[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 7989-7991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02569]
[[Page 7987]]
Vol. 78
Monday,
No. 23
February 4, 2013
Part VI
The President
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Memorandum of January 30, 2013--Coordination of Policies and Programs
To Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2013 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
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Memorandum of January 30, 2013
Coordination of Policies and Programs To Promote
Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies
Promoting gender equality and advancing the status of
all women and girls around the world remains one of the
greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is
vital to achieving our overall foreign policy
objectives. Ensuring that women and girls, including
those most marginalized, are able to participate fully
in public life, are free from violence, and have equal
access to education, economic opportunity, and health
care increases broader economic prosperity, as well as
political stability and security.
During my Administration, the United States has made
promoting gender equality and advancing the status of
women and girls a central element of our foreign
policy, including by leading through example at home.
Executive Order 13506 of March 11, 2009, established
the White House Council on Women and Girls to
coordinate Federal policy on issues, both domestic and
international, that particularly impact the lives of
women and girls. This commitment to promoting gender
equality is also reflected in the National Security
Strategy of the United States, the Presidential Policy
Directive on Global Development, and the 2010 U.S.
Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.
To elevate and integrate this strategic focus on the
promotion of gender equality and the advancement of
women and girls around the world, executive departments
and agencies (agencies) have issued policy and
operational guidance. For example, in March 2012, the
Secretary of State issued Policy Guidance on Promoting
Gender Equality to Achieve our National Security and
Foreign Policy Objectives, and the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) Administrator
released Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation issued Gender
Integration Guidelines in March 2011 to ensure its
existing gender policy is fully realized. My
Administration has also developed a National Action
Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, created pursuant to
Executive Order 13595 of December 19, 2011, to
strengthen conflict resolution and peace processes
through the inclusion of women, and a Strategy to
Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally,
implemented pursuant to Executive Order 13623 of August
10, 2012, to combat gender-based violence around the
world. Improving interagency coordination and
information sharing, and strengthening agency capacity
and accountability will help ensure the effective
implementation of these and other Government efforts to
promote gender equality and advance the status of women
and girls globally.
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and in order to further strengthen the
capacity of the Federal Government to ensure that U.S.
diplomacy and foreign assistance promote gender
equality and advance the status of women and girls
worldwide, I hereby direct the following:
Section 1. Strengthening Capacity and Coordination to
Promote Gender Equality and Advance the Status of Women
and Girls Internationally. (a) Enhancing U.S. global
leadership on gender equality requires dedicated
resources, personnel with appropriate expertise in
advancing the status of women and girls worldwide, and
commitment from senior leadership, as
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exemplified by the critical and historic role played by
the Office of Global Women's Issues at the Department
of State. To assure maximum coordination of efforts to
promote gender equality and advance the status of women
and girls, the Secretary of State (Secretary) shall
designate a coordinator (Coordinator), who will
normally also be appointed by the President as an
Ambassador at Large (Ambassador at Large) subject to
the advice and consent of the Senate. The Ambassador at
Large, who shall report directly to the Secretary of
State, shall lead the Office of Global Women's Issues
at the Department of State and provide advice and
assistance on issues related to promoting gender
equality and advancing the status of women and girls
internationally.
(b) The Ambassador at Large shall, to the extent the
Secretary may direct and consistent with applicable
law, provide guidance and coordination with respect to
global policies and programs for women and girls, and
shall lead efforts to promote an international focus on
gender equality more broadly, including through
diplomatic initiatives with other countries and
partnerships and enhanced coordination with
international and nongovernmental organizations and the
private sector. To this end, the Ambassador at Large
shall also, to the extent the Secretary may direct,
assist in:
(i) implementing existing and developing new policies, strategies, and
action plans for the promotion of gender equality and advancement of the
status of women and girls internationally, and coordinating such actions
with USAID and other agencies carrying out related international
activities, as appropriate; and
(ii) coordinating such initiatives with other countries and international
organizations, as well as with nongovernmental organizations.
(c) Recognizing the vital link between diplomacy and
development, and the importance of gender equality as
both a goal in itself and as a vital means to achieving
the broader aims of U.S. development assistance, the
Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's
Empowerment at USAID shall provide guidance to the
USAID Administrator in identifying, developing, and
advancing key priorities for U.S. development
assistance, coordinating, as appropriate, with other
agencies.
(d) The Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs (or designee), in close collaboration
with the Chair of the White House Council on Women and
Girls (or designee) and the Ambassador at Large (or
designee), shall chair an interagency working group to
develop and coordinate Government-wide implementation
of policies to promote gender equality and advance the
status of women and girls internationally. The Working
Group shall consist of senior representatives from the
Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice,
Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, and Homeland Security; the
Intelligence Community, as determined by the Director
of National Intelligence; the United States Agency for
International Development; the Millennium Challenge
Corporation; the Peace Corps; the U.S. Mission to the
United Nations; the Office of the United States Trade
Representative; the Office of Management and Budget;
the Office of the Vice President; the National Economic
Council; and such other agencies and offices as the
President may designate.
Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this
memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect:
(i) the authority granted by law or Executive Order to an executive
department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent
with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) Upon designation as such by the Secretary, the
Coordinator shall exercise the functions of the
Ambassador at Large set forth in this memorandum.
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(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
(e) The Secretary of State is hereby authorized and
directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal
Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, January 30, 2013.
[FR Doc. 2013-02569
Filed 2-1-13; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4710-10