A HISTORIC LEADERSHIP MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES ON GENDER AND MEASUREMENT
On October 22, the Biden-Harris Administration released the first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. Both the Strategy and the Gender Policy Council, which is responsible for guiding its development and now implementation, were mandated by Executive Order. The FY2022 President’s Budget Request, which seeks to advance equity across government, further signals the administration’s priorities, including a 45% international affairs funding increase for gender-related programs focused on addressing gender-based violence, advancing women’s political leadership and participation, and promoting women’s economic empowerment. However, the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality is perhaps the Biden-Harris Administration’s strongest statement yet—not only of a new era of United States leadership on issues of gender, but also of a return to domestic and foreign policymaking grounded in data and evidence.