By Aidarus Ahmed,
The United States has long positioned itself as a global champion of gender equality, pouring billions into initiatives to empower women and girls worldwide. For example, in March 2022, the U.S. announced a historic budget request of $2.6 billion to advance gender equity across the globe, more than double the prior year’s funding.
This request supports efforts by USAID and the State Department to tackle gender-based violence, promote economic and political empowerment, and confront the challenges faced by women and girls in crises like the ongoing humanitarian situations in Ukraine, Yemen, and Afghanistan. The goal is clear: to build safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities by centering women-led organizations and businesses in the development process.
However, this commitment to advancing gender equality abroad stands in stark contrast to the U.S.’s own domestic struggles in achieving gender equity, particularly in political leadership. Despite the wealth and influence of the United States, the country has yet to elect a woman president, and women remain underrepresented in high political offices. Hillary Clinton’s loss in the 2016 presidential election was a monumental blow to women’s political representation in the U.S., despite her credentials and widespread international recognition. Similarly, Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman, Black, and South Asian American to hold the office, has faced disproportionate scrutiny, often focusing more on her gender and race than her policy accomplishments.
These defeats of high-profile women leaders exemplify the systemic barriers women face in U.S. politics, making it painfully clear that the country still grapples with deep-rooted sexism. According to the United Nations’ Gender Inequality Index, the U.S. ranks 44th globally, signaling a significant gap in gender equity. This underachievement on the domestic front raises a critical question: if the U.S. is serious about empowering women worldwide, why is it so reluctant to fully empower women within its own borders?
Despite the lofty rhetoric and substantial financial investments aimed at supporting women abroad, the U.S. continues to falter on crucial issues like maternal health, equal pay, and the protection of reproductive rights. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. remains one of the highest in the developed world, and the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has severely restricted access to reproductive health services for millions of American women. This undermines the U.S.’s credibility as a leader in women’s rights, especially when countries like Sweden and Finland continue to implement progressive policies that support women’s health, child care, and family leave.
Moreover, while the U.S. invests in creating pathways for political leadership for women and girls globally, the political system at home remains a hostile environment for women seeking higher office. Women make up only 27% of the U.S. Congress, a far cry from the 45% female representation in countries like Norway. This disparity is not merely coincidental; it is a product of a political culture that has yet to fully embrace women as equal participants in the nation’s governance. In the U.S., women who do manage to break into leadership roles often face an unrelenting barrage of criticism, much of it rooted in gender bias. This was especially evident in the cases of Clinton and Harris, whose careers have been marred by an aggressive gendered discourse that undermines their political legitimacy.
For the United States to truly be a global leader in gender equity, it must first address its own shortcomings. The U.S. must confront the systemic barriers that prevent women from reaching their full potential in politics and society. This means tackling sexism head-on, enacting policies that prioritize women’s health and economic empowerment, and fostering a political environment where women’s voices and leadership are genuinely valued. Only then can the U.S. reconcile its advocacy for women’s rights abroad with its own failures at home.
The continued Investment in gender equality programs globally, as reflected in the Biden administration’s $2.6 billion budget proposal, is a step in the right direction. But until the U.S. begins to reflect these values domestically by electing women to the highest offices and ensuring they thrive in political leadership, the country will continue to grapple with the double standard that diminishes its moral authority on gender issues. True equality cannot be claimed while women still face insurmountable obstacles in their own country.
Aidarus Ahmed,
East Africa Political Analyst
Email: [email protected]
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