FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration Advanced Gender Equity and Equality at Home and Abroad

Over the past four years, President Biden and Vice President Harris leveraged the full force of the federal government to advance rights of and opportunities for women and girls across the country and around the globe. From defending reproductive freedom, delivering the highest women’s labor force participation on record, making historic investments in the care economy, and lowering drug prices for women with Medicare to fighting to end violence against women, advancing the human rights of women and girls globally, and promoting women’s political participation and leadership, President Biden and Vice President Harris invested in the future of women and girls.

Defended Reproductive Freedom

With reproductive freedom under attack, President Biden and Vice President Harris fought to ensure that women across the country are able to make deeply personal health care decisions and access the reproductive health care they need. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the President and Vice President called on Congress to restore the protections of Roe in federal law. President Biden also signed three Executive Orders and a Presidential Memorandum directing his Administration to protect access to reproductive health care and established the White House Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access to coordinate these efforts across agencies.

Protected Access to Medication Abortion. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took independent, evidence-based action to allow mifepristone—a safe and effective drug used in medication abortion that FDA first approved more than 20 years ago—to be prescribed by telehealth and sent by mail and to enable interested pharmacies to become certified to dispense the medication. As a result of the new pathway established by FDA, many pharmacies across the country, including major retail pharmacy chains, became certified to dispense medication abortion, giving many women the option to pick up their prescription for medication abortion at a local, certified pharmacy just as they would for any other medication. The FDA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) also defended FDA’s independent, expert judgment, including in a lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court that attempted to curtail access to mifepristone nationwide. And the Administration took action to support patients, providers, and pharmacies who wish to legally access, prescribe, or provide medication abortion, consistent with a Presidential Memorandum issued by President Biden on what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Defended Access to Emergency Abortion Care. The Administration fought to ensure that all patients, including women who are experiencing pregnancy loss and other pregnancy-related emergencies, have access to the full rights and protections for emergency medical care afforded under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)—including abortion care when that is the stabilizing treatment required. To educate health care providers on their rights and obligations for emergency medical care, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance and sent letters to health care provider associations affirming the Administration’s view that EMTALA preempts conflicting state law restricting access to abortion in emergency situations. DOJ defended that interpretation, including in litigation before the Supreme Court.

HHS has enforced EMTALA and helped ensure that patients facing all types of medical emergencies receive the care to which they are entitled. As part of its comprehensive plan to educate all patients about their rights and to help ensure hospitals meet their obligations under federal law, HHS launched a new option on CMS.gov, in both English and Spanish, to enable individuals to more easily file an EMTALA complaint; developed new accessible and understandable resources about patient rights and protections under EMTALA and the process for submitting a complaint; disseminated training materials and new model signage for health care providers; and established a dedicated team of experts to increase HHS’s capacity to support hospitals and providers in complying with federal requirements.

Defended the Right to Travel. On the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe, President Biden reaffirmed the Attorney General’s statement that women must remain free to travel safely to another state to seek the care they need. DOJ filed statements of interest in litigation challenging the Alabama Attorney General’s threat to prosecute people who provide assistance to women seeking lawful out-of-state abortions. DOJ explained that the threatened Alabama prosecutions infringe the constitutional right to travel and made clear that states may not punish third parties for assisting women in exercising that right. DOJ also monitored states’ efforts to restrict the constitutional right to travel across state lines to receive lawful health care.

Strengthened Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception. In response to directives from President Biden—including an Executive Order issued nearly one year after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe—the Administration improved contraception access and affordability under the Affordable Care Act, through Medicare and Medicaid, through federal health centers, and for Service members, veterans, federal employees, and college students. For instance, the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and HHS issued new guidance to support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved contraceptives at no cost under the Affordable Care Act; proposed rules to strengthen access to contraception for women with private health insurance; and bolstered the standard for inclusion of family planning providers in Marketplace plan provider networks under the Affordable Care Act. HHS issued new guidance and letters to state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Programs to outline existing state obligations to help ensure that enrollees can access family planning services; updated the Medicare Part D formulary clinical review process to include additional contraceptive types; and adopted new data measures for federal health centers to help enhance the overall delivery of voluntary family planning and related services. And FDA approved the first daily oral contraceptive for over-the-counter use, which is now widely available nationwide.

Bolstered Family Planning Services by Rebuilding the Title X Family Planning Program. The Administration rebuilt and grew the Title X Family Planning Program, which has played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of high-quality family planning and preventive health services for more than 50 years. During the prior administration, more than 1,000 service sites left the Title X Family Planning Program, leading to a significant decline in people served. The Administration reversed changes that led to those departures, strengthening the Title X Family Planning Program and helping safeguard this critical part of the nation’s health safety net. In 2023, the Administration provided about $287 million to nearly 4,000 Title X providers across the country to provide free or low-cost voluntary planning and related preventive services for 2.8 million women and families—an 80% increase since 2020.

Safeguarded the Privacy of Patients and Health Care Providers. HHS issued new rules to strengthen privacy protections for information related to reproductive health care under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and to support health care providers in protecting patients’ electronic health information. HHS also issued a how-to guide on steps that consumers can take to better protect their data on personal cell phones or tablets and when using mobile health apps, which are generally not protected by HIPAA. The Federal Trade Commission clarified the health breach notification rule’s applicability to health apps and other similar technologies and took enforcement action against companies for disclosing consumers’ personal health information, including highly sensitive reproductive health data, without permission. The Department of Education issued guidance to over 20,000 school officials to remind them of their obligations to protect student privacy and issued a know-your-rights resource to help students understand their privacy rights for health records at school. And the Federal Communications Commission launched a guide for consumers on best practices for protecting their personal data, including geolocation data, on mobile phones and strengthened data breach rules to provide greater protections to personal data.

Protected Access to Reproductive Health Care for Veterans and Service Members. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revised its regulations to provide abortion counseling and, in certain circumstances, abortion care to veterans and VA beneficiaries and eliminated out-of-pocket costs for certain types of contraception through the Civilian Health and Medical Program. And the Department of Defense (DoD) took action to ensure that Service members and their families can access reproductive health care and that the Department’s health care providers can operate effectively. DoD issued new policies to support Service members and their families’ ability to travel for lawful reproductive health care, to bolster Service members’ privacy, and to afford Service members the time and space needed to make personal health care decisions. DoD also expanded walk-in contraceptive care services for active-duty Service members and other Military Health System beneficiaries and eliminated TRICARE copays for certain contraceptive services.

Supported Access to Fertility Care, Including IVF. In the face of threats and extreme attacks on fertility services, the Administration supported access to fertility care, including in vitro fertilization (IVF)—an important aspect of reproductive health care. DoD and the VA expanded eligibility for IVF services for certain Service members and veterans. And the Office of Personnel Management significantly expanded access to IVF benefits and coverage to support federal workers in growing their families. For 2025, federal employees and their families—regardless of where they live—were able to choose from multiple nationwide plan options that offer comprehensive IVF coverage.

Partnered with State Leaders on the Frontlines of Abortion Access. The White House partnered with leaders on the frontlines of protecting access to abortion—both those fighting extreme state legislation and those advancing proactive policies to protect access to reproductive health care, including for patients who are forced to travel out of state for care. The Vice President led these efforts, highlighting the harm of abortion bans to women’s health at more than 100 events in over 20 states and meeting with hundreds of state legislators, health care providers, and advocates. And, on what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe, the Vice President launched her nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour to continue fighting back against extreme attacks throughout America.

Supported Sexual and Reproductive Health Globally. While defending reproductive freedom domestically, the Administration remained steadfast in supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. The January 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad revoked the expanded global gag rule, restored life-saving funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and required that adequate funds be directed to support women’s health needs globally, including for sexual and reproductive health services. During this Administration, the United States remained the largest bilateral donor to global family planning assistance—a commitment spanning more than five decades. And we worked to accelerate access to family planning and prevent maternal mortality—providing over $1.7 billion to support global maternal and child health programs and over $1.8 billion to support global family planning and reproductive health programs from FY 2021 to FY 2023.

Improved Women’s Health and Addressed Health Disparities

The President and Vice President believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and expanded health care access for millions more Americans while also lowering health care costs. The Administration built on, strengthened, and protected Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, and the President’s American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act lowered prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums. The President and First Lady led the way in fundamentally changing how we approach and fund women’s health research to pioneer the next generation of discoveries in women’s health. And the Vice President led the Administration’s efforts to address the nation’s maternal health crisis.

Lowered Drug Prices for Millions of Women. The Administration fought to ensure that no American has to choose between paying for medications they need to live, or paying for other basic necessities. President Biden took on Big Pharma to lower prescription drug costs, saving millions of seniors money on health care and reducing the cost of insulin to $35 per monthly prescription for people with Medicare. For the first time in history, Medicare reached agreements on new, lower prices with the manufacturers of ten drugs selected for the first round of drug price negotiation. These drugs are used to treat many common diseases and conditions that affect women, including blood clots, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, autoimmune conditions, and chronic kidney disease, and are taken by 9 million seniors, including 4.5 million women. When these lower prices go into effect, people on Medicare will save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription drugs, and Medicare will save $6 billion in the first year alone.

Lowered Health Care Premiums under the Affordable Care Act. Today, more Americans have health insurance than under any previous President, and enrollment in Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage nearly doubled during the last four years. Ahead of the end of the 2025 open enrollment period, the Administration set an all-time record for Affordable Care Act Marketplace enrollment, with nearly 24 million Americans signing up for coverage. And women made up more than half of the record-breaking number of people with Affordable Care Act coverage for 2025. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, millions of women and working families saved an average of $800 per year on health insurance premiums.

Closed Gaps in Women’s Health Research. Recognizing that research on women’s health remains underfunded and understudied, President Biden launched the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research led by First Lady Jill Biden and the White House Gender Policy Council to spur innovation, unleash transformative investment to close research gaps, and improve women’s health. The First Lady announced nearly $1 billion in new federal investments in women’s health research galvanized by the Initiative, including through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s first-of-its-kind Sprint for Women’s Health. The President called on Congress in the State of the Union to make a record $12 billion investment in women’s health research, and he signed an Executive Order directing the most comprehensive set of executive actions ever taken to expand and improve research on women’s health. In December, the First Lady convened a White House Conference on Women’s Health Research.

Improved Maternal Health Outcomes. Under the Vice President’s leadership, the Administration took action to improve maternal health and eliminate racial disparities by reducing pregnancy-related complications and mortality, which disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, and rural women.

Addressed the Maternal Health Crisis. In June 2022, the Vice President announced the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, a comprehensive effort to combat maternal mortality and morbidity. Since the Blueprint was released, the Administration has made significant strides in improving maternal health for women across the country. Over the past four years, HHS launched a new Birthing-Friendly designation to identify hospitals and health systems that deliver high-quality, evidence-based maternity care; announced a new Transforming Maternal Health Model to help develop and implement a whole-person approach to care; established the first-ever baseline federal health and safety requirements for maternal emergency and obstetric services; expanded funding for Maternal Mortality Review Committees; and took action to grow and support the maternal health workforce.

Helped Women and Families Access Critical Maternal Health Services. Since Vice President Harris issued a call to action in 2021, to date, 47 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have extended Medicaid postpartum coverage from two to 12 months of post-pregnancy care. This coverage option was first made possible by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan and then made permanent by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. In addition, four new states adopted the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid, covering over a million people, many for the first time. The Administration also expanded maternity care for veterans, who now have access to maternity care coordinators through 12 months postpartum, helping connect veterans with care after delivery, follow-up screenings, and mental health support.

Tackled the Mental Health Crisis. As part of the President’s Unity Agenda, the Administration took action to transform how mental health is understood, accessed, treated, and integrated in and out of health care settings. Thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Administration delivered the largest investment in school-based mental health services ever, providing nearly $1 billion to help train and hire an additional 16,000 mental health professionals to work in America’s K-12 schools. HHS also launched FindSupport.gov and 988, the Nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which has connected millions of Americans in crisis to immediate, confidential, and free care from trained counselors. Additionally, HHS prioritized maternal mental health, including by launching the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA) to help tens of thousands of perinatal women access needed support, the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, and the Talking Postpartum Depression public education campaign and learning collaborative.

Addressed Girls’ Risk of HIV/AIDS Globally. Under this Administration, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) focused on addressing health equity for vulnerable populations globally – including adolescent girls and young women, children and other key populations. The Administration expanded DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) – a public-private partnership launched as part of PEPFAR in 2014 – to reach more adolescent girls and young women with HIV prevention services, investing approximately $360 million to reach over 2.9 million girls and young women across 15 countries.

Improved Maternal Health Globally. USAID’s maternal and child health and nutrition programs have played a pivotal role in saving millions of lives by driving down mortality rates through improved health care access and delivery. From FY 2021 to FY 2023, the Department of State and USAID invested more than $7 billion in global health programming to prevent child and maternal deaths. In 2023, USAID supported 12 million women to give birth at health facilities receiving U.S. government assistance and reached 11 million pregnant women with nutrition counseling services.

Invested in the Global Health Worker Initiative. The Administration launched the Global Health Worker Initiative (GHWI), recognizing that a health workforce that is supported, equipped, and protected to provide essential public health functions is integral to reclaiming lost ground from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for future health threats. Through the GHWI, we better aligned investments in health workers across the U.S. government, built stronger partnerships on the health workforce with bilateral partners, multilateral institutions, including the World Health Organization, and other philanthropic partners, and reoriented our global health programs toward cohesive efforts that build stronger and more resilient health systems.

Strengthened Women’s Economic Security

The Administration invested in America’s future by ensuring women have access to good jobs and safe workplaces free from discrimination. The President’s economic agenda led to historic gains in women’s labor force participation. Globally, we supported women’s economic security by promoting women’s access to jobs in sectors critical to the future of our planet and closing the gender digital divide.

Achieved the Lowest Average Women’s Unemployment Rate of Any Administration on Record. The Administration’s economic plan led to an historic recovery in working-age women’s labor force participation in the United States, bringing it to the highest it has ever been on record since 1948. Since President Biden took office in January 2021, the women’s unemployment rate had its fastest calendar-year drop on record that year, dropping to the lowest annual unemployment rate in 70 years in 2023. Under the President’s and Vice President’s leadership, there was a dramatic reduction in Black and Latina women’s unemployment. There are now roughly 2.5 million more Hispanic women and more than 1 million Black women employed than there were at the start of the Administration.

Ensured Women Have Access to Good-Paying, High-Quality Jobs. The Administration’s once-in-a generation Investing in America agenda is creating millions of good-paying jobs, helping to ensure that women, people of color, and other communities currently underrepresented in the industries of the future have equitable access to these jobs. President Biden signed Executive Orders to invest in America’s workers by directing his Administration to promote strong labor standards; expand and diversify registered apprenticeship programs; help ensure that federal funding applicants provide supportive services for workers; and encourage worker organizing and collective bargaining. For instance, the Department of Commerce launched the Million Women in Construction initiative, which called on chip manufacturers, construction companies, and unions to bring one million women into the construction industry over the next decade, roughly doubling women’s representation in the industry. The Department of Labor (DOL) launched the Mega Construction Project Program, which fosters equal employment opportunities for qualified workers, including women, on certain federally funded construction projects. And the Administration invested more than $730 million in registered apprenticeships, leading to more than 1 million registered apprentices, including over 100,000 women, receiving gold standard earn-as-you-learn training for in-demand jobs.

Advanced Pay Equity for Federal Workers. President Biden and Vice President Harris know that closing wage gaps is critical to strengthening and growing the economy. To advance pay equity within the federal workforce, the Office of Personnel Management ensured that more than 80 federal agencies no longer consider an individual’s non-federal pay when determining their salary. The consideration of compensation history in pay-setting decisions has exacerbated pay inequities, disproportionately harming women and people of color. Banning this practice is a proven way to curb pay discrimination that often follow workers from job to job.

Lifted the Burden of Student Debt for 5 Million Americans. From day one of his Administration, President Biden vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class—not a barrier to opportunity. Over the past four years, the Administration approved debt cancellation for nearly 5 million Americans, totaling over $179 billion in debt relief through various actions. Life-changing relief is especially important for women who carry nearly two-thirds of all student loan debt.

Supported Women-Owned Small Businesses. In FY 2024, the Small Business Administration (SBA) backed 15,500 loans to businesses that are more than 50% owned by women, for a total of $5.6 billion. The growth in loans reflects a doubling in women-owned business participation from 2020 to 2024. And women’s small business formation surged during the Administration, substantially outpacing overall small business formation. We invested $100 million in the Women Business Centers (WBC) network, expanding it for the first time into all 50 states and tripling the number of WBCs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions. Through the American Rescue Plan, the Administration invested $10 billion to help states, territories, and Tribal governments leverage even more in matching public and private dollars to support small businesses across the United States, with a particular focus on historically underserved entrepreneurs, including women business owners. And the Administration awarded the highest single year and average annual amount of contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses, including $30.9 billion in FY 2023 alone.

Ensured Pregnant and Postpartum Workers Have Workplaces Free from Discrimination. The President signed into law bipartisan protections for pregnant and post-partum workers. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) provides basic, long-overdue protections that promote safe, healthy workplaces free from discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued regulations implementing the PWFA to ensure pregnant and postpartum workers have access to common-sense, reasonable accommodations that enable them to stay in the workforce while pregnant or as a new mother. The President also signed the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, which provides most nursing workers with the right to reasonable break time and a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion to express breast milk while at work. DOL is enforcing the PUMP Act and has issued educational resources for workers and employers. EEOC and DOL also issued a joint resource to help ensure that workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under the PWFA and PUMP Act.

Promoted Women’s Economic Security Globally. The Administration mobilized over $3 billion in public and private resources to advance women’s economic security around the world and prioritized closing persistent gaps in women’s economic participation globally that hinder their ability to participate in a 21st century economy. In 2021, the Administration established the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund to advance economic security for women and girls and address barriers that limit their full economic participation. Through the Fund, which invested $500 million in direct and attributed indirect resources around the world, the Administration committed to three flagship public-private partnerships to tackle persistent barriers to women’s economic participation. These initiatives include:

$2 Billion to Support Women’s Participation in Green and Blue Industries. Vice President Harris announced the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative—a public-private partnership between governments, the private sector, philanthropies, multilateral organizations, and civil society—to promote women’s access to jobs, training, leadership roles, and financial resources in industries that are critical to the fight against climate change. Thirty-three governments, corporations, foundations, and civil society organizations committed over $2 billion to WISE, including more than $900 million committed by the U.S. government.

$1 Billion to Help Cut the Gender Digital Divide in Half by 2030. In 2023, the United States secured an historic commitment in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration and the APEC Leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration to cut the digital gender gap in half by 2030. To help reach this goal, Vice President Harris launched the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative, a public-private partnership with more than $1 billion in commitments from forty-nine government, private sector, and civil society partners to accelerate progress to close the gender digital divide and fully enfranchise women in our globalized, networked economy.

Supported Job Creation for Women Globally. Vice President Harris and the Partnership for Central America launched “In Her Hands,” a women’s economic empowerment initiative that mobilized $113 million in private sector funding to advance economic security for women. By 2030, the initiative aims to support and provide opportunities for 5 million women across Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras by creating jobs, providing training on technical skills, promoting access to financial assistance, and offering programs focused on manufacturing of textiles and apparel and agricultural regeneration.

Invested in Care at Home and Abroad

The Administration took action to increase access to affordable, high-quality care for families and to support caregivers and care workers. When we invest in care, we allow parents— especially women—to participate fully in the workforce; recognize the value of care workers and care providers, who are disproportionately women and women of color; and strengthen the economy. In 2021, the President’s American Rescue Plan helped child care centers and family child care providers, which are mostly small businesses, remain open or reopen during the pandemic. And, since 2021 the Administration secured an additional $4 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant and Head Start. President Biden also issued an historic Executive Order that directed the most comprehensive set of executive actions ever taken to expand access to affordable, high-quality care, and support care workers and family caregivers. And the President continued to call on Congress to provide guaranteed affordable, high-quality child care from birth until kindergarten and a national, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program.

Made High-Quality Child Care More Affordable. The Administration helped ensure that families have access to high-quality, affordable care. HHS finalized a rule strengthening the Child Care and Development Block Grant program and lowering child care payments for more than 100,000 families receiving federal child care assistance. Under this landmark rule, families will pay no more than 7% of income, saving families in states that do not yet cap copayments over $200 a month of average. In addition, in implementing the CHIPS and Science Act, the Department of Commerce required applicants for semiconductor incentives requesting over $150 million in direct funding to submit plans to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality child care. This first-of-its kind commitment is helping get more people—especially women—into good-paying manufacturing jobs, and helping more employers recruit and retain a diverse, skilled workforce. More than three-quarters of all companies that have signed CHIPS awards or preliminary memoranda as of December 2024 are working to provide child care offerings for their workforce—including many smaller grant applicants that are doing so voluntarily.

Improved Long-Term Care and Support Family Caregivers. The Administration remained committed to protecting the health and dignity of older adults and people with disabilities. HHS issued new rules to ensure home care workers get a larger share of Medicaid payments and establish minimum staffing standards in nursing homes receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding. The Administration delivered $37 billion in American Rescue Plan funds across all 50 states to enhance, expand, and strengthen home and community-based care, and $145 million to help the National Family Caregiver Support Program deliver counseling, training, and short-term relief to family and other informal care providers. The Administration also developed the first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, which outlines the more than 350 actions being taken by 15 federal agencies in support of family caregivers. HHS published a guide to help older women find programs and services—such as respite care and counseling—to help maintain their health and well-being while being a caregiver for others. And VA launched a program to provide mental health counseling services to family caregivers caring for our nation’s heroes.
Invested in Care Infrastructure and Supported Caregivers and Care Workers. The Administration helped raise the wages and quality of care worker jobs, and invested in care infrastructure. SBA announced new funding opportunities to support small businesses in the child care sector and launched a lender campaign to highlight SBA resources to support small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses, including child care businesses; the Department of the Treasury provided resources to address barriers for child care businesses that need to secure financing. The Administration also took action to ensure Service members and military spouses—the vast majority of whom are women—have the support they need to care for themselves and their families while serving our country, including by strengthening the hiring and retention of military spouses across the federal government, and expanding access to child care and other employment resources. And DOL published sample employment agreements so domestic home care, child care, and long-term care workers and their employers can help ensure all parties better understand their rights and responsibilities.

Leveraged More Than $500 Million in Projected Funding to Boost Women’s Employment by Investing in Child Care. Through the Invest in Childcare Initiative—a public-private partnership with more than $500 million in leveraged funding between the World Bank, the governments of Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United States, domestic government resources, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and several others—the Administration incentivized investment in child care infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries, which will boost women’s employment and overall economic growth. And in 2024, the United States secured an historic commitment in the G7 Apulia Leaders’ Communiqué to tackle the unequal gender distribution of care work with G7 nations committing to support 200 million more women to join the workforce by 2035 through investment in child care globally.

Supported Care Workers Globally. At the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, USAID announced a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Ford Foundation and the Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund to partner in advancing decent work for care workers worldwide. USAID, the Ford Foundation, and the CARE Fund are partnering to fund “Together We Care: Partnerships for Equitable Health Systems,” an activity implemented by UNI Global Union. This partnership builds on USAID’s previously pledged $4 million and will advance women’s economic security and resilient health and care systems. USAID is supporting programming in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, and the Philippines, with partners supporting additional programming in Brazil.

Addressed Gender-Based Violence

Working to end gender-based violence has been a cornerstone of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ careers, and the Administration has worked to prevent and end gender-based violence wherever it occurs—at home, at work, in the military, in schools, in communities, and online. From signing historic legislation to issuing new Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda to securing significant funding for domestic violence and sexual assault services to combating conflict-related sexual violence, the Administration made significant progress in reducing violence and supporting survivors. The Administration’s efforts were guided by the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, a whole-of-government, intersectional approach to preventing and addressing sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of gender-based violence.

Reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act. President Biden strengthened the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)—landmark bipartisan legislation that he wrote and championed as a U.S. Senator and has worked across the aisle to strengthen ever since—by signing into law the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022. This critical legislation expands access to safety and support for survivors, increases prevention efforts, and establishes new federal protections against online harassment and abuse. The President and Vice President also secured the highest-ever funding levels to implement VAWA and increased funding for VAWA programs by over 35% since 2021. The Administration swiftly implemented the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 by:

Protecting and Supporting Survivors of Gender-Based Violence. DOJ awarded more than $690 million in VAWA grants and cooperative agreements in FY 2024 for more than 40 grant programs and initiatives to help states, Tribes, territories, law enforcement, victim advocates, and community-based organizations address gender-based violence. This includes more than $40 million to implement new grant programs established by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, including trauma-informed training for law enforcement, pilot programs for serving protection orders electronically, strategies to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and victim-centered and trauma-informed restorative practices programs that address gender-based violence.

Supporting the Housing Needs of Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking. In 2024, five federal agencies issued an interagency statement to affirm VAWA’s housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking as well as other individuals, such as those who assist survivors. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also established a new Office on Gender-Based Violence, as directed by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, to coordinate and implement policies and programs to address the safe housing and economic stability needs of survivors and awarded $10 million to provide VAWA training and technical assistance to housing grantees, owners, and managers. HUD also published a first-of-its-kind report on the housing needs of survivors of human trafficking, as required by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, and a fact sheet that applies the report’s findings to help assist youth trafficking survivors and youth at risk of trafficking with housing needs.

Expanding Access to Justice and Strengthening Gender-Based Violence Protections for Tribal Communities. DOJ awarded more than $85 million in FY 2024 VAWA grants and more than $68 million in FY 2023 VAWA grants to provide services and promote justice for survivors in Native communities. In making these awards, DOJ took new measures to increase access to the Tribal Governments Grant Program. DOJ also supported Tribal implementation of new provisions in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 that recognized expanded special Tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators of sexual violence, child violence, stalking, assaults on Tribal law enforcement officers, and sex trafficking on Tribal lands, in addition to domestic and dating violence. These efforts included launching a new Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction Reimbursement Program and a pilot program to support Alaska Native Tribes that want to exercise special Tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Indian offenders for certain crimes, including crimes of sexual and domestic violence.

Addressing Online Harassment and Abuse. To support survivors of image-based abuse, DOJ funded the first-ever national helpline to provide 24/7 support and specialized services for victims of the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. Operated by the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, the Image Abuse Helpline and Online Safety Center significantly expanded support to survivors of online harassment and abuse, meeting the rising need for services to address the non-consensual creation and distribution of intimate images. DOJ also awarded about $5.5 million in new grant funds to support local law enforcement in prosecuting cybercrimes against individuals and funded a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals that was authorized by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 to help law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim services organizations prevent, enforce, and prosecute cybercrimes against individuals. DOJ also distributed resources to United States Attorneys’ Offices and national legal and service organizations to raise awareness of the new provision in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 that created a federal civil cause of action to address the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.

Promoting Prevention and Strengthening Services for Survivors of Sexual Assault. The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 improved prevention and response to sexual violence through additional funding and new protections. In FY 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided more than $49 million to more than 110 state health departments and state, territorial, and Tribal sexual assault coalitions for the Rape Prevention and Education Program. DOJ awarded $51.8 million—a nearly 45% increase in funding from the previous year—to provide victims of sexual assault with services in every state and the District of Columbia, as well as American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Separately, DOJ awarded more than $20 million in FY 2024 to support colleges and universities in preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 also enacted the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act, which requires state victim compensation programs to allow sexual assault survivors to file for compensation without being unfairly penalized due to rape kit backlogs. And, as directed under the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, the Department of Education—in collaboration with DOJ and HHS—launched a Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education that issued recommendations to schools on ways to improve sexual violence prevention and response on campuses.

Improving Trauma-Informed and Victim-Centered Investigations and Expanding Pathways to Justice. DOJ implemented a new program authorized in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 to train law enforcement officers on trauma-informed and victim-centered investigations of gender-based violence and released a new Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims. Separately, DOJ implemented a new program, also authorized in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, to support, enhance, and expand restorative practice programs that prevent or address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as well as build evidence for victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive restorative practices addressing these harms.

Helped Keep Guns Out of the Hands of Domestic Abusers. President Biden signed the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislation to reduce gun violence in nearly 30 years, that narrowed the “boyfriend loophole.” DOJ worked with states to educate them about the scope of this protection, expanded technical assistance and federal funding opportunities for state and local law enforcement programs that remove firearms from domestic abusers, and is actively reporting denied transactions of firearms purchases to state, local, and Tribal law enforcement within 24 hours. President Biden also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is overseen by Vice President Harris, to lead the Administration’s efforts to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. And DOJ successfully defended at the Supreme Court the constitutionality of a federal law that helps keep guns out of the hands of individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders.

Kept Students Safe and Addressed Campus Sexual Assault. The Department of Education restored and strengthened vital Title IX nondiscrimination protections for students and employees. The Department’s rule provided protection from sex-based harassment, including sexual violence; promoted accountability and fundamental fairness through a transparent and reliable process; and provided clarity to ensure that students, employees, and families understand their rights and that institutions know their responsibilities. The new rule also clarified that schools have a responsibility to address sex discrimination and harassment that occurs under its programs and activities whether the conduct takes place online, in person, or both, and strengthened definitions for sex-based harassment under Title IX to address the growth in technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including AI-generated abuse.

Implemented Historic Military Justice Reforms to Better Protect Survivors. The Administration removed barriers to women’s advancement, opportunity, and well-being in the U.S. military, including by addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, and sexual harassment in the force. One of President Biden’s earliest acts in office was to call for the establishment of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military to strengthen accountability and inform reforms to the military justice system. Since 2021, President Biden signed three Executive Orders to implement historic, bipartisan reforms to the military justice system, transferring key decision-making authorities from commanders to specialized, independent military prosecutors in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, murder, and other serious offenses by amending the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Building on these reforms, DoD implemented additional Independent Review Commission recommendations to improve its response to sexual assault and made record investments in sexual assault prevention and survivor support, more than doubling annual funding from $500 million to more than $1 billion in 2024 for these lifesaving services. This work made a difference: for the first time in nearly a decade, rates of sexual assault and harassment within the active-duty force declined—with a nearly 19% drop in the number of service members who reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact since 2021.

Invested in Communities to Support Survivors and Save Lives. The President’s American Rescue Plan invested nearly $1 billion in supplemental funding for domestic violence and sexual assault services and supports through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act Program. The President also signed into law the VOCA Fix Act, which provided more than $1.4 billion for the Crime Victims Fund to support local programs and services for survivors. Since the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) became law in 1984, we have invested more than $38 billion dollars in local programs that provide mental health, housing, legal assistance, victim advocacy, crisis intervention, and other services to help victims of gender-based violence and other crimes.

Supported Survivors in Accessing Housing, Homeless Assistance, and Community Services. In 2024, HUD awarded $57 million in Domestic Violence Bonus projects serving survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking and announced an additional $52 million in Domestic Violence Bonus projects, which will be issued in 2025. HUD also directed Homeless Continuum of Care recipients to offer services to people experiencing trauma or a lack of safety related to gender-based violence, consistent with the new definition of “homeless” for survivors included in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022. And Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grantees used nearly $13 million of CDBG funds and another $8.3 million of CDBG-CV funds in FY 2023 to support services for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. CDBG funds supported crisis intervention, crisis hotline, counseling, emergency shelter and housing assistance, legal assistance, and other community services for adults and children as well as survivors.

Helped Protect Survivor Privacy. President Biden signed the Safe Connections Act to allow a survivor of domestic abuse to separate a mobile phone line from an account shared with an abuser. He also signed the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act, which allows survivors of domestic violence and others who have faced economic abuse to sever joint student loan debt, and the SECURE 2.0 Act, which allows survivors of domestic abuse to elect to receive penalty-free distributions from an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Strengthened Protections for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Harassment in the Workplace. President Biden signed into law new bipartisan protections to support survivors and address sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act empowers survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment at work by providing a choice to go to court instead of being forced into arbitration. And the Speak Out Act enables survivors to speak out about workplace sexual assault and harassment by prohibiting the enforcement of pre-dispute nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses regarding allegations of sexual harassment or assault. In addition, the Office of Personnel Management responded to a Presidential Memorandum by issuing new guidance to support federal employees’ access to paid time off and leave without pay for purposes related to seeking safety and recovering from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and related forms of abuse. DOL continued to award grants under the Fostering Access, Rights and Equity Grant opportunity, which assists underserved and marginalized low-income women workers who have been impacted by gender-based violence and harassment, and helps them understand and access their employment rights, services, and benefits. And EEOC issued new resources to help employers prevent and remedy harassment, including sexual harassment, and create respectful workplaces.

Addressed Gender-Based Violence in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. In addition to actions taken to implement the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order directing federal agencies to address the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous peoples, which significantly impacts women, girls, LGBTQI+ people in the community, and Two-Spirit Native Americans. Pursuant to the Not Invisible Act, DOJ and the Department of the Interior established the Not Invisible Act Commission in 2022, a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee composed of law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. The Commission provided recommendations to improve the federal government’s efforts to address violent crime and the high rates of people reported missing in Native communities, which the Departments responded to in 2024. Additionally, the United States relaunched the North American Trilateral Working Group on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, in collaboration with the governments of Canada and Mexico, and with the participation of Indigenous women leaders from all three countries.

Developed and Implemented National and Global Strategies to End Gender-Based Violence. The White House issued the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, a comprehensive, government-wide plan to prevent and address sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of gender-based violence. The National Plan provided a framework for guiding federal action across each of seven strategic pillars—from prevention to economic security and housing stability to online safety. To address gender-based violence around the world, the United States advanced the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, which was updated in 2022 to address 21st century threats, including the rise of gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic; technology-facilitated gender-based violence; and safety risks related to climate migration and displacement. Under this strategy, the Administration secured the first-ever U.S. commitment to the United Nations Global Programme to End Child Marriage and continued our long-standing commitment to the United Nations Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation. And over the last two fiscal years, the United States maintained the highest-ever level of investment—$250 million—to address gender-based violence globally.

Held Perpetrators Accountable for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. The Administration has condemned sexual violence whenever and wherever it occurs, including in South Sudan, Iraq, Haiti, Ukraine, and the attacks committed by Hamas in Israel on October 7—and in Gaza against hostages. In 2022, President Biden issued an historic Presidential Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence committing to fully exercising U.S. authorities—including sanctions, visa restrictions, and security assistance vetting—to impose consequences on perpetrators of this human rights abuse. The Administration has since issued nearly two dozen sanctions against perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence around the globe—including the largest set of financial sanctions and visa restrictions the United States has issued against individuals connected to this abhorrent human rights abuse. The Vice President also launched the Dignity in Documentation Initiative, which provides support for survivor- and civil society-led efforts to investigate and document conflict-related sexual violence in line with the Murad Code, named for Nobel Laureate and survivor Nadia Murad. This initiative—which includes $18 million in direct and aligned commitments from the Department of State and $4 million in aligned commitments from USAID—will support justice for survivors by promoting accountability for crimes punishable under international law.

Improved Access to Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations. DOJ dedicated more than $124 million to the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which provides funding to support the inventory, tracking, and testing of previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits; the collection and testing of DNA from arrestees and offenders; and resources to address the cold case sexual assault investigations and prosecutions that result from evidence and Combined DNA Index System hits produced by tested sexual assault kits; among other services. DOJ also provided nearly $18 million to increase access to trained sexual assault medical forensic examiners, improve access to wrap-around care for survivors, and establish regional Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training programs and a Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing model to prepare current and future SANEs. With $10 million in FY 2024 funding, DOJ implemented a new program to further address nationwide gaps in the availability and quality of post-sexual assault medical forensic care by establishing new SANE/Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner programs, strengthening existing ones, and providing technical assistance to support these programs.

Expanded Protection Services for Women and Girls in Humanitarian Emergencies. Recognizing that gender-based violence increases dramatically during humanitarian emergencies, the State Department and USAID relaunched the Safe from the Start ReVisioned initiative, which prioritizes improving and expanding GBV prevention, risk mitigation, response efforts, and empowering women and girls in crisis-affected countries. This new iteration, which builds on the original initiative launched in 2013, strengthens the focus on improving and expanding GBV programming and expertise, shifting power to crisis-affected women, and recognizing them as experts, care providers, and leaders.

Prevented and Responded to Online Harassment and Abuse in the U.S. and Globally. To strengthen support for survivors of online harassment and abuse, the President established and the Vice President launched the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, which coordinated comprehensive actions from more than a dozen federal agencies and supported a record investment of more than $36 million in dedicated funding to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence in the U.S. and globally. In addition, the President’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence directed federal agencies to address deepfake image-based abuse. And, following the Vice President’s leadership in underscoring the urgent need to address deepfake image-based sexual abuse and the White House Call to Action to Combat Image-Based Sexual Abuse, the Administration announced a set of voluntary commitments from AI model developers and data providers to curb the creation of image-based sexual abuse and proactively reduce the risk of new images from being generated without someone’s consent as well as ensure that known, verified instances of image-based sexual abuse are excluded from their products and systems.

To strengthen support for survivors globally, the Administration launched and co-leads the 16-country Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse. Through this Global Partnership, the Administration advanced global policies to address online safety for women and girls by shaping a range of multilateral policy instruments tackling online harms through the G7, G20, APEC, and UN. The Administration also invested at least $15 million in targeted funding to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence and counter its chilling effects on women leaders and democratic participation as part of our emphasis on supporting democracies globally, including through new initiatives to provide support to women leaders who have experienced extreme threats or forms of online violence.

Combat Human Trafficking. The Administration released an updated National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking laying out an integrated federal response to human trafficking as well as a National Human Trafficking Prevention Framework. DOJ also disseminated more than $190 million in funding to combat human trafficking and support survivors and released updated guidelines for its employees who work with victims and witnesses of crime to provide enhanced protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking and for other vulnerable victims. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security adopted a victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive approach to protecting survivors; finalized a rule to strengthen the integrity of the T nonimmigrant visa process; and established a process to conduct bona fide determinations and provide employment authorization and deferred action to noncitizen victims of crime, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, with pending petitions for U nonimmigrant status for those who met certain standards.

Promoted Women’s Representation, Leadership, and Political Participation

As Vice President Harris has said, “the status of women is the status of democracy.” We know that the status of women and the stability of nations are inextricably linked and that wherever the rights of women and girls are under threat, so too are democracy, peace, and stability. It is why President Biden established the first-ever White House Gender Policy Council and why the Council developed the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality to guide the Administration’s efforts to advance gender equity, defend women’s rights, and elevate women’s civic and political participation and leadership at home and abroad.

Assembled the First-Ever Gender-Balanced Cabinet in Our Nation’s History. The Administration reached gender parity in the Cabinet for the first time ever. The President appointed a record number of women and people of color—including the first woman to serve as Treasury Secretary, the first woman to serve as Director of National Intelligence, the first Native American woman to serve in the Cabinet, and the first openly transgender Senate-confirmed federal official.

Appointed Judges Who Reflect the Diversity of Our Country. President Joe Biden set an historic precedent by appointing more non-white and female judges to the federal judiciary than any other president in U.S. history. Since January 2021, the Senate confirmed 235 of President Biden’s nominees to lifetime federal judgeships. This is the largest number of confirmations in a single Presidential term since the 1980s. Of the 235 individuals who have been confirmed to lifetime positions on federal courts, 63% are women, and 60% are people of color. President Biden appointed more women, including more Black women, and more LGBTQ judges than any other administration in history. In April 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by the United States Senate as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the first Black woman to ever serve on the Court.

Strengthened the Federal Government’s Recognition of Women’s History. In 2024, President Biden established the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, to honor the historic contributions of America’s first woman Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor. In addition, the Department of the Interior announced five new National Historic Landmarks that increase the representation of women’s history in historic sites across America; announced $500,000 to support the renovation of the Seneca Falls Knitting Mill, the current site of the National Women’s Hall of Fame; and issued a report on representation of women across sites of national importance, including National Historic Landmarks, national monuments, and national park sites. The President also signed into law the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act, authorizing the placement of a monument honoring women’s suffrage on the National Mall. These actions advanced President Biden’s Executive Order to strengthen the National Park Service’s recognition of women’s history, helping to increase the representation of women’s history in sites across America and honor the legacy and contributions of women and girls to our country.

Broke Barriers for Servicewomen. President Biden eliminated obstacles to women’s military service, including by advancing historic military justice reforms; updating military hair, dress, and fitness standards; and expanding parental leave policies. Women commanders also rose to unprecedented ranks, including Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the Chief of Naval Operations and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Admiral Linda Fagan, the first woman to hold the rank of four-star admiral and serve as Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and Service Chief of any U.S. military service.

Advanced Women’s Political and Civic Participation Globally. Since the first Summit for Democracy in 2021, the Administration prioritized efforts to dismantle barriers to women’s political participation and build the pipeline of women leaders. On the margins of the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit, the Administration launched Women Leading Effective and Accountable Democracy in the Digital Age (Women LEAD) to further advance women’s political participation and leadership as a pillar of our efforts to promote security and democratic stability. The United States and partners made over $900 million in commitments to invest in programs that build and sustain a diverse pipeline of women leaders, address barriers to women’s participation in public life online and offline, and establish a global community of practice of leaders and organizations working to advance women’s political and civic participation.

Promoted Women’s Participation in Peace and Security Efforts. The President and Vice President made historic advances in strengthening women’s meaningful participation in national security, defense, and political leadership and reaffirmed that commitment with the release of the 2023 Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Strategy and National Action Plan. The strategy reflects critical shifts in our global landscape, including an emphasis on threats to women leaders posed by technology-facilitated gender-based violence and gendered disinformation, which is strategically deployed by state and non-state actors to destabilize democracies. The Department of State also announced and has since invested nearly $2 million to provide technical assistance to WPS Centers of Excellence, which will strengthen relationships and facilitate consultations between governments and civil society stakeholders to develop strategies, approaches, and solutions to implementing WPS principles in practice. The project will also leverage networks of WPS experts and leaders to foster learning, deepen collaboration, and raise awareness of WPS issues through existing and future WPS Centers in Kosovo, Colombia, and The Philippines. In addition, the Administration:

Updated NATO Policy on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). As host of the NATO 75^th Anniversary Summit, the Administration prioritized WPS, recognizing that the status of women is inextricably linked to the stability of nations—and therefore critical to NATO’s present and future effectiveness. At the Summit, Allies formally endorsed an updated policy to build on NATO’s long-standing commitment to WPS. The 2024 policy addressed new security threats, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence and the misuse of new and emerging technologies, climate security, and conflict-related sexual violence, and also notes Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the threats it poses specifically to women on the frontlines of the conflict.

Equipped Ukrainian Servicewomen with Military Gear. At the Anniversary Summit, Allies announced historic contributions through the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) to provide women’s body armor, boots, and uniforms to the Ukrainian armed services to further NATO’s non-lethal support to Ukraine and commitment to supporting women’s full and equal participation in defense and security. This action marked the first time Allies directed resources through CAP to advance Women, Peace, and Security objectives.

Invested in Efforts to End Child Marriage Globally. On International Day of the Girl in 2024, the Administration announced investments of nearly $86 million to prevent and respond to child, early, and forced marriage globally. These programs help equip girls and young women with education and workforce readiness skills; mitigate harmful effects of child marriage through education, health, legal, and economic support; and raise awareness of the risks and harms associated with child marriage. In addition, for the first time, the United States contributed to the United Nations Children’s Fund–UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, which works in 12 countries in Africa and South Asia to promote the rights of adolescent girls.

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