CEDPA: Improving U.S. Foreign Assistance: Putting Women at the Center
July 22, 2008
Global women’s leaders and development experts today called for a greater focus on women and girls to ensure sustainable international development at a standing-room only briefing before the U.S. Congress.
The U.S. Congress has been considering a number of proposals to update and streamline U.S. humanitarian and other aid to countries. Currently, U.S. aid to other countries is governed by the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act, and is delivered through 24 separate agencies across the government.
Many foreign policy experts and development agencies have argued for a major makeover that would increase the effectiveness of U.S. aid to other countries through better coordination and an increased focus on poverty and long-term sustainable development. Chief among these recommendations is the need to establish a new global development agency with overall oversight of U.S. foreign assistance.
Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) have introduced a Congressional resolution that recognizes the importance of modernizing U.S. foreign assistance and calls on Congress to address this issue. And, Representative Howard Berman (D-CA), who is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has indicated that next year the committee will take up reauthorization of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act.
Panelists at today’s (July 22, 2008) briefing, “Improving Foreign Assistance: Putting Women at the Center,” argued that in the more than 40 years since the U.S. first created its foreign assistance framework, experience shows that investing in women and girls globally is one of the most effective ways of reducing poverty and improving community development.
Speakers at the briefing included international development leaders Yolonda Richardson of CEDPA and Sam Worthington of InterAction, and women leading education, health and conflict resolution programs in Angola, Egypt and Nigeria.
Sam Worthington highlighted guidelines issued by InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S. based humanitarian and development agencies, to improve U.S. development assistance. Chief among these are the need to focus on long-term results, and to build local capacity that promotes community ownership and leads to self-sufficiency.
For further information and to access the complete press release/information, please visit http://www.cedpa.org/content/news/detail/1970
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