The next four years of the Biden administration present a tremendous opportunity for the U.S. to reengage with the world in a way that reinforces our commitment to global impact and change on issues such as: hunger, poverty, the economy and climate change. On those issues and beyond, it is essential that we work together with the administration and bipartisan leaders in Congress to place women and girls at the center of our efforts to build back a more just and equal post-COVID world. This means investing and prioritizing in breaking through some of the key barriers to gender equality – gender-based violence, lack of reproductive health, and obstacles to economic opportunity.
We look forward to working with an administration that believes gender equality is not a special project – it is the basis of good government. CARE urges the administration build a diverse team across the cabinet and government. More diversity at the decision-making table is critical to improving health care and rebuilding the economy here and abroad.
Prioritizing women’s economic opportunities can support strong pandemic recovery and stimulate global gross domestic product (GDP) growth by US$5 trillion. The opportunity cost of not prioritizing women and girls in COVID response could amount to decreasing global GDP by US$1 trillion by 2030, further deepening inequalities, and needlessly limiting the potential of millions of women and girls.
The mission of CARE is to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. We look forward to working with President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris, and Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reestablish the United States as a reliable partner in building a better, safer world for us all. As we layout our recommendations for the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress, we are energized to continue fighting extreme hunger and poverty by improving the lives of women and girls around the globe and addressing shared threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.