Skip to main content


U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government
              Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you knowDot gov**Official websites use .gov**
                 A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
                  HTTPS**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                 A **lock** (A locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
  Menu Close
          Enter the terms you wish to search for.
    Search
        








  
  
    

  
      

                                      About HHS
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Programs & Services
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Grants & Contracts
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Laws & Regulations Breadcrumb
    Home
                              Blog
                              OCR Celebrates Women’s History Month
 Navigate to:
  Categories
    Coronavirus (12)
        Health IT (11)
        Fraud (1)
        Grants and Contracts (1)
        Research (5)
        Prevention and Wellness (19)
        Health Data (6)
        Holidays and Observances (13)
        Global Health (4)
        Public Health and Safety (21)
        HIPAA (2)
        Programs for Families and Children (5)
        Americans with Disabilities Act (1)
        Mental Health and Substance Abuse (1)
        Vaccines (1)
        HHS Administrative (4)
        LGBT (1)
        Emergency Preparedness and Response (1)Text resize icon

                    




OCR Celebrates Women’s History Month








  
  
    

  
      **March 29, 2024**
                |
        By:  Melanie    Fontes Rainer, Director for Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

  
**Summary:**
  





OCR commemorates the many contributions and achievements that millions of women have provided to our Country.


      As we close Women’s History Month, we celebrate the many powerful women who have contributed to our Country, despite the barriers that may exist and the ones they had to overcome. This month has been especially meaningful as I’ve had strong women around me my whole life. I was raised by a single mother and looked up to my older sister as she trailblazed in her legal career in public interest. I am deeply grateful to the many female role models who opened a path for me and many others. As Vice President Kamala Harris says, “First but not the last” and I hope to do the same for the many women who will come after me.

At the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), we reflect on the work ahead of us to address discrimination and disparities and advance gender equity and equality in our country’s health and human services programs.

Women make up half of the U.S. population. From suffragists and abolitionists, to our first female Vice President, our country has experienced centuries of progress towards gender equality. Yet, challenges and inequalities persist:

Women continue to earn less than their male counterparts. While Equal Pay Day on March 12, 2024 marks how far into a subsequent year women, on average, must work to earn a man’s income from the previous year, pay disparities are more pronounced for Black women, women of color, and women with disabilities. Latinas, who face the largest wage gap, must work into December of the subsequent year to earn a non-Latino white man’s income.
	The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, though most are preventable. Black women and Native American women face higher risk of suffering from maternal deaths. Innovative actions to improve maternal health and birth outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women are necessary to eliminate these disparities.
	Transgender women report higher rates of violent victimization than cisgender women.I join President Biden in his call issued in his Proclamation on Women’s History Month, 2024, “may we all continue working to build a world worthy of the dreams and goals of all women and girls.”

OCR enforces a range of federal privacy laws and antidiscrimination laws that protect patient privacy, including those who need access to care, women who are pregnant, women with disabilities, or women who identify as LGBTQI+.

As part of my office’s work on nondiscrimination and commitment to justice, some of OCR’s recent efforts include:

Finalizing a rule to protect people from discrimination based on race, disability, and sex in certain health programs and activities. Strengthening this rule is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing gender and health equity and civil rights outlined in President Biden’s executive orders on Preventing and Combatting Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services, and Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities.
	Finalizing a rule to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department. The revision will be the first time Section 504 will be updated since it originally passed in 1973 and will impact 36 million women with disabilities in the U.S.
	OCR will also be modifying the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to strengthen reproductive health care privacy.OCR is also a diverse workforce and I want to take a moment to recognize some of its women leaders:

**Jenny Ma** serves as OCR’s Principal Deputy Director.
	**Genevieve Kelly** is serving as the Acting Chief of Staff.
	**Robinsue Frohboese** is the Deputy Director of Strategic Planning.
	The majority of OCR’s eight Regions nationwide are led by women (six):
	**Jamie Rahn Ballay**, Regional Manager, Mid-Atlantic Region
		**Linda Colón**, Regional Manager, Eastern & Caribbean Region
		**Andrea Oliver**, Regional Manager, Rocky Mountain Region
		**Susan Rhodes**, Regional Manager, New England Region
		**Marisa Smith**, Regional Manager, Southwest Region
		**Barbara Stampul**, Regional Manager, Southeast Region**I so appreciate the many contributions of the women that work at OCR to advance privacy and civil rights, and the many women across the country who work to make health care more accessible, affordable, and better for all. Their hard work every day inspires me to do more.**

**Melanie**
  Posted In:
  Holidays and ObservancesSign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases

Sign Up







  Subscribe to RSS
    

      Receive latest updates

                    
  


Related Blog Posts
    

      Black History Month; Recognizing Contributions and Continuing the Fight Against Health Inequities
  

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month - Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power and Progress in America
  

Looking Back: Honoring Second Chance Month at HHS Back to top
    Contact HHS
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Careers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      HHS FAQs
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Nondiscrimination NoticeHHS Archive
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Accessibility
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Privacy Policy
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Viewers & PlayersBudget/Performance
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Inspector General
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Web Site Disclaimers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      EEO/No Fear ActFOIA
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      The White House
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      USA.gov
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
        Sign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases.

Sign Up
  HHS Headquarters
          200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
                  Washington, D.C. 20201
                  Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775​