On the occasion of International Women’s Day, President Biden announced that he will ask Congress to approve $2.6 billion for foreign assistance programs to promote “gender equity” around the world.
Biden made this known in an official statement issued Tuesday morning, in which he said he would “recognize the achievements” of women in the United States and around the world, “celebrate progress” and “recommit” to improvement.
“Improving the status of women and girls strengthens economies, democracies, and societies across the board,” reads Biden’s statement, saying he made “gender equity” a “cornerstone” of his administration.
The text continues, “I’m proud that my FY 2023 Budget will request $2.6 billion for foreign assistance programs that promote gender equality worldwide,” noting that the figure is more than double than what was requested last year for the same purpose.
The president stated that women face “obstacles that limit their possibilities” to participate in the economic, social and political life of the country, and asserted that the COVID-19 pandemic “disproportionately” affected women’s performance in the workforce.
