Race, Public Policy, and the White House Council on Women and Girls

By Angela Stanley, Research Associate at the Kirwan Institute

On March 11, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. According to the president, “the purpose of this council is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in matters of public policy.” Acknowledging that women and girls have unique experiences and challenges that also need to be addressed helps the process of moving toward more targeted public policy interventions. For those of us interested in studying race, addressing intersections such as race and gender helps us gain a more holistic approach to better understanding and contributing to the field of research and scholarship on race, ethnicity and social justice.

More information about the White Houses Council on Women and Girls can be found at the following locations:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-White-House-Council-on-Women-and-Girls/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Signing-of-Executive-Order-Creating-the-White-House-Council-on-Women-and-Girls/