Shaheen on International Women’s Day: “'Women’s issues’ are not just women’s issues, and they should be treated and addressed with the same urgency as other policy priorities.”

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote a Medium post today to mark International Women’s Day.

The only woman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Shaheen has been a fierce advocate for women and girls in the United States and around the globe. Shaheen has prioritized issues to raise women up, such as opposing efforts to roll back women’s reproductive rights, fighting for the rights of sexual assault survivors, advocating on behalf of family planning and women’s global health, spearheading efforts to end violence against women, securing women leadership roles in conflict resolution and peace negotiations and authoring legislation to address barriers that girls around the world face in accessing education. 

In her post, Shaheen called on all lawmakers to step forward and work together meaningfully to make issues impacting women and girls around the world top policy priorities.

Senator Shaheen wrote, in part, “As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have written legislation to direct U.S foreign policy priorities, questioned the most influential individuals in our national security structures and traveled the world to promote U.S. democratic values and reaffirm our commitment to our allies. I take my position on this committee very seriously, and as the only woman — Democrat or Republican — I take great pride in ensuring women’s voices are not only heard, but that their rights and issues impacting them and their families remain U.S. policy priorities at home and abroad. But it should not have to be that way. In 2021, breaking down gender barriers that affect the health, education, economic success and overall well-being of women around the world still often hinges on other women taking a stand to be sure fifty percent of the population is not forgotten… “Women’s issues” are not just women’s issues, and they should be treated and addressed with the same urgency as other policy priorities.”

Read her International Women’s Day post in full on her Medium account here.