327. Telegram From the Department of State to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts1
138588. For Ambassadors or Chargé from the Secretary, inform Consuls. Subject: Worldwide Status and Rights of Women.
1. A key objective of U.S. foreign policy is to advance worldwide the status and conditions of women. I believe that special attention should be given this issue as we approach the mid-way point in the United Nations Decade for Women and the International Year of the Child, and as we prepare for the Second Women’s World Conference, scheduled to be held in Copenhagen in July 1980.
2. Despite the many commendable instruments and resolutions on this subject, agreed to by virtually all nations, and despite some encouraging developments in recent years, the fact remains that progress has been too slow. Women continue often to be victimized, their interests and viewpoints overlooked, their educational and job opportunities limited. Physical abuse of women persists to a shocking degree.
3. Mindful of the vital contribution which women can make to national development, the Congress in 1973 adopted the “Percy Amendment” to the Foreign Assistance Act,2 which requires that our aid programs encourage and promote the participation of women in the national economies of developing countries. Yet, the world community, to a distressing degree, continues to be deprived of the full participation and talents of that most-overlooked asset of nations: women. Meanwhile, urbanization and new technologies seem to create more problems for women than for men.
4. Most effective in dealing with these problems will be the efforts of women themselves, working together nationally and internationally, but they need more active support of leaders, governments, and organizations, if the spirit of internationally approved resolutions is to be translated into effective practice.
[Page 1088]5. I believe that you and your staffs can make a significant contribution through finding appropriate, diplomatic ways of encouraging host countries to be more attentive to this problem. You are in the best position to judge how best this can be done, bearing in mind the laws, regulations, attitudes, and circumstances of the countries where you are assigned. I am sure that you will, nevertheless, be assisted in this regard by having some basic background facts as well as the benefit of knowing what approaches have proved effective in other nations.
6. In preparing such background facts and suggestions and in order that we can all benefit from our various ideas and experiences in the field, I ask for your personal reactions and comments by cable within thirty days of receipt of this message.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790246–0969. Unclassified. Drafted by Good, Baer, and Green; cleared by Maynes, Dalley, Phyllis Oakley, Bleakely, Cheshes, Schwebel, Graham, and Jennone Walker; approved by Wisner. In a May 25 handwritten note from Green to Newsom, found attached to the May 8 draft telegram to certain diplomatic posts (see footnote 3, Document 325), Green alluded to the lengthy process involved in preparing the Department’s statement: “I would hope that at long last we could get the message out. I have toiled on this for 2 years, fighting off efforts by IO to make this even longer, and incorporating the many additions pushed by ICA, AID and others who cleared.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P790085–0880)↩
- See footnote 2, Document 324.↩