Statement by President Joseph Biden on Women, Peace, and Security Report

The White House

My government has made a simple but deeply meaningful proposal – everyone, everywhere, has the right to be treated with innate human dignity. But in far too many places women and girls are denied their basic rights, cut off from opportunities, exposed to violence and abuse or prevented from realizing their dreams and ambitions. And in conflicts around the world, rape and sexual violence are systematically used to terrorize civilians – not as a side effect of conflict, but as a weapon of war itself. It is an atrocity designed to destabilize nations and dehumanize communities, and it is intolerable.

I learned from my father that the cardinal sin was an abuse of power. It is one of the main reasons why the fight to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence in the United States and around the world is central to my life’s work. Under my government, we will use all our tools to prevent gender-based violence and respond to it wherever it occurs, including in conflict areas. There is no justification or excuse. It’s just wrong. Promoting the rights of women and girls begins with ensuring their safety.

Beyond the moral imperative to promote gender equality and equality worldwide; beyond the principles of justice and fairness; Beyond clear conceptions of right and wrong, it’s just basic math. No community, economy or company can reach its potential if women are denied the opportunity to fully participate in their society – to contribute their ideas and energies. No nation will be able to keep up with the speed and magnitude of today’s challenges if half of its talent and intelligence is left behind.

We know that everyone is better off in a society when everyone participates. Economies grow. Poverty is shrinking. Education rates and health outcomes improve. Political instability and extremism are decreasing. When women work hard to build and maintain peace and security in their countries, we see more sustainable and equitable results, fewer conflicts and longer-term peace agreements. If we can build peace and prosperity and make real progress, women need to be involved every step of the way. That is why, during the Obama-Biden administration, we developed the first comprehensive National Plan of Action for Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in American history. And in 2017, the United States passed bipartisan law to translate those obligations into law.

This report takes stock of the progress we have made in implementing this law over the past few years and points the way forward for four federal government agencies – the State Department, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – as we advance the agenda for women, peace and security around the world. It evaluates four lines of action, including meaningful participation in decision-making processes related to conflicts and crises, protection, internal US capabilities, and partner support. While we made important

Progress, during the COVID-19 pandemic we have unfortunately also seen too many examples where we are moving in the wrong direction. We have been reminded how fragile our progress can be and how quickly the potential of women and girls can be lost. The pandemic has exposed so many injustices in our world – it has hit the weakest hardest, and exacerbated the challenges that affect the most marginalized in our society – and as we rebuild we cannot be content with simply going back there , where we were. We need to use this moment to fundamentally change our approach.

While this report focuses on the Department of State, Defense and Homeland Security, and USAID, I have directed departments and agencies across the federal government to prioritize gender equality and equality. The ongoing inequality of treatment of women around the world – especially women of color, LGBTQI + women, and other women facing overlapping forms of discrimination – remains a critical, unfinished project of our time. I am committed to making the promotion of human rights for all people a cornerstone of our foreign policy. Our goal is a world in which each individual has the tools and the opportunity to flourish, in which each can pursue his or her unique purpose free from fear of violence. Empowering women worldwide – ensuring their inclusion in decision-making and leadership positions – is essential to achieve this goal.

To view the report, visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/USG-Women-Peace-and-Security-Congressional-Report-June-2021.pdf

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