**Note: Data is provided for 2012. There were no Security Council open debates on the threats caused by terrorist acts in 2010.
WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 1/2;
Conflict Prevention: 0/2;
Disarmament: 0/2;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/2;
Participation: 0/2;
Peace Processes: 0/2;
Peacekeeping: 1/2;
Protection:1/2;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/2;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/2;
Implementation: 2/2;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/2;
Human Rights: 2/2.
S/PV.6347: "Our commitment to the rule of law is also reflected in our strong support for ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and our signing of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — the first new human rights convention of the twenty-first century."
WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 0/2;
Conflict Prevention: 0/2;
Disarmament: 1/2;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 2/2;
Participation: 0/2;
Peace Processes: 0/2;
Peacekeeping: 0/2;
Protection: 2/2;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/2;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 2/2;
Implementation: 0/2;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/2;
Human Rights: 1/2.
S/PV.6427: "Women and girls in particular face constant threats of rape and sexual abuse, and the number of refugees and internally displaced persons has only grown larger since last year."
The United States used its veto right 0 times out of 2 vetoed draft resolutions in 2010.
Civil Society Engagement | Financial:
The United States will commit nearly $44 million to a set of initiatives designed to empower women. The largest portion, about $17 million, will support civil society groups that focus on women in Afghanistan.
$14 million will also go to nongovernmental organisations working to make clean water more available in conflict zones, because women and girls are at higher risk of being attacked when collecting water.
Financial | UN Engagement:
$1.7 million will help fund UN activities, including Special Representative Wallstrom’s office, and $11 million will help expand literacy, job training, and maternal health services for refugee women and girls.
Policy:
Develop our own National Action Plan with determined funding to accelerate the implementation of Resolution 1325 across our government and with our partners in civil society. But as several have already said: Action plans and funding are only steps toward a larger goal.
Arms Transfer Revenue: $8,098,000,000
_________________________________
UN Women Government Total Contribution: $6,000,000
The United States receives 35% due to the high difference between the Arms Transfer Revenue and UN Women Total Contribution.
Arms Transfer Revenue in 2009: $6,806,000,000
_________________________________
UN Women Government Total Contribution in 2009: $5,000,000
Congressional and USAID Budgets:
The FY 2010 gave attention to gender equality and advancing the status of women to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. However, it did not specify any specific WPS programmes;
Since 2010, USAID programmed over $17.5 million in humanitarian assistance funds to prevent and respond to SGBV in disasters and conflicts, reaching nearly 3 million beneficiaries in 12 countries. Over the same timeframe, the State Department programmed more than $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance funds to prevent and respond to SGBV in displacement crises;
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United States provided legal advice and care and treatment services for well over 100,000 SGBV survivors;
In Afghanistan, the Department of Defense worked to increase women’s participation in the security sector. U.S. service men and women worked side by side to model the successful integration of women into the armed forces, and U.S. and Afghan officers provided instruction, mentoring, and support to female soldiers in the Afghan National Army. In addition, through the Ministry of Defense Advisor’s (MoDA) Program, Department of Defense civilian personnel worked with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense and Ministry of the Interior to increase the number of women in the Afghan National Army and Police. The first class of female Afghan soldiers graduated from the Afghan National Army’s Female Officer Candidate School in September 2010.
**Note: Gender Inequality Index ranking is provided for 2011. Information for 2010 is not available.
HDI (2010) (Human Development Index):The United States was ranked 4th.
The United States is included in the "Very High Human Development" category.
International HR Documents:
"International Stadnards," OHCHR
Status of Ratifications:
"Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General: Status of Treaties," United Nations Treaty Collection
"Status of Ratifications: Interactive Dashboard," OHCHR
"ATT: Status of ratifications and accessions," amazonaws.com
Women from the United States are on duty in the following peacekeeping missions:
MINURCAT (2),
MINUSTAH (5),
MONUC (1),
UNAMI (0),
UNMIL (1),
UNMIS (0),
UNTSO (1).
Peacekeepers from the United States were involved in 0 out of 85 allegations against civilian, military, police, and other peacekeeping personnel in 2010.
S/PV.6370: "My Government believes that success includes retaining the trust, respect and confidence of the host population in whose midst peacekeepers are deployed. The United States therefore welcomes the steps that the commanders have taken to address issues of conduct and discipline. We urge all commanders to be stalwart in carrying out the policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse."
Governmental support for women's civil society:
- Engagement in joint government/NGO efforts: Yes
- Funding provided by the government: Yes
The United States receives 58% because:
Even though the government is engaged in collabouration with women's civil society, it does not provide adequate financial support to women's organisations, the number of projects and conferences on the Women, Peace and Security agenda in existence is low, civil society space for rights-focused activists (i.e.: racial equality and women's reproductive health-focused activisim and advoacy) is incresingly limited, and mass-surveillance - in accordance with national security and anti-terrorisim efforts - restricts civil society freedoms (i.e.: freedom of the press, freedom of public association).
Key women's organisation's (National Organisation for Women) efforts in regard to gender issues include the following:
- Number of conferences: 1 national annual conference, with 500 local and campus affiliates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia hosting numerous conferences and events per year;
- Social services provided: advocacy for reproductive rights and justice, economic justice, ending violence against women, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and constitutional equality, training and education, lobbying and policymaking.
Types of social support provided:
Education: Yes
Anti-violence: Yes
Women's empowerment: Yes
Gender-related training: Yes
Political participation: Yes
Anti-human trafficking: No
Women's health: Yes
Lobbying and policymaking: Yes
Fundraising: Yes
An estimated 2.3 million non-profit organisations operate in the United States, and approximately 1.6 million non-profits were registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2010. The non-profit sector contributed $804.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2010, making up 5.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The USA hosted the following high-level events in 2010:
- Conference on Programme Evaluation: Gender and Evaluation;
- Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society;
- Conference on Women and War: Power and Protection Session;
- Women Deliver: 2010;
- The Mini-Symposium on Women of Colour in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM);
- Joint Biennial Workshop of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) and the OECD-DAC Network on Gender Equality (GENDERNET);
- USAID and Mainstreaming Gender: A Discussion with Civil Society Leaders;
- Women, Peace and Security: Fulfilling the Vision of 1325;
- National NOW Conference.
**Note: The information about the high-level events has been collected using available media sources.
"2010 Conference on Program Evaluation - Gender and Evaluation," U.S. Department of State
Verveer, Melanne. "Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society," U.S. Department of State
"Women Deiver 2010 focuses on Action," Women Deliver
"Events," U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women Peace and Security
"2010 National NOW Conference," National Organization for Women
"2010 Conference on Program Evaluation - Gender and Evaluation," US Department of State
"Women as Agents of Change: Advancing the Role of Women in Politics and Civil Society," US Department of State
"Conference on Women and War: Power and Protection Session," US Department of State
"Conference 2010," Women Deliver
"The Mini-Symposium on Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)," TERC
"Events organised by the DAC Network on Gender Equality (GENDERNET)," OECD
"Events: 2010-2016," U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women Peace and Security
"Women, Peace, and Security: Fulfilling the Vision of 1325," USIP
"2010 National NOW Conference - Loving Our Bodies, Changing the World," National Organiztion for Women
“State of Civil Society Report: 2011,”CIVICUS
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 established the Military Leadership Diversity Commission.
There is no National Action Plan on the Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 in the United States as of 2010.
Military Expenditure: $698,180,000,000
________________________________
The United States has no 1325 Naitonal Action Plan.
Military Expenditure in 2009: $668,567,000,000
_____
The United States has no 1325 Naitonal Action Plan.
Instead, each responsible department is required to resource the actions within existing budgets. The primary implementation agencies (Department of State, Defense and USAID) are required to submit fully resourced individual implementation plans.
Women made up 16.05% of the Parliament in the United States of America in 2010.
Lower: 16.8%;
Upper: 15.3%.
33% of ministerial positions were held by women in the United States of America in 2010.
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.50
26.7% of law enforcement positions were held by women in the United States of America in 2010.
Total law enforcement officers: 1,013,608
26% of judges in the United States of America were women in 2010.
United States Supreme Court: 2 women out of 9 seats (22.2%);
Circuit Court of Appeals: 45 women out of 167 current seats – 11 vacancies (26.9%).
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.85
Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force):
Female: 5%;
Male: 6%.
Estimated earned income (PPP US$):
Female: 34,996;
Male: 40,000;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.87
Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%):
Female: 43, Male: 57;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.74
Professional and technical workers (%):
Female: 57, Male: 43;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.31
Enrolment in primary education: 93%;
Enrolment in secondary education: 89%;
Enrolment in tertiary education: 97%.
The enrolment difference between males and females is provided below (The theoretical maximum value is 100%. Increasing trends are considered a reflection of improving coverage at the specified level of education):
Literacy rate (%):
Female: 99;
Male: 99;
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1
Enrolment in primary education:
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.01
Enrolment in secondary education:
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.01
Enrolment in tertiary education:
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.40
While gender perspectives within the legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective, and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilising their rights.
Legal Framework of the United States includes:
Equal Pay Act, 1963;
Civil Rights Act, 1964;
The affirmative action policy of 1965 was expanded in 1967 to cover women as well as racial minorities;
Roe v. Wade, 1973;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
Sex-segregated job advertisements were declared illegal by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1968), upheld by the Supreme Court in 1973;
Title IX of the Education Amendment, 1972;
1986, in the decision of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, sexual harassment was established as illegal and discriminatory;
The Family Medical Leave Act, 1993;
Violence Against Women Act, 1994;
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009.
Presence a non-discrimination by sex clause in the constitution of the United States of America:
- The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation (Amendment XIX).
The U.S. Constitution does not guarantee equal rights for women.
Imbornoni, Ann-Marie. "Timeline of key events in the American women's rights movement 1980-present," Pearson Education, Inc.
"Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database," UN Women
"Constitutional Provisions on Women's Equality," Library of Congress
"Federal Domestic Violence Laws," The Unite States Attorney's Office
"The Equal Pay Act of 1963," U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
While legal frameworks exist, they are not always fully effective, and discrimination (i.e.: gender, racial, and economic discrimination) can cause some groups to have disproportionate challenges equally accessing justice and utilising their rights.
Legal Framework of the United States includes:
Equal Pay Act, 1963;
Civil Rights Act, 1964;
The affirmative action policy of 1965 was expanded in 1967 to cover women as well as racial minorities;
Roe v. Wade, 1973;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
Sex-segregated job advertisements were declared illegal by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1968), upheld by the Supreme Court in 1973;
Title IX of the Education Amendment, 1972;
1986, in the decision of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, sexual harassment was established as illegal and discriminatory;
The Family Medical Leave Act, 1993;
Violence Against Women Act, 1994;
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009.
Presence of gender perspective in the constitution of the United States of America:
- The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation (Amendment XIX).
Mathews, Roderick B., Juan Carlos Botero. "Access to Justice in the United States Findings from the Newly Released Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project," World Justice Project
"Access to Justice in the United States: Ensuring Meaningful Access to Counsel in Civil Cases," Columbia University
The U.S. government fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government sustained strong law enforcement efforts and continued to encourage a victim-centred approach among local, state, and federal law enforcement.
While specialised services to support victims/survivors of sexual violence exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.
In one 24-hour period, despite helping more than 70,000 people, domestic violence programmes were unable to meet 9,541 requests for services, largely due to a lack of resources. The economic recession has forced many domestic violence programmes to scale back to providing only basic rather than comprehensive services.
Number of women's shelters: 70,648 (data based on point-in-time census data via the National Network to End Domestic Violence).
While veterans services for women veterans exist, the quality of service, outreach to engage female veterans in service access and utalisation, and the availability of gender-sensitive services at all locations are not fully effective.
While specialised services to support victims/survivors of sexual violence exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.
While specialised services to support victims/survivors of human trafficking exist, the service quality, resource provision, geographic availability, adequate service availability based on national demand, and the functionality of national mechanism are not fully effective.
There is a shelter crisis for trafficking victims in the United States. The Home Foundation estimates that there are less than 100 beds nationally for an estimated 100,000 annually identified trafficking victims. Placing trafficking victims in existing homeless or domestic violence shelters is not an adequate solution due to the unique needs of this population.
The U.S. government has formal procedures to guide officials in victim identification and referrals to victim services provided by NGOs. The U.S. government also funds an NGO-operated national hotline and referral service. There continued to be uneven knowledge among law enforcement authorities about human trafficking, including how to identify victims and how to access victim assistance. NGOs reported several instances of the detention of victims and potential victims, including children arrested for prostitution, and victims unidentified in immigration detention, some of whom were reportedly later identified and granted immigration relief.
The U.S. government continued to fund NGOs to provide victim services, including shelter. In February 2010, the cabinet-level President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons publicly pledged to uphold a system that provides for all trafficking victims, whether they have lost their freedom through sex trafficking or labour trafficking and regardless of age, gender, or immigration status. The U.S. government worked to ensure access to comprehensive victim services by funding NGOs to provide case management, health and mental health care, shelter, legal services, interpretation, education, vocational training, and employment placement. The expense and limited availability of temporary housing options for all victims continued to be an issue.
While a wide range of services and resources are made available to refugees, asylum seekers, and IDPs, these services are usually provided by local service providers, therefore making these services and resources less available in some geographic locations.
A total of 73,293 persons were admitted to the United States as refugees during 2010.
According to US Homeland Security, 34,669 (47.3%) female refugees were admitted into the United States.
While a wide range of services and resources are made available to refugees, asylum seekers, and IDPs, these services are usually provided by local service providers, therefore making these services and resources less available in some geographic locations.
"Refugee Resettlement in the United States," US Department of State
"Refugee Resettlement In The United States," US Department of State
"Home," Office of Refugee Resettlement
"UNHCR Global Trends 2010," UNHCR
"Resettlement and Women-at-Risk: Can the Risk Be Reduced?," UNHCR
Martin, Daniel, James Y. Yankay. "Refugees and Asylees: 2011," Department of Himeland Security
WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:
General Women, Peace and Security: 3/15;
Conflict Prevention: 1/15;
Disarmament: 1/15;
Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 2/15;
Participation: 3/15;
Peace Processes: 1/15;
Peacekeeping: 3/15;
Protection: 4/15;
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 2/15;
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 5/15;
Implementation: 3/15;
Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 2/15;
Human Rights: 4/15.
S/PV.6411: "From Nepal to Guatemala to Uganda, our development agency, USAID, is promoting women’s roles in politics, supporting their participation in local peace committees and helping develop plans to implement resolution 1325 (2000). In fact, in the future, every USAID project on conflict prevention or management will study conflicts’ effects on women and will include them in the planning and implementation of such projects."