States

committed to serve as a leader in addressing the

human rights issues affecting women and girls

around the world. The Platform for Action—

the official United National document drafted

at the Conference—called for specific steps to

bring about positive change and deal with the

numerous issues facing women throughout the

world.

The U.S. Department of Transportation

recognizes the importance and has been a

leader in advocating workplace equity for all of

its employees. In 1993, under the Clinton

Administration, the Department began a more

aggressive campaign that resulted in specific

actions to ensure that workplace equity and

diversity were fully integrated into the

Department’s strategic objectives and plans. As

a result of the leadership of Secretary Rodney

E. Slater, the Department of Transportation has

been able to implement policies and programs

that are advancing the cause of women in key

areas including increased employment, work

life, family-friendly workplace, child care,

economic opportunities, education and

training, workplace equity, and transportation

benefits. In addition, the Department has taken

aggressive steps to provide its employees with

an education and awareness program to help

confront basic human rights issues including

violence against women, poverty, health, and

the environment.

In addition to the many programs and policies

the Department has implemented to ensure its

employees an equitable and diverse workplace

Secretary Slater has taken an active role in

advancing the goals of equity, development,

and peace for all women. Accomplishments

include:

• Policies set to protect women and families

through the development of safety standards

in transportation systems;

• Recognition as the vanguard federal

department in assisting women in obtaining

contract opportunities;

• Steps taken to break the “glass ceiling” and

increase the number and percentage of

women in leadership roles at the Department

of Transportation; and

• Development of an aggressive public

awareness initiative aimed at the youth of the

country, encouraging their readiness to take

on the transportation challenges of a new

century and a new millennium.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SUMMARY

The Department of Energy is committed to the

advancement of the status of women in all

aspects of the Department's endeavors. The

Department's missions are broad and farreaching in science and technology, national

security, energy, and the environment. The

work of the Department ranges from basic

research and high energy physics to the

development of more energy efficient homes

and the support of non-proliferation and

stockpile surety of nuclear weapons. A high

priority is placed on cleaning up past

environmental damage and developing

technologies and policies to improve the

quality of the environment for future

generations.

The Department's workforce consists of more

than 14,500 federal employees and more than

100,000 contractor employees across the

country. Several thousand federal employees

serve across the United States in the

Department's field offices. About 59,000 people

work in laboratories in 12 states where most of

the Department of Energy's research and

development activities are carried out. The total

Department budget for FY 2000 is about

$18,000,000,000, most of which is related to

science and technology. The Department views

its people in Headquarters and its field offices

and laboratories as its most important resource

and values their contributions. The Department

of Energy is committed to attracting and

retaining highly qualified women as part of a

diverse workforce and makes the safety, health,

and well-being of the workforce its highest

priority.

Half of the United States population is 

and more than 20 percent of the workfo

members of a minority group. Each of u

science and technology community is

responsible for contributing to the Nati

S&T enterprise, by helping to ensure a 

trained, scientifically literate U.S. work

The Department of Energy has attractiv

programs and processes in place to adv

status of women in the Department. Wh

distinguishes these efforts is the Depart

Energy's determination and pragmatic s

change the workplace culture to ensure 

are encouraged, nurtured, rewarded, an

advanced for their contributions in an a

that views people as its most important

resource.

One of Secretary Richardson's highest

priorities since joining the Department 

been to undertake a serious effort to str

the Department of Energy's workforce 

management capabilities while address

workforce diversity issues. Last Novem

Department launched Workforce for th

Century Initiative (Workforce 21), whic

focused on building a talented and dive

workforce in order to strengthen the

Department's technical, management, a

overall workforce readiness capabilitie

Under Workforce 21, the Department h

opportunity and responsibility to addre

standing underrepresentation of women 
314 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

minorities in senior management and technical

positions. To provide focus, support, and

accountability to this commitment, Secretary

Richardson issued in May 1999 a broad

Department-wide strategic plan entitled

Achieving and Promoting a Workforce That

Looks Like America: A Companion to

Workforce 21. The Plan identifies specific

opportunities and goals for building a

representative work force, while

institutionalizing workforce management

systems that foster equal opportunity at all

levels, including hiring, promoting, and

training practices. The objective is to create and

sustain a Department of Energy Workforce that

looks like America and better uses the female

half of the U.S. population.

The Department chairs a Working Group on

Women in Science and Technology. Its purpose

is to establish a forum among federal agencies

for coordination and development of improved

measures to recruit and advance women in the

science and technology workforce, both

nationally and internationally.

Secretary Richardson is creating an atmosphere

of inclusion by hiring, promoting, and retaining

employees of all races, ethnic groups, religions,

and ages; people with disabilities; and men and

women. Since his appointment in the fall of

1998, two-thirds of political appointees hired or

promoted have been women or minorities; in

all, 45 percent have been women. Of the eight

career field managers named during Secretary

Richardson's tenure, five have been women.

The male/female ratio of field positions is now

50-50. That is an outstanding example of the

Department’s measurable progress, fully in the

spirit of the U. N. Platform and the goals of the

President’s Interagency Council on Women.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUMMARY

The Department of Education is committed to

equal access and educational excellence for all

children. A quality education is the foundation

on which all Americans rely to become

productive and economically independent

citizens in a racially and culturally diverse

society.

To ensure that all students have an equal

opportunity to participate in programs, under

Section 427 of the General Education

Provisions Act, the U.S. government requires

all applicants for Department of Education

grants to address ways they will overcome

barriers to equitable access and participation in

Department of Education-funded programs,

including barriers based on race, gender,

disability, national origin, and age. A Special

Assistant for Equity was added to the Office of

the Secretary to advise the Secretary and other

senior officers on issues of equity, including

promoting, coordinating, and evaluating gender

equity programs.

Other department programs and activities to

advance access and participation by women

and girls in education include the following:

Women’s Education Equity Act Program

Under the Women’s Educational Equity Act

Program, the Department supports programs to promote effective gender equity

policies and practices in educating girls and

women, in particular girls who suffer multiple discrimination; to assist institutions

meet the requirements of Title IX; and to

support research and development that

advances gender equity nationwide

Women’s Education Equity Act Re

Center distributes gender equity pu

tions and products and provides inf

tion and assistance on gender equity 

educators. Since 1974 support for t

gram has totaled more than $100,00

Gender Equity Expert Panel

The panel was established in 1996 

nate promising and exemplary prod

programs, practices. and policies fo

equity.

Elementary And Secondary Educat

In 1994 the Goals 2000: Educate A

Act established a national framewo

education reform that provides for a

educational opportunity for all stud

including women and girls, to meet 

academic standards. All programs a

efforts have been guided by these g

over the past five years. Key examp

the Reading Excellence Program an

Start. These programs aid in breaki

cycle of poverty and low literacy. A

mately 85 percent of those participa

Even Start have been women.

Title IX Enforcement

The Department’s Office for Civil R

enforces compliance with Title IX, 

prohibits discrimination on the basi

In 1998 Office of Civil Rights recei
316 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

complaints alleging discrimination based

sex. In 1998 the Office issued guidelines to

colleges and universities clarifying their

responsibility to award athletic scholarships

in a non-discriminatory manner. In addition, in 1998, Secretary Riley, with the

Office of Civil Rights’ participation, issued

a “dear colleague letter” to chief state

school officers and district superintendents

summarizing their obligations regarding

sexual harassment. In January 1999 the

Office issued similar guidance to colleges

and universities.

The Office of Civil Rights, jointly with the

National Association of Attorneys General,

also issued a guide to schools entitled

Protecting Students From Harassment And

Hate Crime: A Guide For Schools. The Office

is currently updating the guide in light of

another recent Supreme Court ruling in Davis v.

Monroe County Board of Education. In this

case, the Supreme Court upheld the

government’s position that student-on-student

sexual harassment is covered by Title IX.

Post-Secondary Education

The increase in female graduates from colleges and graduate schools is a major

accomplishment. The Department provides

financial assistance for higher education

through grants and loans to students and

through other programs that can benefit

women. The increasing number of women

going to college is a testament to the effect

that access to financial support can have.

In addition, programs such as TRIO programs

and Gear-Up (Gaining Early Awareness and

Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), are

designed to motivate and support low-income

and disadvantaged students with assistance

with college. Many TRIO programs are

credited with helping women with unexpected

life challenges to advance their education. And

amendments to the Higher Education Act made

in 1998 (for example, the campus-based child

care provision and the campus crime disclosure

requirements) provide further support that can

benefit women pursuing higher education.
Summaries

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SUMMARY

Based on the 1990 Census, some 1.2 million

women are veterans, or about four percent of

the total veteran population. Currently, women

make up 14 percent of the current active duty

military force. The Department of Veterans

Affairs health facilities provided care to

132,839 women veteran patients in FY 1998,

and 14,398 women veteran’s inpatients. Since

1992, the number of women utilizing the

Department of Veterans Affairs services has

shown an annual increase of ten percent

nationwide. By the year 2010, women will

comprise more than ten percent of the veteran

population. The Department of Veterans

Affairs has paid more than 70 billion dollars in

education benefit payments to veteran’s

dependents and active duty members since

1944. More than 420,000 women veterans have

received education benefits over the last five

decades. Approximately nine percent of postVietnam era Veterans Educational Assistance

Program trainees and 13 percent Montgomery

GI Bill trainees have been women.

Women and girls benefit from all ten of the

Department’s major program areas: medical

care services, medical research, medical

education, compensation, pension, insurance,

education, vocational rehabilitation, housing

credit assistant, and burial/cemetery services.

In fact, women veterans are the subject of at

least two Special Emphasis Programs. The

Center for Women Veterans was established as

one of the two Special Emphasis Programs.

The mission of the Center for Women Veterans

is to ensure that women veterans have equal

access to all Veterans Affairs services and

benefits. This is accomplished through

integration of clinical care, educational 

and research on women veterans-relate

that will improve women veterans’ use 

health care and benefit programs. A ma

of the Secretary of the Department of V

Affairs is providing comprehensive hea

services to women veterans, including 

reproductive health care and sexual trau

counseling. To achieve that goal, the W

Veterans Health Program was also give

Special Emphasis Program status. The

programs are described in great deal in 

submission, under the topic Women an

Health.

The submission includes a description, 

narrative form, of programs and initiati

benefiting women and girls in four of th

Areas of Critical Concern outlined in th

Beijing Platform for Action. The four ar

Education and Training of Women; Wom

Health; Women and the Economy; and

Institution Mechanisms for the Advanc

of Women. Some of the programs and

initiatives included are:

Education And Training Of Women

The Department of Veterans Affair

Nation’s largest employer of registe

nurses. In 1998 the Department of V

Affairs earmarked 50 million dollar

applied over the next five years to a

nursing personnel to obtain the bac
318 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

ate (or higher) degree, as well as to meet

other specific occupational training needs.

Women and Health

Health Centers have been established

throughout the country to develop programs

that focus on the unique health care needs

of women veterans.

Programs have been established to improve

health care the health care and support services

available to women veterans. Included among

these programs is a sexual trauma counseling

and treatment program. Although rates of

sexual harassment in the active duty military

having declined in recent years, there are still a

significant number of women veterans who

seek and require the Department of Veterans

Affairs’ treatment for sexual trauma

experienced while on active duty.

Scientists from the Department’s Central

Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and its

affiliate, the University of Arkansas for

Medical Sciences published research that could

lead to clinical trials of a bone-regenerating pill

in as little as three years, and to an osteoporosis

cure within the decade. The study on bone

regeneration appeared in the August 16, 1999,

issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation

and examined the role of parathyroid hormone

in reversing bone loss.

Women and the Economy

The Department of Veterans Affairs Loan

Guaranty Service administers the housing

loan program. This benefit assists eligible

veterans with financing the purchase of

homes with no down payment and loan

terms at a rate of interest that is competitive

with the rate charged on other types of

mortgage loans. Between June 22, 1944,

and June 30, 1999, veterans obtained 16

million housing loans totaling 640 billion

dollars under the GI guaranteed housing

loan program. Of these loans, 6.9 percent

were granted to female veterans or active

duty service members.

Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women

The Department of Veterans Affairs is plan

ning the National Summit on Women Veter

ans Issues to be held in the year 2000,

which will provide an opportunity to bring

together the Department of Veterans

Affairs’ staff, representatives of the women

veterans community, Congressional staff,

active duty personnel and veterans service

organizations to identify, and discuss issues

of concern to women veterans.
Summaries

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SUMMARY

The Environmental Protection Agency’s

mission is to protect the public health of the

entire U.S. population and the Nation’s natural

environment. The Environmental Protection

Agency’s activities in these two critical areas,

health and the environment, contribute to the

lives of women and children in five other

areas—Poverty, Education and Training,

Decision-Making, Institutional Mechanisms,

and the Girl-Child.

The Environmental Protection Agency is

committed to investigating the unique impacts

attributable to gender, ethnicity, geographic

origins, and age of affected populations to

determine more precisely whether

environmental threats pose a greater risk to

women, children, the elderly, and other subgroups of the population. Researchers found

that the tolerance level of women and children

to certain environmental exposures is different

than adult males. The Agency’s research

studies on women and children contribute to

the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability

to set standards and regulations to further

protect women and children. The Agency

provides information to the general public,

industry, health providers, federal agencies, and

Agency regulators to protect the population

from the risks of exposure to environmental

toxins.

The Environmental Protection Agency

contributes to the Nation’s research on the

impact of environmental factors on the

population at large, including women’s and

children’s health. Some of this work is

performed in partnership, or collaborati

the U.S. Department of Health and Hum

Services, the U.S. Department of Agric

and other federal agencies. Research ac

address age and gender differences in

susceptibility and exposure including ra

radon, automobile pollution, and mercu

breast and ovarian cancer, childhood as

developmental and reproductive effects 

support of decisions regarding pesticid

residues, air quality and water quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency’

of Children’s Health Protection was cre

ensure that the study of environmental 

on children is included in the agency’s 

and research. The Environmental Prote

Agency is an outstanding example of w

providing significant leadership for the 

and fully participating in its work, sinc

Administrator and an important part of 

executive leadership of the Agency are 

as well as its scientific and technical sta

As a result of efforts to include the

consideration of women and children in 

Environmental Protection Agency’s wo

Agency is better protecting women’s an

children’s health from toxic chemicals,

expanding research on environmental r

exposures unique to women and childre

reducing women’s and children’s health 

from food pesticides. The Agency is

developing a methodology for setting w

quality standards that accounts for popu

most at risk, including women of childb

age and children. The Environmental
320 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Protection Agency is also speeding up the

cleanup of toxic waste sites, protecting women

and children from lead poisoning, reducing air

pollution that protects women’s and children’s

health, and expanding reporting of community

right-to-know information.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s

activities in protecting public health and the

environment effects women and children in the

following ways:

• The Environmental Protection Agency

studies, evaluates, and registers pesticides,

and the Agency is developing a National

Agenda to Protect Children’s Health from

Environmental Threats.

• Environmental Protection Agency standards

now consistently seek out data on hazards,

exposures, and dose response functions that

may indicate disproportionate health risks to

children. The EPA Children’s Environmental

Health Yearbook describes the Agency’s

extensive work related to these risks. A new

Agency study of Alaska Native maternal and

cord blood will provide information on the

potential harmful health effects on

indigenous populations from environmental

contaminants in traditional foods.

• The Environmental Protection Agency

recently updated the National Ambient Air

Quality Standards and released the integrated

Air Toxics Strategy required by the Clean Air

Act.

• The Agency funded the construction of

sewage treatment plants ($70 billion since

1972) and drinking water treatment plants

($2.7 billion since 1997) through grants to

communities and the Drinking Water State

Revolving Fund and the Clean Water State

Revolving Fund, thus continuing to ensure a

national infrastructure to deliver clean and

safe water. A Strategic Objective (C.1.) of the

Beijing Platform is to increase women’s

access throughout the life cycle to

appropriate, affordable and quality health

care, information and related services. One of

the Actions (x) to be taken to implement that

objective is to ensure the availability of and

universal access to safe drinking water and

sanitation and put in place effective public

distribution systems as soon as possible. The

Environmental Protection Agency established

standards for safe drinking water under the

Safe Drinking Water Act and conducted a

drinking water contaminants and industrial

chemicals study for the Endocrine Disrupter

Screening Program. The Agency provides the

framework for states and Tribes to issue fish

consumption advisories containing safe

consumption rates for the population at large

and sensitive populations, including pregnan

women, nursing mothers, and children; and

distributes pamphlets to guide the general

public on fish consumption with these specia

warnings.

• The Agency’s work enhancing public

participation in the cleanup of hazardous

waste sites and providing for worker training

has had a great positive impact on women.

This affected a significant percentage of low

income women in the program who learned

to understand and address the environmental

health issues facing their communities.

• Environmental Protection Agency websites

provide information that helps protect and

restore the environment and public health,

including information on water quality and

watershed health and protection. This
Summaries

information can be useful to protect

Americans from risks of outbreaks of E-coli

and encephalitis. The Agency is continuously

expanding and strengthening its database on

the impacts of environmental toxins on the

population, with special emphasis on women

and children. The Agency established the

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology

database, a bibliographic database of

literature on agents that may cause birth

defects and other developmental disorders.

The Agency also created the Children’s

Environmental Health and Safety Inventory

of Research database, which contains

information on federal research regarding

adverse health effects in children resulting

from exposure to environmental health and

safety risks.

• In the international arena, the Agency

participates on the International Negotiating

Committee to reduce the threat from

persistent organic compounds. Research

suggests that persistent organic compounds

affect reproduction in women and the

development of fetuses and newborns. Also

in the international area, the Agency has

worked to improve access to safe drinking

water and sanitation services in El Salvador,

Nicaragua, and Honduras. In these three

Central American countries the

Environmental Protection Agency’s work

focused on source water protection,

enhancement of Laboratory capacity, and

treatment plant optimization. The average

woman in El Salvador spends more than two

hours a day walking to freshwater sources,

and is thus disproportionately effected. The

Agency is reducing environmental

contamination in the United States-M

border area through funding infrastru

investments, including wastewater an

drinking water treatment and projects 

management of municipal solid waste

cooperation with the government of t

Czech Republic, the Environmental

Protection Agency is assessing the ef

air pollution on women and newborn

Agency is also conducting programs 

reduce women and girls’ exposure to 

which include sponsoring a policy pl

workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, to d

regional approach for Asia and spons

training course in Guatemala.

The Environmental Protection Agency

conducts, as well as contributes to, pro

with other federal agencies. The Agenc

partners in interagency projects and

consultations include the Department o

and Human Services (the Centers for D

Control, the National Cancer Institute, 

National Institute of Environmental He

Sciences, the National Institutes of Hea

the Office of Women’s Health), the Nat

Science Foundation, the National Aero

and Space Administration, the Departm

Defense, and the Department of Transpo

Information about the Environmental

Protection Agency is available online a

http://www.epa.gov.
322 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SUMMARY

The U.S. Small Business Administration is a

leader within the federal government in

supporting, promoting, and advocating for

women entrepreneurs in the United States and

around the world. The Small Business

Administration offers a full spectrum of

financial, technical, and management

assistance services to help its clients start and

grow successful businesses. In 1998 the agency

offered management and technical assistance to

more than one million small business owners

and potential entrepreneurs.

The number of women-owned businesses has

more than doubled in the last dozen years, and

receipts have skyrocketed as women-owned

firms increasingly grow beyond traditional

small services businesses and into every

industry sector, including high-technology

fields. Today, the Nation’s 9.1 million womenowned businesses employ 27.5 million people

and contribute $3.6 trillion to the national

economy. Women now own nearly 40 percent

of all U.S. businesses and continue to open

businesses at twice the average rate—and stay

open longer than other businesses.

All of the Small Business Administration’s

programs and services are offered to both men

and women throughout the United States and

its territories, without regard to race, religion,

or national origin. There are, however, several

Small Business Administration programs and

services designed specifically for women. The

Women’s Business Center Program addresses

the unique needs of women, especially those

who are economically or socially

disadvantaged. The program plays a significan

role in the Small Business Administration’s

Welfare-to-Work Initiative, providing longterm, in-depth business training, counseling,

and support.

The Small Business Administration recognizes

the vital importance of the Internet and is using

the new technology in a number of ways. The

Small Business Administration website

provides a vast array of information and links,

as well as access to various databases. Among

the most important is the procurement network

PRO-Net, which links vendors with federal,

state and private procurement officers

nationwide.

The Small Business Administration also has

two online training resources. The Online

Women’s Business Center, at

http://www.onlinewbc.org, receives more than

a million hits a month from users in a hundred

countries around the world. One of the premier

sites on the Internet for women entrepreneurs,

it provides a full business curriculum, online

individual counseling, worldwide networking,

links to countless resources, and much more.

Much of the content is available in Spanish.

The Small Business Classroom offers short,

self-paced, learning modules that are built from

existing Small Business Administration and

other cosponsored course material and

formatted into easy-to-follow learning

templates. Certain courses are offered in both

Spanish and English. Both sites are free.
Summaries

The Small Business Administration offers a

number of different loan guaranty programs to

help those who cannot obtain traditional

financing. In addition to these general loan

programs, there are loan programs designed in

response to the requests and needs of women—

the Loan Prequalification Program, SBA

LowDoc and SBAExpress. Under the

MicroLoan Program, the agency also licenses

and funds intermediaries that make direct small

loans and provide management and technical

assistance to help ensure success.

The Small Business Administration has taken a

lead role within the federal government,

working with the major federal agencies and

departments to increase the number and size of

federal procurements that are awarded to

women-owned firms. The agency has also led

the way in developing women as managers and

leaders, providing extensive training and

promoting women to the highest levels. In fact,

the Administrator, chief of staff and deputy

chief of staff of the Small Business

Administration are all women, as are about half

of the agency’s management team.

The Small Business Administration fully

supports the increasingly significant role of

women in today’s world as leaders in

government and business but also recognizes

that vast inequalities still exist. The agency

works to improve the welfare of women

worldwide, participating—and often leading—

conferences, trade missions and other efforts

that strive to help women everywhere better

their lives and improve their communities. The

only long-term answer to poverty is through

employment and a healthy economy, an

entrepreneurship is the key, not just in t

United States, but throughout the globa

community.
324 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY SUMMARY

The Intelligence Community, mindful of the

growing interest in women’s’ issues among key

U.S. policymakers, has expanded its analytical

coverage of the status and prospects for women

abroad in the social, political, economic, and

human rights areas in an effort to keep

policymakers better informed. Intelligence

Community analysis has focused directly or

indirectly on such issues as the trafficking of

women; violence against women, including

systematic rape in armed conflicts; women and

health; women in power and decision-making;

and the economic status and role of women

abroad.

Within the organization, the Central

Intelligence Agency has implemented several

programs that benefit the work force. These

programs improve the education and quality of

life for Agency employees. And, to encourage

the advancement of science, engineering, and

technology throughout the Nation, the Agency

has organized and facilitated programs to

educate and expand the knowledge of these

critical skill areas.
Summaries

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is

the leader in human resource management for

the Executive Branch of government. As such,

the Office of Personnel Management is

committed to providing the federal human

resource community with the benefits and

flexibility it needs to recruit and retain a

dynamic and skilled workforce that will guide

the Nation into the 21st century. However, the

Office recognizes that in addition to

establishing personnel policies that are

effective and merit based, a personnel system

also must be established that allows federal

employees to successfully balance their work

and family responsibilities.

In consultation with the President, Congress,

federal agencies, and other interested

stakeholders, the Office of Personnel

Management sets federal human resource

management policies that uphold the national

values and priorities—including merit

principles and veterans’ preference—and

administers a generous benefits package that

makes the federal government an attractive and

competitive alternative to the private sector.

In both its leadership role in human resource

management and through it’s administration of

the retirement, insurance, and other benefit

systems for federal employees and annuitants,

the Office of Personnel Management directly

impacts the lives of more than 9 million current

and former federal employees and their family

members each year. As the Clinton

Administration’s chief agent and advisor on

personnel management, the Office is uniquely

positioned to set national policies and in

human resource initiatives throughout t

country.

To accomplish this task, the President h

called upon the Office of Personnel

Management to meet the challenges of 

a new federal workforce—the workforc

21st century—that will serve as the mo

all employers in the next millennium. T

Office is committed to meeting that cha

and is well on the way to achieving a wo

that includes all Americans—from entr

positions all the way to the highest pow

structures and leadership positions.

Women in society have benefited greatl

the renewed commitment to equity and

inclusion. Currently, women hold more 

level and leadership positions in the fed

government than at any time in U.S. hi

addition, women continue to make grea

as they successfully compete for mid-le

management positions. In 1986, almost 

all women in the federal workforce, 43 

were in clerical positions. By 1998, tha

number had dropped dramatically to on

percent. Today, three-quarters of all fed

employed women are in Professional,

Administrative, or Technical positions. 

are the jobs of the future, the ones that 

Office is working the hardest to fill.
326 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

However, in order to remain competitive the

Office of Personnel Management recognizes

that current and future employment policies

must go beyond just creating a work

environment in which all employees have an

opportunity to obtain professional success. To

live up to the responsibilities and challenges of

the next century, the Office must recognize the

ever-changing dynamics of the new federal

workforce and institute current and future

policies that reflect new demographic realities

and a renewed commitment to balancing work

and family demands. The Office is ready and

committed to meeting this new challenge in

developing programs for the federal

government that promote family values and

support working families both today and in the

new millennium.
Summaries

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION SUMMARY

The U.S. General Services Administration is

one of the three central management agencies

in the Federal Government. The General

Services Administration’s mission is to provide

expertly managed space, supplies, services, and

business solutions, at the best value, to enable

Federal employees to do their jobs. Simply put,

the General Services Administration is about

great work environments. In support of this

mission, the General Services Administration

provides workspace, security, furniture,

equipment, supplies, tools, computers, and

telephones, as well as travel and transportation

services. The General Services Administration

oversees Federal child care center and

telecommuting centers, preserves historic

buildings, manages a fine arts program,

manages the Federal motor vehicle fleet, and

develops, advocates, and evaluates

government-wide policy. The General

Services Administration contracts for $40

billion of goods and services annually, with an

annual budget of nearly $13 billion.

The General Services Administration is

committed to expanding business opportunities

for women. The General Services

Administration’s Office of Enterprise

Development has worked tirelessly to meet the

agency’s five-percent goal for contracting for

women owned businesses. The Office of

Enterprise Development has worked with the

agency’s procurement offices to ensure that

small, minority, and women-owned businesses

were given the maximum practicable

contracting opportunities in the agency’s

solicitations. The General Services

Administration is saddened by the deat

Associate Administrator for Enterprise

Development, Dietra Ford, who so ably 

enthusiastically spearheaded these effo

The General Services Administration is

committed to making quality affordable 

care available nationwide. The General

Services Administration is responsible 

Federal child care centers nationwide, w

provide child care for 7,000 children. T

the leadership of President Clinton, the 

Services Administration has pledged to 

eligible centers accredited, to ensure pr

background checks on center employee

maintain the highest standards of health 

safety, and to improve the child develop

aspects of the program. In order to me

goals, General Services Administration 

worked with the private sector and othe

government agencies to increase access 

quality affordable child care.

The General Services Administration h

been a leader in furthering telework to 

family-friendly environment. Charged b

President Clinton with a lead role to ex

flexible work arrangements, the Genera

Services Administration has worked wi

Office of Personnel Management and w

Department of Transportation to furthe

objectives of the National Telecommut

Initiative. Many of the arrangements al

workers to spend less time commuting,

therefore allowing them to more easily 

work and family responsibilities.
328 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

The General Services Administration has also

provided excess and surplus computer

equipment to the nation’s classrooms. By

Executive Order, President Clinton streamlined

the transfer of excess and surplus Federal

computer equipment to the Nation's classrooms

and encouraged Federal employees to volunteer

their time and expertise to assist teachers and to

connect classrooms. The Executive Order

allows agencies to donate equipment that it no

longer needs either directly or through the

General Services Administration.

Finally, General Services Administration

programs have promoted women’s

achievement. For more than a quarter of a

century, the Art in Architecture Program of the

General Services Administration’s Public

Building Service has been a driving force

behind public art in America. Since 1993, the

Art in Architecture program has commissioned

126 artists to provide art for federal buildings.

Approximately 35 percent of those artists (44)

are women. Nearly half of all the women

artists commissioned during the 25-year history

of the program have been commissioned since

1993.

The General Services Administration has been

instrumental in the President’s Commission on

the Celebration of Women in American

History, which was established to recommend

how America should recognize the

contributions of women to the Nation's history.

Sponsored by the General Services

Administration, the Commission held meetings

in every region of the country and solicited

ideas from hundreds of historians, archivists,

activists, academics, business leaders, students

and others. A report containing

recommendations for national and community

projects to honor women was presented to the

President during Women's History Month in

March 1999. The Commission will continue its

work throughout the millennial year.
Summaries

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUMMARY

The Social Security and Supplemental Security

Income programs are the largest income

maintenance programs in the United States and

are invaluable in keeping millions of American

women out of poverty.

The programs resonate throughout women’s

lives, providing protection against the loss of

income due to retirement, disability, or the

death of a family wage earner. For example, the

poverty rate among elderly women is 13

percent; without Social Security, it would be 52

percent. Women depend on Social Security.

Women represent 60 percent of all aged Social

Security beneficiaries and 72 percent of

beneficiaries who are age 85 and older.

There are several types of benefits that women

may receive, including worker’s benefits,

spouse’s benefits, widow’s benefits, and

mother’s benefits.

Supplemental Security Income, too, is an

important program for women. Women always

have been the majority of Supplementary

Security Income recipients who are aged 65 or

older (72 percent). More than half (59 percent)

of all persons receiving Supplemental Security

Income are female.

Social Security also plays important but

relatively little-known roles in helping women

escape the vicious circle of domestic violence,

learn more about how to plan for their financial

futures and find employment if they are

disabled.
330 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY

In international development work, five years is

a very short period for overcoming longstanding economic and social obstacles to

gender equality and for achieving discernable

results. Yet in the five years since the United

Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women

in Beijing, the U.S. Agency for International

Development has shown an array of very

positive changes leading to better lives for

women, worldwide.

In all of these instances, the Agency's

commitment to mainstreaming gender in

program design, implementation, and

evaluation has been a key element in bringing

about these changes. Investments of

development dollars in efforts to increase

women's legal literacy, improve girls' access to

education, and involve men in reproductive and

other family health issues have benefited entire

communities. More active democracies,

stronger and more equitable economic growth,

and improved health status are among the payoffs of these investments.

The Agency’s programs affecting women are

found across development sectors: democracy

and governance; environment; economic

growth and development; population, health,

and nutrition; and girls' and women’s

education. However, a distinction must be

made between two types of programs. The first

of these is directed toward overcoming

economic and social barriers to women that

prevent their equal participation in society.

These are at the core of the work of the U.S.

Agency for International Development's Office

of Women in Development. Drawing on the

technical leadership of the Women in

Development Office and an extensive network

of Women in Development officers and

advisers, Agency bureaus and missions are able

to address the gender dimensions in their work

with growing success.

The second set of programs funded by the U.S

Agency for International Development are

designed to give basic protections to women.

An example of this are the dollars spent on

maternal health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and

family planning and reproductive health.

Agency assistance helps about 25 countries,

from Bangladesh to Zimbabwe, build their own

capacity to provide voluntary, high-quality

family planning and reproductive health

services. The Agency has also funded regional

and country-specific HIV/AIDS programs in 22

countries in Africa, 12 countries in Latin

America and the Caribbean, nine in Asia, and

two in Europe and Eurasia. Programs include

public education campaigns, prevention and

treatment of sexually transmitted diseases,

research to identify which programs are most

effective, support to networks of communitybased organizations, and policy dialogue with

host countries.

Three additional highlights pinpoint work that

addresses women's equal participation in

society:

• The Microenterprise Innovation Project and

other Agency-supported microenterprise

projects provide small but crucial amounts of
Summaries

credit to entrepreneurs, the majority of whom

are women, through more than 600 funding

agreements worldwide. As a result, in FY

1997, more than 1.4 million people (about

two-thirds of whom were women) were able

to get credit to build or sustain their

businesses. The number of participants

increased to 3.4 million in FY 1998 (more

than 80 percent of whom were women). Loan

repayment is uniformly excellent.

Microenterprise is a key element of the

Agency's economic growth projects because

it has been shown to make a difference in

improving people's livelihoods. Moreover,

women's access to credit empowers them to

participate more fully in household and

community decision-making.

• An important component in strengthening

democracy and the rule of law worldwide is

ensuring that women fully and equally

participate at all levels of society and are

treated equitably and fairly in the legal

system. For example, ten Agency missions in

Asia and the Near East have democracy and

governance objectives, and most emphasize

participation in civil society and/or

government institutions. Four (Bangladesh,

Morocco, Nepal, and India) explicitly target

strengthening civil society through increased

participation of women. U.S. Agency for

International Development efforts have

resulted in increased voter turnout by women,

increased numbers of women candidates, and

increased attention by local and national

officials to such issues as violence against

women.

• The long-term benefits to increasing 

enrollment and school completion rat

developing countries include higher l

productivity, improvements in child s

reductions in fertility rates, and suppo

education for the next generation. Fo

reason, as an integral part of its basic

education programs, the U.S. Agency 

International Development works to c

gap between girls' and boys' access to 

education, a gap that is pronounced in 

countries in which the Agency works

Agency has allocated more than $50,

annually to this goal through centrall

funded, regional, and mission-level p

Efforts include mobilizing host-count

public and private sector leaders to su

girls' education, supporting innovativ

measures such as community schools 

enhanced teacher training to provide 

learning environment for girls, and

researching the best ways to use reso

increase women's literacy rates and re

girls' drop-out rates.

The Agency's Gender Plan of Action, i

1996, serves as a blueprint to mainstrea

gender throughout the Agency's progra

policies and is specific about how to

accomplish this goal. The 15-point plan

includes modification of the Agency's s

framework to reflect the integral role of 

in sustainable development, revision of

procurement and personnel policies, an

training and other ways to institutionali
332 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

gender mainstreaming throughout Agency

operations. In recognition of the Agency's

leadership in this area, the U.S. Agency for

International Development chairs the Gender

and Institutional Change Working Group of the

President's Interagency Council on Women.

Finally, while the amount spent on foreign

assistance is a small segment of the overall U.S.

government's budget, the impact of the dollars

expended is quite substantial, as the Agency

profiles will indicate. The U.S. Agency for

International Development’s funding for

women in development must be understood in

this context. Between 1994 and 1998, the

Agency spent almost $500,000,000 per year, on

average, in improving women’s status around

the world. In FY 1999, about $605,000,000 was

obligated.
PEACE CORPS SUMMARY

Founded in 1961, the Peace Corps has sent

more than 155,000 Volunteers to 134 countries

to help local communities expand and fulfill

their own visions of a better life. As of

September 1999, approximately 6,600

Volunteers (more than 4,000 or 61 percent are

women) are serving in 77 countries in

education, youth development, health, water

and sanitation, agriculture, environment, and

business development programs.

Approximately 37 percent of Country Directors

are women. The Peace Corps recognizes the

importance of including women’s perspectives

in project design and implementation, and the

importance of female role models in its projects

and administrative operations. The Peace Corps

trains all Volunteers in ways to help integrate

women into the economic, political, and social

development of their countries.

Education

Education is the Peace Corps’ largest program, with 40 percent of Volunteers

(approximately 1,600 female and 1,040

male Volunteers) involved in more than 80

education projects in Africa, Eastern

Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific. The Peace Corps recognizes the role of literacy in women’s

empowerment, and Volunteers work with

women in schools and communities to

eradicate illiteracy.

Educational programs emphasize improving

instruction for students, improving connections

with host country teachers, expanding

educational resources, and developing

community activities.

Because education is the path to progre

achievement for many women in the

developing world, the Peace Corps plac

high priority on strengthening educatio

life options for girl-children. Examples 

programs include collaboration with sc

and local organizations in more than 20

countries to develop scholarship progra

the primary, secondary, and continuing

education levels; mentoring activities in 

than 20 countries that link girls to profe

women for the purpose of broadening g

view of the value of education and expo

them to a range of professional opportu

and training programs in approximately 

countries to provide teenage girls in orp

with marketable skills that will increase 

future employment options.

Health, Water, and Sanitation

Approximately 1,100 Peace Corps 

teers in 36 countries are involved in 

related projects. They and their cou

parts develop and implement progra

expand awareness of health issues a

access to health care, and to strengt

local health care sectors. Programs f

nutrition, child survival, maternal h

communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS 

tion, substance abuse, dental health
334 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

and hearing testing, cancer screening, and

first aid. In addition, more than 400 Volunteers work directly with women to improve

access to clean water and strengthen local

sanitation practices. In all projects, Volunteers make a special effort to incorporate

women in decision-making processes.

Business Development

More than 800 Peace Corps Volunteers

work in approximately 35 small business

development projects in Africa, Latin

America, the Pacific, Asia, and Eastern

Europe. They cooperate with government

officials, non-governmental organizations,

schools, women’s groups, cooperatives, and

communities to help women increase family income, gain access to credit, identify

markets, develop businesses, develop leadership skills, and prepare girls to enter the

workplace. Peace Corps Volunteers are

teaching or serving as business consultants

for Junior Achievement projects in at least

30 countries. These projects educate young

women about business and economics,

broaden their horizons, and help to prepare

them for the workforce.

Leadership Development for Women and

Girl-Children

Peace Corps Volunteers work with women

and girls to build leadership skills and selfesteem through a wide range of projects

and activities. The purpose of these projects

is to help women take active roles in the

decisions that affect them, their families,

and communities, and to prepare girls for

their adult years. These projects focus on

team-building, understanding women’s role

in development, building self-esteem, conflict resolution, and leadership skills for

women and girls. An example of leadership

training is Camp Girls Leading Our World

a girls’ leadership summer camp started in

1996 by Volunteers in Romania and replicated in other countries. The camp brings

women and girls together to build selfesteem, engage in career planning, develop

friendships, and recognize their own

strengths and values.

Violence Against Women

Throughout the Peace Corps Volunteer

cycle, from recruitment and training

through completion of service, staff and

Volunteers strive to reduce the safety risks

Volunteers may face. Individual Volunteers

have the primary responsibility for their

personal safety, and Peace Corps staff support Volunteer efforts through thoughtful

policy formulation, provision of appropriate resources and training, open communication, and crisis response and

management. In addition, the Peace Corps

encourages authorities in countries where

Volunteers serve to recognize and support

the rights of female victims of sexual

harassment, physical assault, and rape.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION SUMMARY

Since 1995 the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission has been actively improving the

lives of women in America by helping end

discrimination in the workplace. Among the

highlights of the Commission's

accomplishments are:

• Extensive Educational Efforts

The Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission has been aiming its efforts at

women and their employers to educate them

about their rights and responsibilities under

the law. These efforts include technical

assistance programs for employers

specifically addressing sexual harassment as

well as meetings with advocates to determine

the best ways to reach women and improve

enforcement of the laws that most affect

them.

• Excellent litigation success

In the past five years, $290,781,970 has been

awarded to women complainants. The

agricultural, manufacturing, nursing, poultry

processing, and restaurant industries, among

others, have all been put on notice

discrimination against women will not be

tolerated.

• Issuance of highly relevant guidance for

employers and employees alike

Among the guidance issued by the

Commission was direction on equal pay and

contingent workers rights.

• Partnership with other federal agencies

The Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission has signed Memoranda with the

Department of Labor and the Department of

Justice designed to help the agencies work

together to efficiently enforce discrim

laws, particularly those covering pay 

immigration issues.

• Partnership with the private sector

In response to rising numbers of preg

discrimination charges, the Commiss

formed an alliance with the National 

of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to 

pregnant women of their workplace r
336 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR

THE HUMANITIES SUMMARY

Throughout its 35-year history, the National

Endowment for the Humanities has supported

numerous projects that seek to improve the

understanding of women, their contributions to

and their changing roles in society. Since 1995

the National Endowment for the Humanities

has awarded more than $18,500,000 through its

existing grant programs on projects related to

women and children.

From its Division of Research to the Division

of Education, the National Endowment for the

Humanities can boast of funding projects of,

by, and about women and girls. Research on

such varied topics as women writers, gender

roles, political participation and health have

increased the body of knowledge on what has

been called “women’s issues,” but which really

give us all a broader perspective on society,

public policy and cultural traditions. Through

its support of literacy programs, the National

Endowment for the Humanities has provided

generations of women and families with a

legacy of learning and shared experience in the

love of reading. Documentaries and exhibitions

bring the contributions and accomplishments of

women, those famous and those previously

unknown, to the general public. The

accompanying public programming, catalogues

and teacher guides increase the potential of

these documentaries and exhibitions to inform

the public of the important contributions of

women in history. The National Endowment for

the Humanities has also helped teachers

introduce new perspectives in the teaching of

such humanities subjects as history, literature,

religion, politics and interdisciplinary courses

with science through its support of Education

Demonstration and Development projects,

Summer Institutes and Seminars and online

educational materials. Finally, the National

Endowment for the Humanities is helping girls

realize their potential through support of

projects such as Girls Dig It and reading and

discussion programs for teen mothers.

Although it is a small agency with a

$111,000,000 annual budget, the National

Endowment for the Humanities is proud of its

record of supporting, and will continue to

support, projects that preserve and celebrate the

uniquely important contributions of women and

girls to history and that inform the

understanding of their influence on today’s

society.
U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY SUMMARY

The United States Information Agency was an

independent foreign affairs agency within the

executive branch of the federal government

until its consolidation with the State

Department in 1999. The Agency promoted

mutual understanding between the United

States and other countries worldwide through a

broad variety of educational and cultural

exchange programs and activities. The Agency

also explained and supported U.S. foreign

policy and national security interests abroad

through a wide range of information programs.

The U.S. Information Agency continues to be

committed to ensuring that all of its activities

reflect the diversity of society. It sought and

encouraged the involvement of traditionally

underrepresented audiences, including women,

racial and ethnic minorities, people of low and

moderate income, people from rural

communities and people with disabilities.

In October 1999, the United States Information

Agency was consolidated into the Department

of State.

This U.S. Information Agency’s submission

has been prepared to demonstrate the Agency's

support of programming for women and the

issues that affect women’s lives and to

encourage more activity in this area. It does not

include every program the Agency has done

that involves or affects women; however, it is a

sampling of the kinds of activities specifically

relating to women. Most U.S. Information

Agency programs and activities have a high

percentage of female participants.
338 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

THE WHITE HOUSE SUMMARY

At the 1995 United Nations Fourth World

Conference on Women in Beijing, First Lady

Hillary Rodham Clinton declared that “if there

is one message that echoes forth from this

conference, it is that human rights are women’s

rights—and women’s rights are human rights.”

This principle is reflected in Administration

policy, charting an agenda that advances the

lives of women and girls at home and around

the world.

The President’s commitment to recognizing the

lives and talents of women is evident by his

decision to appoint more women to senior

positions in the Cabinet and Administration

than any previous U.S. President. Many of

these appointees serve in prominent positions

never before held by women, including the first

female Secretary of State and Attorney

General.

The President and First Lady have launched

many significant Administration initiatives

benefiting women at White House ceremonies,

raising the level of public attention and debate.

One of the most significant events at the White

House was held in honor of International

Women’s Day 1998, when President Clinton

issued a memorandum outlining steps to

combat violence against women and trafficking

in women and girls. Roundtables and

conferences hosted at the White House include

a Roundtable on Equal Pay, Roundtable on

Domestic Violence, White House Conference

on Child Care, White House Conference on

Mental Health, the importance of strengthening

and modernizing Medicare for women and

events focussing on Social Security.

When President Clinton assumed office, he

immediately acted to overturn actions taken by

previous administrations to restrict a woman’s

right to choose. Each year, this Administration

has recommended increased support for

reproductive health care, greatly increasing

reproductive health care access to low-income

women. Additionally, the First Lady has

worked to build support for women’s

reproductive health services in her travels

around the world.

For the past seven years, the First Lady has

promoted a multi-faceted campaign to raise

awareness about the impact of breast cancer on

so many women in the United States. Mrs.

Clinton has hosted a series of White House

events addressing breast cancer, and has also

recorded public service announcements.

Expanding economic security and opportunity

for women continues to be a White House

priority. In addition to working to attain equal

pay, the President and First Lady have worked

to expand microcredit loans to women within

the United States and abroad. The First Lady

addressed a Microcredit Summit, applauding

microcredit loans as an excellent way to lift

women from poverty in the United States, and

the President embarked upon a New Markets

tour in an effort to stimulate economic activity
in poverty stricken communities. While

traveling abroad, the First Lady has advocated

the extension of microcredit loans to women,

and spoken out on the need to improve health

care, education and other human rights

concerns of women.

The first ever White House Office for Women’s

Initiatives and Outreach advocates on behalf of

policies related to women and families. The

Women’s Office serves as a liaison to

constituency groups, and factors the concerns

of outside experts and groups into the decisionmaking process at the White House.

In 1998 President Clinton established the

President’s Commission on the Celebration of

Women in American History, bringing greater

visibility to the heroism and contributions of

women in building the Nation and in their local

communities.

Through Administration initiatives to expand

access to education and economic opportunity,

increased support for women’s health and

ending violence against women, and the

appointment of women to the highest levels of

government service, this Administration has

built on the Beijing Platform for Action and set

the Nation on the course to achieve even further

progress in the years to come.
340 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
Speeches

THE WHITE HOUSE

OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 5, 1995

FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

REMARKS TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

BEIJING, CHINA

Thank you very much Gertrude Mongella, for your dedicated work that has brought us to th

point.

Distinguished delegates and guests, I would like to thank the Secretary General of the Unite

Nations for inviting me to be part of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Wome

This is truly a celebration—a celebration of the contributions women make in every aspect o

in the home, on the job, in the community, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, learners, wo

citizens and leaders.

It is also a coming together; much the way women come together every day in every countr

We come together in fields and in factories. In village markets and supermarkets. In living r

and boardrooms.

Whether it is while playing with our children in the park, or washing clothes in a river, or tak

break at the office water cooler, we come together and talk about our aspirations and concer

And time and again, our talk turns to our children and our families.

However different we may appear, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share 

common future. And we are here to find common ground so that we may help bring new dig

and respect to women and girls all over the world—and in so doing, bring new strength and

stability to families as well.

By gathering in Beijing, we are focusing world attention on issues that matter most in the liv

women and their families: access to education, health care, jobs and credit, the chance to en

basic legal and human rights and to participate fully in the political life of their countries.

There are some that question the reason for this conference. Let them listen to the voices of

women in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces.

There are some who wonder whether the lives of women and girls matter to economic and

political progress around the globe. . . .Let them look at the women gathered here and at
342 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Huairou—the homemakers, nurses, teachers, lawyers, policymakers, and women who run their

own businesses.

It is conferences like this that compel governments and people everywhere to listen, look and face

the world’s most pressing problems.

Wasn’t it after the women’s conference in Nairobi ten years ago that the world focused for the first

time on the crisis of domestic violence?

Earlier today, I participated in a World Health Organization forum, where government officials,

NGOs, and individual citizens are working on ways to address the health problems of women and

girls.

Tomorrow, I will attend a gathering of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. There,

the discussion will focus on local—and highly successful—programs that give hard-working

women access to credit so they can improve their own lives and the lives of their families.

What we are learning around the world is that, if women are healthy and educated, their families

will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance

to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish.

And when families flourish, communities and nations will flourish.

That is why every woman, every man, every child, every family, and every nation on our planet

does have a stake in the discussion that takes place here.

Over the past 25 years, I have worked persistently on issues relating to women, children and

families. Over the past two-and-a-half years, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the

challenges facing women in my own country and around the world.

I have met new mothers in Indonesia, who come together regularly in their village to discuss

nutrition, family planning, and baby care.

I have met working parents in Denmark who talk about the comfort they feel in knowing that their

children can be cared for in creative, safe, and nurturing after-school centers.

I have met women in South Africa who helped lead the struggle to end apartheid and are now

helping build a new democracy.

I have met with the leading women of my own hemisphere who are working every day to promote

literacy and better health care for the children of their countries.

I have met women in India and Bangladesh who are taking out small loans to buy milk cows,

rickshaws, thread and other materials to create a livelihood for themselves and their families.
Speeches 

I have met doctors and nurses in Belarus and Ukraine who are trying to keep children alive 

aftermath of Chernobyl.

The great challenge of this Conference is to give voice to women everywhere whose experie

go unnoticed, whose words go unheard.

Women comprise more than half of the world’s population. Women are 70 percent of the wo

poor, and two-thirds of those who are not taught to read and write.

Women are the primary caretakers for most of the world’s children and elderly. Yet much of 

work we do is not valued—not by economists, not by historians, not by popular culture, and 

by government leaders.

At this very moment, as we sit here, women around the world are giving birth, raising child

cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning houses, planting crops, working on assembly line

running companies, and running countries.

Women also are dying from diseases that should have been prevented or treated; they are

watching their children succumb to malnutrition caused by poverty and economic deprivatio

they are being denied the right to go to school by their own fathers and brothers; they are be

forced into prostitution, and they are being barred from the bank lending office and banned 

the ballot box.

Those of us who have the opportunity to be here have the responsibility to speak for those w

could not.

As an American, I want to speak up for women in my own country—women who are raisin

children on the minimum wage, women who can’t afford health care or child care, women w

lives are threatened by violence, including violence in their own homes.

I want to speak up for the mothers who are fighting for good schools, safe neighborhoods, c

air and clean airwaves. . . .

. . . .for older women, some of them widows, who have raised their families and now find that 

skills and life experiences are not valued in the workplace. . . .for women who are working 

night as nurses, hotel clerks, and fast food cooks so that they can be at home during the day 

their kids. . . .and for women everywhere who simply don’t have the time to do everything t

are called upon to do each day.

Speaking to you today, I speak for them, just as each of us speaks for women around the wo

who are denied the chance to go to school, or see a doctor, or own property, or have a say ab

the direction of their lives, simply because they are women.

The truth is that most women around the world work both inside and outside the home, usua

necessity.
344 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

We need to understand that there is no one formula for how women should lead their lives.

That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every

woman deserves the chance to realize her God-given potential.

We also must recognize that women will never gain full dignity until their human rights are

respected and protected.

Our goals for this Conference, to strengthen families and societies by empowering women to take

greater control over their own destinies, cannot be fully achieved unless all governments—here

and around the world—accept their responsibility to protect and promote internationally

recognized human rights.

The international community has long acknowledged—and recently affirmed at Vienna—that

both women and men are entitled to a range of protections and personal freedoms, from the right

of personal security to the right to determine freely the number and spacing of the children they

bear.

No one should be forced to remain silent for fear of religious or political persecution, arrest,

abuse, or torture.

Tragically, women are most often the ones whose human rights are violated.

Even in the late 20th century, the rape of women continues to be used as in instrument of armed

conflict. Women and children make up a large majority of the world’s refugees. And when women

are excluded from the political process, they become even more vulnerable to abuse.

I believe that, on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break our silence. It is time for us to

say here in Beijing, and the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights

as separate from human rights.

These abuses have continued because, for too long, the history of women has been a history of

silence. Even today, there are those who are trying to silence our words.

The voices of this conference and of the women at Huairou must be heard loud and clear:

It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their

spines broken, simply because they are born girls.

It is a violation of human rights when women and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution.

It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire and burned to

death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small.

It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities and

when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war.
Speeches 

It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide among women ag

to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes by their own relatives.

It is a violation of human rights when young girls are brutalized by the painful and degradin

practice of genital mutilation.

It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families

that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will.

If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are

women’s rights. . . .And women’s rights are human rights, once and for all.

Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely. And the right to be he

Women must enjoy the right to participate fully in the social and political lives of their count

we want freedom and democracy to thrive and endure.

It is indefensible that many women in non-governmental organizations who wished to partic

in this conference have not been able to attend—or have been prohibited from fully taking p

Let me be clear. Freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize, and debate openl

means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments
346 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 6, 1995

AMBASSADOR MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT

U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

REMARKS TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

Honored guests, fellow delegates and observers, I am pleased and proud to address this historic

conference on behalf of the United States of America.

My government congratulates the thousands who have helped to organize the conference, to draft

the Platform for Action, to inform the world about the subjects under discussion here and to

encourage wide participation both by governments and NGO’s.

We have come here from all over the world to carry forward an age-old struggle: the pursuit of

economic and social progress for all people, based on respect for the dignity and value of each.

We are here to promote and protect human rights and to stress that women's rights are neither

separable nor different from those of men.

We are here to stop sexual crimes and other violence against women; to protect refugees, so many

of whom are women; and to end the despicable notion—in this era of conflicts—that rape is just

another tactic of war.

We are here to empower women by enlarging their role in making economic and political

decisions, an idea some find radical, but which my government believes is essential to economic

and social progress around the world; because no country can develop if half its human resources

are de-valued or repressed.

We are here because we want to strengthen families, the heart and soul of any society. We believe

that girls must be valued to the same degree as boys. We believe, with Pope John Paul II, in the

“equality of spouses with respect to family rights.” We think women and men should be able to

make informed judgments as they plan their families. And we want to see forces that weaken

families—including pornography, domestic violence and the sexual exploitation of children—

condemned and curtailed.

Finally, we have come to this conference to assure for women equal access to education and

health care, to help women protect against infection by HIV, to recognize the special needs and

strengths of women with disabilities, and to attack the root causes of poverty, in which so many

women, children and men are entrapped.
Speeches 

We have come to Beijing to make further progress towards each of these goals. But real pro

will depend not on what we say here, but on what we do after we leave here. The Fourth Wo

Conference for Women is not about conversations; it is about commitments.

For decades, my nation has led efforts to promote equal rights for women. Women in their v

roles—as mothers, farm laborers, factory workers, organizers and community leaders helpe

build America. My government is based on principles that recognize the right of every perso

equal rights and equal opportunity. Our laws forbid discrimination on the basis of sex and w

work hard to enforce those laws. A rich network of nongovernmental organizations has

blossomed within our borders, reaching out to women and girls from all segments of society

educating, counseling and advocating change.

The United States is a leader, but leaders cannot stand still. Barriers to the equal participatio

women persist in my country. The Clinton Administration is determined to bring those barri

down.

Today, in the spirit of this conference, and in the knowledge that concrete steps to advance t

status of women are required in every nation, I am pleased to announce the new commitmen

government will undertake:

First, President Clinton will establish a White House Council on Women to plan for the effe

implementation within the United States of the Platform for Action. That Council will build 

the commitments made today and will work every day with the nongovernmental communit

Second, in accordance with recently-approved law, the Department of Justice will launch a 

year, $1.6 billion initiative to fight domestic violence and other crimes against women. Fund

be used for specialized police and prosecution units and to train police, prosecutors and judi

personnel.

Third, our Department of Health and Human Services will lead a comprehensive assault on

threats to the health and security of women—promoting healthy behavior, increasing aware

about AIDS, discouraging the use of cigarettes, and striving to win the battle against breast

cancer.

And, as Mrs. Clinton made clear yesterday, the United States remains firmly committed to t

reproductive health rights gains made in Cairo.

Fourth, our Department of Labor will conduct a grass roots campaign to improve conditions 

women in the workplace. The campaign will work with employers to develop more equitabl

and promotion policies and to help employees balance the twin responsibilities of family an

work.
348 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

Fifth, our Department of the Treasury will take new steps to promote access to financial credit for

women. Outstanding U.S. microenterprise lending organizations will be honored through special

presidential awards; and we will improve coordination of federal efforts to encourage growth in

this field of central importance to the economic empowerment of women.

Sixth, the Agency for International Development will continue to lead in promoting and

recognizing the vital role of women in development. Today, we announce important initiatives to

increase women's participation in political processes and to promote the enforcement of women's

legal rights.

There is a seventh and final commitment my country is making today. We, the people and

government of the United States of America, will continue to speak out openly and without

hesitation on behalf of the human rights of all people.

My country is proud that, nearly a half century ago, Eleanor Roosevelt, a former First Lady of the

United States, helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are proud that,

yesterday afternoon, in this very hall, our current First Lady—Hillary Rodham Clinton—re-stated

with memorable eloquence our national commitment to that Declaration.

The Universal Declaration reflects spiritual and moral tenets which are central to all cultures,

encompassing both the wondrous diversity that defines us and the common humanity that binds

us. It obliges each government to strive in law and practice to protect the rights of those under its

jurisdiction. Whether a government fulfills that obligation is a matter not simply of domestic, but

of universal, concern. For it is a founding principle of the United Nations that no government can

hide its human rights record from the world.

At the heart of the Universal Declaration is a fundamental distinction between coercion and

choice.

No woman—whether in Birmingham, Bombay, Beirut or Beijing—should be forcibly sterilized

or forced to have an abortion.

No mother should feel compelled to abandon her daughter because of a societal preference for

males.

No woman should be forced to undergo genital mutilation, or to become a prostitute, or to enter

into marriage or to have sex.

No one should be forced to remain silent for fear of religious or political persecution, arrest, abuse

or torture.

All of us should be able to exercise control over the course of our own lives and be able to help

shape the destiny of our communities and countries.
Speeches 

Let us be clear. Freedom to participate in the political process of our countries is the inalien

right of every woman and man. Deny that right, and you deny everything.

It is unconscionable, therefore, that the right to free expression has been called into question 

here, at a conference conducted under the auspices of the UN and whose very purpose is the 

and open discussion of women's rights.

And it is a challenge to us all that so many countries in so many parts of the world--north, s

west and east—fall far short of the noble objectives outlined in the Platform for Action.

Every nation, including my own, must do better and do more—to make equal rights a

fundamental principle of law; to enforce those rights and to remove barriers to the exercise 

those rights.

That is why President Clinton has made favorable action on the Convention to Eliminate

Discrimination Against Women a top priority. The United States should be a party to that

Convention.

And it is why we will continue to seek a dialogue with governments—here and elsewhere—

deny to their citizens the rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration.

In preparing for this conference, I came across an old Chinese poem that is worth recalling,

especially today, as we observe the Day of the Girl-Child. In the poem, a father says to his

daughter: “We keep a dog to watch the house, A pig is useful, too, We keep a cat to catch a m

But what can we do with a girl like you?”

Fellow delegates, let us make sure that question never needs to be asked again—in China or

anywhere else around the world. Let us strive for the day when every young girl, in every vi

and metropolis, can look ahead with confidence that their lives will be valued, their individu

recognized, their rights protected and their futures determined by their own abilities and cha

Let us reject outright the forces of repression and ignorance that have held us back; and act 

the strength and optimism unity can provide.

Let us honor the legacy of the heroines, famous and unknown, who struggled in years past to 

the platform upon which we now stand.

And let us heed the instruction of our own lives. Look around this hall, and you will see wo

who have reached positions of power and authority. Go to Huairou, and you will see an expl

of energy and intelligence devoted to every phase of this struggle. Enter any community in a

country, and you will find women insisting—often at great risk—on their right to an equal v

and equal access to the levers of power.
350 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

This past week, on video at the NGO Forum, Aung San Suu Kyi, said that “it is time to apply in

the arena of the world the wisdom and experience” women have gained.

Let us all agree; it is time. It is time to turn bold talk into concrete action.

It is time to unleash the full capacity for production, accomplishment and the enrichment of life

that is inherent in us—the women of the world.
Speeches 

REGIONAL OUTREACH EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

The President’s Interagency Council on Women coordinated thirteen outreach events across 

United States to celebrate the progress made since the UN Fourth World Conference on Wo

These inclusive, regional events were organized in partnership with diverse non-governmen

organizations, colleges and universities, and regional community organizations, and offered

opportunities to share best practices, achievements and lessons learned. Reports generated at 

event were submitted to The President’s Council for consideration by the U.S. Delegation to 

UN Special Session in June 2000 and are found on our website at http://secretary.state.gov/w

picw/indx.html. We would like to recognize the hard work of the coordinators and organize

these events that helped shape how we tell our story of progress across the country.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: October 13, 1999

Carol Tally Davis, University of Missouri at Kansas City

Rose Kemp, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE: November 6, 1999

Kathleen M. Meyer, Conference Coordinator – Women 2000: Beijing Plus Five

Cornelia Moore, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: November 6, 1999

The Honorable Jackie K. Weatherspoon, New Hampshire House of Representatives

DALLAS, TEXAS: November 6 and 7, 1999

Rita Mae Kelly, Co-Chair, Third North Texas UN Conference on Women, The University

of Texas at Dallas

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: December 6, 1999

Nancy Chen, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

Bonnie Koenig, Conference Coordinator, Going International

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: January 28 and 29, 2000

June Kimmel, Southwestern Regional Director, North Carolina Council for Women

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: February 5, 2000

Judy Hickey, Massachusetts Action for Women

Diane Hammer, Simmons Institute for Leadership and Change

SEATTLE,WASHINGTON: February 11 and 12, 2000

Karen Furia, Regional Administrator, U.S. Deptartment of Labor Women’s Bureau

Jessie Walker, Conference Coordinator

DENVER, COLORADO: February 12, 2000

Karen Beeks, Director, Global Partnerships for Humanity

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: February 25 and 26, 2000

Marilyn Fowler, Executive Director, California Women’s Agenda

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: March 4, 2000

Dorris Muscadin, Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: March 31, 2000

R. Gayle Harell Jackson, Assistant Attorney General, Louisiana Department of Justice

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: April 15, 2000

Edna Mitchell, Women’s Leadership Institute, Mills College
352 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment
 Federal Programs and Resources for

Women and Families

Discrimination and Violence

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission

—to report sexual discrimination or

harassment

http://www.eeoc.gov

1-800-669-4000

Office of Federal Contract Complian

—to report sexual discrimination in 

company which contracts with the fe

government

http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa

202-693-0101

Department of Health and Human S

National Child Care Information Ce

—concerning child care and other w

family issues

http://www.nccic.org

1-800-616-2242

Violence Against Women Office in th

Justice Department

—for information concerning dome

violence

http://www.usdoj.gov/vawo

202-616-8894

Education

Federal Student Aid Information Ce

—information and applications for 

loans

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

1-800-433-3243

1-800-4-FED-AID

Business

Women’s Business Ownership

—assistance with women’s entrepreneurial

issues

http://www.sba.gov

 202-205-6673

Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

—women’s legal rights in the workplace

http://www.dol.gov./dol/wb

1-800-827-5335

Department of Labor Women’s Bureau,

general office

—concerning economic and international

issues

http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/

202-219-6611

U.S. Small Business Administration Office of

Women’s Business Ownership

—specifically created to help women

entrepreneurs

http://www.sba.gov

202-205-6673

U.S. Small Business Administration

—on managing and financing a womanowned small business

http://www.sba.gov

1-800-8-ASK-SBA

Department of Transportation Short-Term

Lending Program

—application for a short-term loan,

particularly women in small businesses

http://www.dot.gov

1-800-532-1169

Working Women Count! A Report to the Nation,

Government Printing Office,

Publication #029-002-0082

—call for a copy of the survey results

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/

202-512-1800
354 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

National School-to-Work Program, Learning and Information Center

—about implementing a School-to-Work

program in your area; helping students

make the connection between schoolwork

and career

http://www.ftw.ed.gov

1-800-251-7236

Corporation for National Service, AmeriCorps Program

—about AmeriCorps, a program which

loans money to students in return for

community service

http://www.nationalservice.org

http://www.americorps.org

202-606-5000

Department of Education, Office for Safe

and Drug-Free Schools

—regarding federal programs addressing

violence and drugs in public schools

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS

202-260-3954

1-800-624-0100

Department of Education, Information

Resource Center

—referral to any Department of Education

program, including Goals 2000: Educate

America

http://www.ed.gov

1-800-USA-LEARN

Department of Bilingual Education and

Minority Language Affairs

—about bilingual education programs

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OBEMLA

Department of Health and Human Services,

Head Start

—about Head Start, a pre-school program

for low income children.

http://www.hhs.gov

Department of Education, Women’s Educational Equity Act Program

—funding for agencies and organizations

which implement programs to promote

educational equality for women and girls

http://www.ed.gov

Department of Justice, Educational Opportunity Section

—federal statutes concerning

discrimination in schools

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/overview.html

202-514-4092

Health

National Domestic Violence Hotline

—domestic violence, emergency shelters,

legaladvocacy,assistanceprograms,social

services, and batterers’ programs

http://www.ndvh.org

1-800-799-SAFE

Public Health Services, Office on Women’s

Health.

—coordinates and provides general

information on resources, services, and

education on women’s health programs in

the federal government

http://www.4woman.gov

202-690-7650

Public Health Services, Office of Population

Affairs

—oversees federally funded family

planning clinics

http://www.hhs.gov/progorg/opa/opa.html

301-594-4000

Office of Research on Women’s Health,

National Institutes of Health

—about Women’s health research at the

National Institutes of Health

301-402-1770

Office of Women’s Health, Food and Drug

Administration

—Food and Drug Administration policies

and regulations concerning women’s

inclusion in clinical drug trials and researc

http://www.fda.gov/womens/

301-827-0350

888-INFO-FDA
Federal Programs and Resources for Women and Families 

Eldercare Locator, Department of Health

and Human Services Administration on

Aging

—for assistance for elder persons and

caregivers

http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov

1-800-677-1116

National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and

Drug Information, Department of Health

and Human Services, Center on Substance

Abuse Prevention

http://www.health.org

1-800-994-9662

National Institute of Mental Health Depression

http://www.nimh.nih.gov

1-800-421-4211

Women’s Health Initiative, National Institutes of Health

—largest study on preventing heart, lung

and bone disease in older women

http://www.nih.gov

1-800-994-9662

Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Institute

—about cancer and for referral to an Food

and Drug Administration-approved

mammography center in your area

http://www.nci.nih.gov

1-800-4-CANCER

AIDS Clearinghouse, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention

—about AIDS and referral to research and

medical services

http://www.edcnpin.org

1-800-458-5231

Children and Youth

Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Family and Medical Leave Team

—to find out your rights under the Family

and Medical Leave Act

1-800-959-FMLA

Department of Health and Human S

Administration for Children and Fam

Child Care Bureau

—for referrals to local, federally fu

child care centers, and information 

national child care policies

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/

202-442-5999

Corporation for National Service, Le

Serve America

—grants to community and school-

programs

http://www.nationalservice.org

202-606-5000

Department of Health and Human S

National Institute of Child Health an

Human Development

—for biomedical information on ch

disorders and health, research repro

health, and preventative medicine

http://www.calib.com/nccanch

703-385-7565

Department of State, Office of Childr

Issues

—about international child adoptio

http://www.state.gov

202-647-2688

Department of Health and Human S

Administration for Children and Fam

Child Support Enforcement

—on child support enforcement

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov

Department of State, The President’s 

agency Council on Women

-coordinates follow-up of the UN W

Conference

http://www.secretary.state.gov/www

index.html

202-647-6227
Federal Programs and Resources for Women and Families 
A

B

C

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 20, 38, 145,

162, 219, 254

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS FUND/ DEPARTMENT OF

TREASURY 23

D

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 2, 5, 6, 10, 25, 79,

94, 171, 183, 219, 220, 281

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE/ DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 80

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE/ PRESIDENT’S

INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON WOMEN 248

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 17, 25, 33, 39, 42, 55,

93, 106, 114, 156, 165, 166, 171, 179, 180, 181, 184,

206, 210, 243, 245, 248, 260, 262, 281, 282, 293

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/ SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 178, 179

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 36, 41, 50, 73, 75, 108,

109, 118, 120, 126, 142, 144, 145, 175, 185, 210, 220,

236, 253, 262

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/ DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE 205

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/ DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE 120

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION 175

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE] 185

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 28, 29, 30

33, 35, 40, 43, 49, 51, 65, 108, 127, 167, 17

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/ DEPART

OF JUSTICE 28

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/ SOCIAL

SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 41, 177, 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 17, 40, 94, 164, 

195, 206, 210, 262, 263, 272

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES 9, 10, 11, 61, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 6

77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 91

100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 

116, 117, 118, 121, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 

238, 244, 247, 274, 279, 282, 284, 287, 288

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES/ DEPARTMENT OF DEFENS

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 93

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES/ DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION 104

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES/ ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC

AGENCY/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 274

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT 3, 5, 6, 7, 21, 42, 75

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 10, 12, 42, 62, 

113, 114, 115, 125, 132, 133, 188, 189, 253, 

287

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/ DEPARTMEN

EDUCATION 29

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/ DEPARTMEN

STATE 132, 133, 134

Index
358 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 61, 75,

115, 116, 157, 160, 164, 185, 186, 187, 191, 192, 193,

194, 195, 196, 200, 201, 202, 203, 206, 211, 215, 238,

239, 249, 252, 258, 263, 284, 285, 286

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (PENSION BENEFITS

GUARANTEE CORPORATION) 160

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (PRESIDENT’S

COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE

WITH DISABILITIES)/ DEPARTMENT OF

DEFENSE 190

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (PRESIDENTIAL TASK

FORCE ON EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS WITH

DISABILITIES) 190

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION 44

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 76

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 60

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE 289

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION 15

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION 193

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ OFFICE OF

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 203

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION 172

DEPARTMENT OF STAT 182

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 20, 31, 34, 37, 58, 74, 90,

91, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 131, 135, 136, 137, 138,

139, 142, 143, 144, 147, 148, 161, 170, 180, 182, 183,

185, 188, 211, 212, 219, 221, 222, 223, 226, 229, 230,

231, 234, 236, 237, 241, 242, 255, 256, 257, 258, 261,

262, 273, 277, 282, 283, 286, 288, 293

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE 136, 137

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 132

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION 173

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 230

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/ WHITE HOUSE 231

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 13, 14, 18, 36, 37

38, 46, 50, 195, 204, 205, 219, 236, 241, 244, 245, 271

277, 281, 288, 289, 293

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR/ DEPARTMENT

OF AGRICULTURE 50

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR/ DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR 163

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 16, 46, 57,

145, 162, 167, 173, 176, 189, 191, 219, 239, 266, 27

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (FEDERAL

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION) 203

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION(FEDERAL

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION)/ DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR/ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES 12

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/ GENERAL

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 267

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 45, 55, 62

104, 105, 161, 168, 240

E

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 95, 96

97, 98, 99, 102, 107, 108, 237, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271

293
Index

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY/

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 96

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES 107

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY/

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 268

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY/

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 173

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION 198

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

COMMISSION/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 199

G

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 33, 174,

207, 245, 290

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/ DEPARTMENT OF

THE TREASURY/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 211

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION/ OFFICE

OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 211

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION/ SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 174

N

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

36, 49, 57, 105, 224, 246, 262, 278

O

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 47, 55, 56,

72, 73, 88, 119, 168, 204, 207, 208, 210, 212, 213, 214

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES 209

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 120

P

PEACE CORPS 25, 26, 34, 48, 57, 74, 81, 88, 

121, 146, 181, 188, 227, 243, 250, 261, 272, 

291, 292

PEACE CORPS/ U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 280

PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYM

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (DEPART

OF LABOR) 289

PRESIDENT’S INTERAGENCY COUNCIL 

WOMEN/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 169

S

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 15, 

24, 52, 53, 54, 150, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 

293

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 18

50, 118, 121, 158, 163, 290

U

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 20, 22, 24, 26, 34, 37, 48

91, 122, 123, 134, 135, 145, 146, 147, 182, 

226, 244, 250, 256, 273, 283

UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENC

48, 131, 134, 144, 169, 170, 225, 226, 227, 

253, 254, 260, 261, 271, 282

UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENC

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 229
360 2000 Edition

America’s Commitment

V

VETERANS AFFAIRS 187

W

WHITE HOUSE 24, 82, 86, 89, 109, 220, 225, 240, 246,

253, 276

WHITE HOUSE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ SMALL

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 201

WHITE HOUSE/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 201

WHITE HOUSE/ DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 160

WHITE HOUSE/ GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION 247
Acknowledgements

Development; Vonnie Robinson,

Transportation; Toni Joseph, Energy; B

Wolf, Education; Phillipa Anderson, V

Affairs; Frankee Greenberg, Jacquely

and Mary Louise Uhlig, EPA; Audrey 

Council of Economic Advisors; Lydia

Bickford and Lydia Kleiner, Small B

Administration; Leah D. Coffey, CIA;

Cynthia Brock-Smith, OPM; Stephen

Foster and Sue Damour, GSA; Shery

Morris, Social Security Administration

Hackes, USAID; Nancy Hendry, Jani

Baker, and Marcy Garland, Peace Co

Laura Khare and Irene L. Hill, EEOC

Marna Gettleman, National Endowme

the Humanities; Martha Brown, USIA

Aprill Springfield, The White House.

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women acknowledges with gratitude th

ongoing guidance and substantive contr

of Kathleen Hendrix, former Associat

Director of the Council. Her expertise h

invaluable in all the council’s work. He

generous efforts for this publication are

especially appreciated.

The President’s Interagency Council on

Women would like to give special thanks to

Amy Penwell, Kathleen Hendrix, Lidia SotoHarmon, Janice Baker, Linda Keyser,

Nichelle Moorefield, Rachel Twardzik, and

Keely O’Callaghan, who have diligently

helped to write, edit, and coordinate this

publication.

We also would like to thank our Council

Members, the Senior Editorial Coordinators

from each agency, and their bureau editors who

donated their time and efforts to the 2000

edition of America’s Commitment. The Senior

Editorial Coordinators from each agency are:

Lois Gochnauer, State; William B. Leucht,

Jr. and Helen Szablya, Treasury, CDFI; Susan

Roberts and Sander Vernea, Defense; Ursula

Barrett and Wendy Patten, Justice; Jana

Prewitt, Susan Clark, and Kindra Ramble,

Interior; Donna Green and Kim Springs,

Agriculture; Amy Penwell, Commerce;

Diane Faulkner, Labor; Dr. Susan Wood and

Jennifer Susan Taylor, Health and Human

Services; Barbara Dorf, Housing and Urban
The President’s Interagency Council on Women

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, NW Room 6936

Washington, D.C. 20520

(202) 647-6227

Fax: (202) 647-5337

http://secretary.state.gov/www/picw/index.html