http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2012-05-21T19:01:06+00:00 hosted the NATO Summit May 20-21, in Chicago, Illinois. President Barack Obama welcomed leaders from NATO member and partner nations to his hometown for the Summit of the world's most successful Alliance. At the NATO Summit, leaders discussed the next major phase of transition in Afghanistan as well as steps to ensure NATO has the capabilities necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st century and further broaden and deepen its relationships with non-NATO partners.

While in Chicago, President Obama held a bilateral meeting with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss implementation of the Strategic Forces Agreement. The agreement, which the two leaders signed in Kabul earlier this month, lays out the future relationship between the United States and Afghanistan. President Obama also met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to discuss goals of the Summit.

In his remarks at the opening session of the North Atlantic Council, President Obama said, "For over 65 years, our alliance has been the bedrock of our common security, of freedom and of prosperity. And though the times may have changed, the fundamental reason for our alliance has not. Our nations are stronger and more prosperous when we stand together. In good times and in bad, our alliance has endured; in fact, it has thrived -- because we share an unbreakable commitment to the freedom and security of our citizens."

President Obama concluded, "...I look forward to our meeting with NATO's neighbors and our partners around the world who have been so critical to NATO operations as in Afghanistan and Libya. It will be another reminder that NATO is truly a hub of a network of global security partners. There is nothing else like it on Earth."

Secretary Clinton addressed the North Atlantic Council on May 21. She said, "The United States remains deeply committed to the open door policy, and it is in that spirit that we welcome our aspirant nations here today. We support their aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration, and we will keep working with each of them, both bilaterally and through NATO, to help them implement finally the reforms needed to meet the standards for membership."

She continued, "...In 1949, we were 12 nations; now we're 28. The result is an alliance that has proven over and over it can meet the threats and overcome the challenges of our time. And here in Chicago, let us reaffirm our commitment to enlargement done right as a core element of our purpose and our community."

You can read more about the NATO Summit in Chicago here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/nato_summit/ 2012-05-21T19:01:06+00:00
In his remarks at the closing of the Summit, President Obama said, "For the past three years, our nations have worked together and with others first to rescue a global economy from freefall, then to wrestle it back to a path of recovery and growth. Our progress has been tested at times by shocks like the disaster in Japan, for example. Today it's threatened once again by the serious situation in the eurozone.

"As all the leaders here today agreed, growth and jobs must be our top priority. A stable, growing European economy is in everybody's best interests -- including America's. Europe is our largest economic partner. Put simply, if a company is forced to cut back in Paris or Madrid, that might mean less business for manufacturers in Pittsburgh or Milwaukee. And that might mean a tougher time for families and communities that depend on that business."

President Obama continued, "This morning, I updated you on the progress we made last night in our discussion of security issues. And today, following our discussion of the economy, we also made progress on a range of other important challenges. We discussed the importance of pursuing an all-of-the-above strategy for energy security in a safe and sustainable way. Leaders agreed to join a new U.S.-led coalition to address climate change, in part by reducing short-lived pollutants. And in the face of increasing disruptions in the supply of oil, we agreed that we must closely monitor global energy markets. Together, we stand ready to call upon the International Energy Agency to take action to ensure that the market remains fully and timely supplied.

"We also announced a new alliance on food security with African leaders and the private sector as part of an effort to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade. We discussed our support for a sustainable Afghan economy as we wind down the war, and we reaffirmed our support for the democratic transitions underway in the Middle East and North Africa."

The leaders released a Camp David Declaration as well as fact sheets on Energy and Climate Change, the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, and the Deauville Partnership with Arab Countries in Transition. You can read more about the Summit here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/g8_summit/ 2012-05-20T23:11:33+00:00 decent work for working women around the world -- especially for women in the informal sector.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton commented on this in 2010 at the United Nations in New York: "I remember once driving through Africa with a group of distinguished experts. And I saw women working in the fields and I saw women working in the markets and I saw women with wood on their heads and water on their heads and children on their backs. And I remarked that women just seem to be working all the time. And one of the economists said, 'But it doesn't count.' I said, 'How can you say that?' He said, 'Well, it's not part of the formal economy.' I said, 'Well, if every woman who did all that work stopped tomorrow, the formal economy would collapse.'"

But what is the informal sector and what is "decent work"? According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the informal sector is the activities "of the working poor, working very hard that are unrecognized, unrecorded, unprotected or unregulated by public authorities." It includes both marginal activities and profitable enterprises. According to a forthcoming statistical analysis of informal employment in 50 countries, informal employment comprises more than half of non-agricultural employment in most developing regions and is as high as 82 per cent of non-agricultural employment in South Asia, and over 80 per cent in some countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

For women in the developing world, informal work is a common type of employment. Women in the informal sector work as farmers, wage laborers, and entrepreneurs. Home-based workers, domestic workers, and waste pickers are also part of the informal economy. Work in the informal economy has risen rapidly all over the world in the last three decades, and is significant in many regions; including North and sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) notes a growing number of informal sector workers are "self-employed." Due to the subcontracting links of the global economy, for example, home-based work is a recent growing phenomenon, and there are estimated to be 100 million home-based workers worldwide.

In almost all parts of the world, women are over represented in the precarious informal sector. Women also take on the majority of domestic responsibility -- caring for children, the sick, and the elderly -- resulting in long days of both paid and unpaid work. Why is this significant? Evidence shows that investments in women are positively correlated to growth, prosperity, stability, democracy, health -- and are vital to our national security.

The Department of State therefore supports activists and NGOs around the world who advocate for decent work and equality of opportunity for everyone. Promoting a decent work approach means promoting "productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity [that] delivers a fair income; provides security in the workplace and social protection for workers and their families gives people the freedom to express their concerns, to organize and to participate in decisions that affect their lives; and guarantees equal opportunities and equal treatment for all."

Promoting a decent work approach empowers women to live in dignity, and it is a pathway to sustainable development that benefits us all.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/informal_sector_workers/ 2012-05-17T18:48:42+00:00 Susan E. Rice and New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof as they break ground on the frontier of social media and U.S. foreign policy. In a live Google+ Hangout, Ambassador Rice and Mr. Kristof will discuss the world's most pressing challenges and America's role in an increasingly interconnected world. They will be joined live by a selection of citizens who will ask questions from the U.S. and overseas.

Watch the conversation live at 2:30 p.m. EST on The Times's homepage or on the New York Times Google+ page, and join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NYTHangout. For more work on U.S. work at the United Nations, follow @AmbassadorRice and @USUN on Twitter and ‘Like' Ambassador Rice on Facebook.

Editor's Note: This entry first appeared on the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/rice_googleplus_hangout/ 2012-05-17T15:30:49+00:00
As we celebrate Mother's Day and think about mothers around the world, the American people are working through the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to make every day Mother's Day. This program is quietly saving lives every day, restoring the health and hope of mothers and children.

Each year, nearly 400,000 children are born with HIV around the world, with sub-Saharan Africa being the most challenged region. In June of last year PEPFAR and UNAIDS joined with other partners to launch the Global Plan, an initiative to eliminate new HIV infections among children and keep their mothers alive. Its central goal is to reduce the number of new pediatric infections by 90 percent by 2015 in 22 countries which carry 90 percent of the global burden. The goal is daunting, but achievable.

Science has long established that we have the tools to push the rate of new infections of children downward dramatically. In each PEPFAR country, we prioritize a strategic combination of activities based on sound scientific evidence to maximize impact on reducing new HIV infections among children and saving lives. It is working: in 2011 alone, we supported programs that tested nearly 10 million pregnant women. Of these, more than 660,000 pregnant women were found to be living with HIV, and provision of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to these women allowed more than 200,000 infants to be born HIV-free. It's hard to get a grip on such large numbers -- 200,000 babies who now have an opportunity to live long and healthy lives. What better gift can a mother receive than giving birth to a healthy child?

Throughout my travels with PEPFAR, I've met incredibly inspiring women who are so grateful for this gift. In Rwanda, I learned of Theresa and how she discovered she and her husband were HIV-positive during her third pregnancy. She immediately started on ARVs, accessed through a PEPFAR program integrated with maternal and child health services. As a result, her third and fourth children have been born HIV-free. Over this past year in Rwanda alone, we have supported these services for more than 150,000 women, and now about 90 percent of HIV-positive women deliver healthy babies in health facilities -- real progress.

Our programs offer an opportunity to improve the coverage of HIV-positive women on antiretroviral treatment -- keeping them healthy, while also significantly decreasing their risk of transmitting the virus to their unborn children and uninfected partners. When an HIV-positive pregnant woman enters the health care system, it provides an opportunity to link the rest of her family with highly effective prevention interventions, such as HIV counseling and testing for other family members, treatment for eligible male partners, voluntary male medical circumcision, and other life saving health services.

The science is clear, and though the road ahead will not be easy, the opportunity before us is extraordinary. We can now say, as Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton did last year, that achieving an HIV-free generation is possible. As we have learned from the 30-year history and struggle of AIDS, extraordinary things happen when we work together. By uniting around our common humanity in a spirit of sharing, in responding to a challenge in front of us, we can give a chance at a full life to children and mothers around the world. Preventing new HIV infections in children is a smart investment that saves lives, and the United States is proud to partner with countries throughout the world to champion this cause.

This Mother's Day, let's sharpen our resolve to ensure that mothers everywhere have children who are born HIV-free.

Editor's Note: This entry appeared first on The Huffington Post.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/mothers_pepfar/ 2012-05-13T18:54:35+00:00
A family experiences food security when it lives without hunger or even fear of hunger. In essence, it means that people have enough food to live happy, healthy lives. It's a right I'm sure we all wish were accessible to every man, woman, and child on the planet.

Yet global hunger and chronic malnutrition remain two of the greatest development challenges today. Nearly 20 percent of all people in the world live on less than $1.25 a day, and almost one billion suffer from chronic hunger. Compounding this problem is the fact that, by 2050, the global population is expected to grow to more than nine billion people, requiring up to a 70 percent increase in agricultural production to feed us all. Given increasingly limited natural resources, we'll also need to produce this additional food with less land, water, and other resources.

The challenge is indeed great, but there are opportunities for solutions. An estimated 75 percent of the world's poor live in rural areas, where farming can be a key economic driver. Because growth in agriculture is, on average, at least twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth in other sectors, we already know that investments in agricultural development are fundamental to alleviating hunger and propelling long-term economic growth.

The time to accelerate these investments and growth is now. The G-8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy and the World Food Summit in Rome in 2009 united the global community to intensify efforts to advance food security by scaling up investment in the agricultural sector, which had been suffering from extreme underinvestment for several years.

Feed the Future is the United States' contribution to this collaborative global effort, which is centered on country-owned processes to improve food security, agricultural production, nutrition, trade, and broad-based economic growth through development of the agricultural sector. We've made a lot of progress, as a recent report by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs has noted. But we're only just getting started.

Three years after L'Aquila, the leaders of the G8 are preparing to meet once again, this time at the 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David on May 19. This Summit is expected to build upon the food and nutrition successes of L'Aquila by focusing on creating a better environment to mobilize private sector investment as a catalyst for long-term economic growth.

Through the collective engagement of international donors, country governments, the private sector, the NGO community, and civil society organizations, we can help break the cycle of hunger and poverty so that countries can feed themselves, helping their communities to thrive. This work is important because it translates to a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future for us all.

Editor's Note: This entry also appears on Feed the Future's Blog and USAID's Impact Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/spotlight_food_security/ 2012-05-11T15:05:13+00:00 Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade (CREATe.org), partnered to host a roundtable discussion, "Safeguarding Intellectual Property and Preventing Corruption in Global Markets." During the session, leaders from industry, government agencies, academia and non-governmental organizations discussed the increased penetration of counterfeit goods in the global supply chain, and the urgent need for collaborative public and private sector initiatives to improve supply chain integrity.

At the heart of the discussion was a central question: How can the business community, governments, and civil society generate new approaches to the immense challenges of protecting intellectual property rights and fighting corruption in the global economy? Unquestionably, the business, economic, and societal costs caused by the absence of a functioning rules-based trading system are severe. Despite increased efforts by industry and the government, global companies from all sectors continue to experience significant economic losses from piracy, counterfeit products, theft of trade secrets and corruption, along with increasing reputational risks and harm.

While there are certainly no easy answers, Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides described Secretary Clinton's economic statecraft agenda as part of the solution. He highlighted that economic statecraft is a Department-wide initiative that mobilizes all staff toward putting the American people back to work by creating better conditions abroad for U.S. exporters and investors through good governance, regulatory transparency, and protection of intellectual property rights worldwide.

Participants from both the public and private sector shared information about their efforts to address trade barriers caused by intellectual property theft and corruption. Businesses talked about their efforts to build strong compliance cultures, improve processes for protecting IP, and discourage corruption. Participants expressed the need to work together to identify best practices and develop new collaborative approaches to improve IP protection and enforcement.

Today, we had leaders from multiple industry sectors and government agencies engaged and intently focused on exploring new, collaborative approaches to meeting these complex challenges of ending corruption and rampant violation of intellectual property rights. Working together we can secure the global supply chain, promote public health and safety and create the conditions for the innovative businesses of tomorrow to flourish worldwide.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/old_problems_new_ideas_ipr/ 2012-05-10T15:38:47+00:00 World Press Freedom Day, a UNESCO initiative.  They will gather in cities and towns, through workshops and seminars, to join in celebrating the universal right of free expression first enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights more than six decades ago.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of addressing the importance of free expression and a free press at the National Endowment for Democracy. I emphasized that a free press is the bedrock of a free, healthy and energetic society. It allows citizens to hold informed opinions, make informed decisions and lead informed lives. It keeps public officials accountable, provides outlets for healthy debate, and enables society to become more stable, prosperous, and democratic.

But, like a mirror to society, the media also reflects a version of reality that can at times make us proud and at times make us cringe.

That is why journalists are on the front lines in the battle for free expression. Their treatment by government often serves as an indicator for the levels of freedom in society. As Secretary Clinton said on last year's World Press Freedom Day, "When a free media is in jeopardy, all other human rights are threatened."

Today, too many editors, citizen journalists, bloggers, photojournalists, videographers and pundits are attacked, threatened, censored, intimidated, disappeared or even murdered for trying to report the news or exercise their right to freedom of expression. Those who are imperiled need their stories heard.

That is why, this year, the State Department launched a "Free The Press" campaign. On a daily basis since April 18, we have been highlighting on HumanRights.gov one representative case of a journalist whose rights are being endangered and abused. Some, like Dawit Isaac of Eritrea, have been held incommunicado without formal charge or trial. Yet others, like Yoani Sanchez of Cuba, are not permitted to leave the country. To see the journalists we have highlighted in the past two weeks, visit HumanRights.gov or visit us on Facebook.

In the coming year, we will continue to stand up for the right to free expression in every medium -- in print and pixel, in image and imagination. And not just on World Press Freedom Day, but every day.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/journalists_under_duress/ 2012-05-03T02:44:18+00:00 21st session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (also known as the CCPCJ or Crime Commission).

Led by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Brian Nichols, the U.S. delegation played a leading role throughout the week in molding 11 resolutions adopted by consensus. For example, the United States worked closely with Turkey to sponsor jointly a resolution on "Promoting efforts to eliminate violence against migrants, migrant workers and their families" (the theme for this year's CCPCJ). Twenty-eight additional countries from across the UN's regional groupings co-sponsored the resolution. Among other provisions, this resolution condemns criminal acts -- including acts motivated by racism -- against migrants, migrant workers, and their families, and encourages Member States that have not already done so to enact legislation and take other appropriate measures to combat international smuggling of migrants.

The United States co-sponsored resolutions on: statistics on crime and criminal justice, authored by Mexico; the rule of law and the reform of criminal justice institutions, proposed by Thailand; international cooperation to address the links that may exist between transnational criminal activities and terrorist activities, offered by Colombia; and the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, submitted jointly by South Africa and Georgia. All these resolutions and more can be found here.

The United States also hosted a side event on the crime-terror nexus and co-hosted a side event with Turkey and the UN on the Global Counter Terrorism Forum. A broad, diverse group of representatives from Member States and civil society attended both events.

Created in 1992 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Crime Commission is one of the governing bodies of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and guides UN activities in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. The Crime Commission also shapes the quinquennial UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (or "Crime Congress"), one of the major UN conferences and the only one to draw together leading experts from member states, academia, and civil society. Last week's CCPCJ adopted a resolution that provides a roadmap to the 2015 Crime Congress to be held in Doha, Qatar.

The resolutions adopted at this CCPCJ promise to strengthen the impact of UNODC's work and further the UN's synergistic approach to promoting crime prevention and criminal justice.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/strengthening_law_combating_crime/ 2012-05-02T22:13:21+00:00 How donor grants may unlock billions of investment dollars for impact enterprise.

In 2010, JP Morgan released a figure that shocked the investment industry: the group estimated that the potential capital market for impact investing -- putting dollars into enterprises that would deliver positive social impact -- was between $400 billion and $1 trillion. Buoyed by the success of the microfinance revolution, philanthropists, governments, entrepreneurs and investors began in earnest to see how else they could do well by doing good.

Impact investors have surged forward with capital, ready to support the pioneering entrepreneurs creating fortunes and development gains at the base of the pyramid (BoP). There are now 200 impact investment entities poised to pour billions of dollars into impact enterprises in the next year. They have cast wide nets, but it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a dearth of enterprises that can deliver both the social and the financial returns the investors seek.

This week, more than 250 high-level investors, business executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and academics are convening in Washington to ask the important question: how can public and private actors work together to unleash the potential of the impact economy?

It is a timely conversation. Monitor & Acumen Fund released a Gates Foundation-funded report this month, "From Blueprint to Scale: The Case for Philanthropy in Impact Investing" that warned of an imminent lack of impact investing opportunities. The report breaks down the pipeline problem into three constraints investors of impact ventures face: especially modest margins, long times to scale, and high risk.

Meanwhile, enterprises face their own challenges: difficulty accessing financing, attracting and retaining human capital, achieving economies of scale, creating trust brands, selling to hard-to-reach customer bases with limited resources, high volatility in production, and building high levels of awareness and education -- to name a few.

The report then made the recommendation that we at USAID know well: there is a real need for grant dollars and other philanthropic support to reach "pioneer" social enterprises, so that they can develop and test the new business models and forge new markets that will open the field wide for entry.

Put simply, these pioneers are providing public goods when they painstakingly develop new business models to reach the BoP, train a skilled labor force, and cobble together the necessary infrastructure, regulation, and customer awareness that other firms can use. Without initial support from government to test and scale their work, the report argues that "much impact capital will continue to sit on the sidelines or be deployed in sub-optimal opportunities for impact, and fail to achieve its potential in driving powerful new market-based solutions for the problems of poverty."

We have an opportunity too great to be missed. So, to help impact investors identify winners, USAID, in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, Prudential Financial and Deloitte, launched a Global Impact Investing Rating System (GIIRS). The rating system measures the social and environmental impacts of companies and funds, to provide a credible, independent evaluation of impact, as S&P does for credit risk. In just six months, 53 funds with $1.9 billion in assets under management have joined to invest in GIIRS-rated enterprises.

Development Innovation Ventures does precisely what Monitor prescribed for pipeline support. DIV is a special USAID mechanism that directly supports and scales a growing portfolio of cutting edge "impact enterprises" -- market-based social enterprises that have the potential to provide financial returns and yield positive social and economic return. DIV's niche of providing direct grant (and early stage) support to impact enterprises to help them prove their business model and scale fills an important gap for the impact economy sector, and helps build the pipeline of viable enterprises that can attract investment capital.

There's more good news. Today, at the opening of the Global Impact Economy summit, Secretary Clinton announced a new $44 million Global Development Alliance (GDA) between USAID and the Skoll Foundation and the Skoll Fund.

The alliance marries DIV's pioneering approach at USAID with Skoll's decade-long experience cultivating the world's most successful social entrepreneurs. Through the new alliance, Skoll and USAID will identify high-impact entrepreneurs who have demonstrated innovations and sustainable business models that are ripe for scale. We will expect from every grant an evaluation of their impact using cutting-edge methods that will help deliver lessons learned about what works, to attract even more scaling support for the solutions with proven results.

Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka, once said, "social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or even teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry." Inspired by their spirit, USAID is working hard to revolutionize the way we support the pioneers, giving them the chance to innovate, test, and grow. It is the key to unlocking billions of dollars that lie in wait.

Related Content: Contributing to an Impact Economy

Editor's Note: This entry also appears on the USAID Impact Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/are_philanthropists_key/ 2012-04-26T19:59:07+00:00
This year's theme -- visionary innovators -- recognizes the unique and valuable contributions made by gifted individuals all over the world. Without innovation, civilizations remain static. The economist Robert Solow was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1987 for showing that technological innovation was responsible for over 80 percent of economic growth in the United States between 1909 and 1949. The trend continues today. Modern economies are built on innovation. According to a recent Department of Commerce study, America's knowledge-based industries accounted for 35 percent of U.S. GDP and 61 percent of total merchandise exports in 2010.

Innovation is not limited to the developed world. Increasingly, innovative ideas and products originate in emerging markets where there is a growing number of research centers, innovative scientists, and highly entrepreneurial businesses. According to Ernst & Young, "70 percent of world growth over the next few years will come from emerging markets." And, in an interesting twist of fate, emerging market innovations often are adapted for use, or influence products, in the developed world, a process known as "trickle-up" innovation. For example, the $3,000 Nano developed and manufactured by India's Tata Motors has set new global standards for low-cost vehicles.

The incentive to develop new products and invest in companies that commercialize those inventions and creative works depends on intellectual property (IP) rights. This holds true for small businesses and large multi-national corporations, in developed countries and emerging economies as well as some of the world's poorest countries, where innovation is also occurring at a rapid pace. Tata Motors filed almost 40 patents associated with the design of the Nano to protect its research and development investment. Governments must therefore protect IP rights in order to support visionary innovators from within their own borders and throughout the globe.

Research and development in the twenty-first century is expanding from individuals to groups, from single disciplines to interdisciplinary approaches, and from a national to an international scope. WIPO found that less than a tenth of international patent applications in 1990 had a foreign co-inventor; 25 percent did in 2009. The same trend holds for scientific publications. This type of multi-national collaboration is exciting, because it takes advantage of expertise that exists around the world and applies diverse approaches to solve common challenges. Countries that fail to adopt and enforce policies supportive of IP rights will find themselves isolated from the global networks that drive innovation.

The Internet, social media, and new mobile phone applications afford an opportunity to collaborate and innovate on a previously unimaginable scale. But unless governments support the open and free exchange of ideas and reward risk-taking through protection and enforcement of IP rights, innovation will be stifled before it begins. Ideas from all sources must be allowed to compete, and those that succeed must be fairly rewarded. This is the basic recipe for an innovative economy, and it is the basis for America's economic success -- and indeed that of other nations -- over the past two centuries. Emerging economies will need to emulate this formula to sustain their dynamism.

The Department of State will continue to defend values and laws which are fundamental to innovation -- open discourse, freedom of expression, and IP rights -- in both developed and developing countries. And we will work with foreign governments to demonstrate that they themselves have an interest in pursuing sound innovation policies. Looking forward, the protection and enforcement of IP rights in support of global economic growth and innovation is key to our prosperity and that of our friends and allies around the world. It is also central to our shared pursuit of better jobs, higher living standards, and upward mobility.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/visionary_innovators/ 2012-04-26T19:06:05+00:00 Haiti, farmers are increasing their incomes and conserving the environment by improving their production of plantains.

In Guatemala, smallholder farmers -- many of them women -- are benefiting from increased access to loans, markets, training, and technology to advance food security and economic opportunity.

In Senegal, a group of farmers are learning agricultural techniques that they can share with thousands of other community farmers to boost overall production and better feed their own families.

In Uganda, the devastating effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies are being addressed through a new policy initiative to increase the nutritional value of common food products.

Ghanaian farmers are improving grain storage practices, helping to reduce post-harvest losses and ensure fresh goods can be sold at market.

And rural agriculture workers in Bangladesh are accessing research that helps them diagnose and control plant pests and diseases that devastate crops. And through more efficient use of fertilizer, farmers in the country's poorest state are seeing the first-ever surplus of rice.

These changes are taking place in different countries and sectors, but they're all contributing to the same remarkable goal: They're helping lift communities out of hunger and poverty. And all are supported through a range of different U.S. Government organizations under Feed the Future, the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative.

Nine U.S. agencies have come together to contribute their unique experience, expertise, and resources to support Feed the Future. Together -- and with the help of our development partners from universities, the research community, multilaterals, the private sector, and the NGO community -- we are working to break the cycle of poverty and food insecurity that has led millions in the developing world to lives of chronic hunger and undernutrition.

Led by USAID, Feed the Future leverages the strengths of agencies across the U.S. Government:

- The U.S. Department of State's diplomatic resources;

- The Millennium Challenge Corporation's financing of country-led agricultural developments and infrastructure projects;


- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's research, training, and analytic capabilities;

- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's coordination with multilateral donors;

- The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's policy work to open markets throughout the world;

- The U.S. African Development Foundation and Peace Corps' experience with grassroots development; and

- The Overseas Private Investment Corporation's expertise in mobilizing private capital to help solve critical world challenges.

We're also working with other U.S. Government agencies like the Department of Commerce, partnering with its National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support activities involving forecasting and fisheries. And we're excited about additional partnership opportunities in the future that will continue to maximize our collective impact and results. For example, the Peace Corps is preparing its volunteers in various sectors -- environment, agriculture, health, and community economic development -- in food security practices to build grassroots capacity in vulnerable communities to help them meet their food security needs.

If this all seems like a lot to synchronize, it is! But interagency coordination is a cornerstone of Feed the Future and something we're dedicated to making work. By leveraging all of these resources, we can maximize the impact we have on people's lives: Feed the Future aims to assist 18 million people -- mostly smallholder farmers -- to escape hunger and poverty, and to reach seven million children with nutrition improvements so they have better opportunities for a bright future.

Collaborating toward shared objectives, using common indicators to track our progress toward food security goals, and promoting long-term, broad-based economic growth in some of the world's most food-insecure countries will yield outstanding and, most importantly, lasting results.

A recent report from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a leading international affairs organization, gave Feed the Future high marks for achievements to date. The report tells us our approach is working. Three years in, we're seeing real results. But what the report also tells us is that undertaking a challenge as big as ending global hunger requires a longer-term commitment.

We remain dedicated to collaborating with our various partners and stakeholders to create a world where droughts don't lead to famine, where children have adequate food and nutrition to reach their full potential, and where chronic food insecurity is a thing of the past. Working together, we can make that world our reality.

Editor's Note: This entry also appears on Feed the Future's Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/doing_business_differently/ 2012-04-26T16:46:40+00:00
Today, we are pleased to be joining the ITU (International Telecommunications Union, a United Nations agency) in celebrating Girls in ICT Day. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, Melanne Verveer, will be joining UN Women Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet, and many others in New York City today to discuss ways we can encourage young women around the world to play a greater role in the technology revolution. By raising the awareness among girls about the many rewarding aspects of a career in ICT and awakening companies to this under-tapped talent pool, we hope more and more girls will be drawn into ICT-related careers.

Although significant issues remain for high-income countries, in developing countries both the opportunities and challenges for girls in ICT may be even greater. ICT will certainly be an integral element of these countries' growth stories through improved efficiency, access to new markets, and the creation of new IT-related jobs. And, with the sector still in its infancy, there is an opportunity to recast the IT profession in gender-neutral terms. In many ways, ICT jobs may be ideal for the complex demands women face, as the possibility of flexible hours and remote location can accommodate other responsibilities women may have in the home. Further emphasizing the potential impact, research recently published by the World Bank indicates that the wage gap between men and women is more significantly impacted by the lower-paying job sectors women pursue than wage differences between similar jobs.

However, three significant barriers remain for women and girls: gaining access to mobile phones and the Internet; developing the necessary skills through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education; and obtaining the support and mentorship needed to flourish in ICT professions.

The mWomen Program (launched by Secretary Clinton and supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development) was precipitated by a landmark study by the GSMA and Cherie Blair Foundation which found that women are 21 percent less likely to own a mobile phone than men in low- and medium-income countries. Indicators point to the gender gap for Internet being even higher. Lack of access can mean lower familiarity, skill, and interest in the technologies that underpin ICT careers.

Education, particularly in the STEM disciplines, is also critical to developing the underlying skills required for a career in ICT. While girls generally show equal or better performance in STEM classes, cultural factors can dissuade them from further studies. Men continue to dominate the study of science and engineering in virtually every country. The NeXXt Scholars Initiative is an innovative program that attempts to address some of these cultural barriers by encouraging promising girls in countries with a Muslim-majority population to pursue a STEM education in women(tm)s colleges across the United States and provides mentorship, networking and skill development workshops through the New York Academy of Sciences.

Finally, even once they have embarked on a career in ICT, women face challenges working in an all-too-often male-dominated environment. Ongoing mentorship and support can be a significant factor in a woman persisting and flourishing as an ICT professional. Opportunities like TechWomen, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), identifies emerging women technology leaders from the Middle East and North Africa to participate in a professional mentorship and exchange program at leading U.S. technology companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2011, TechWomen's inaugural year, we saw first hand how providing women with encouragement, guidance, and inspiration can make all the difference.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/girls_ict_day/ 2012-04-26T11:52:15+00:00 Susan Jacobs, Special Advisor for International Children's Issues, will hold a conversation with Ernie Allen, President and CEO, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, on international parental child abductions. The conversation will highlight how the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Children's Issues and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children work to prevent international abductions and to assist families after an abduction or wrongful retention has occurred. The discussion will be moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and will be available for on demand viewing soon on DipNote, the Department of State's official blog.

You are invited to participate by submitting questions, some of which will be selected for response during the broadcast. Submit your questions below on DipNote and join the ongoing discussion via Twitter using the hashtag #childabduction. Please submit questions via DipNote and Twitter as soon as possible for consideration.

Through Conversations With America, leaders of national non-governmental organizations have the opportunity to discuss foreign policy and global issues with senior State Department officials. These conversations aim to provide candid views of the ways in which leaders from the foreign affairs community are engaging the Department on pressing foreign policy issues.

View other Conversations With America here and by accessing the Conversations With America video podcasts on iTunes.

Editor's Note: This Conversations With America webcast occurred on May 2. You can read the transcript here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/cwa_parental_child_abductions/ 2012-04-25T17:16:00+00:00
Malaria does not threaten boys and girls in the United States, but in Ghana and across Africa, the lives of could-be future presidents, scientists and nurses are lost prematurely, and their hope for making an impact on the world is greatly diminished. In Ghana, where malaria is a leading cause of mortality, 1 in 12 children does not reach his fifth birthday. No child should have to fear death from a mosquito bite.

As we slipped down the cramped side streets and alleys of Kumasi, I recalled being sick with fever as a kid in Da Lat in the south-central highlands of Vietnam where my parents were missionaries. I consider myself lucky to have slept under the protection of a bed net and to have had access to medicine when I fell ill with malaria.

We came upon a small one-room home with plastic bags covering windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering. Inside we found 12 kayayei women sharing a hot and crowded space. Kayayei are low-wage workers who carry food, hardware and other items on their heads. These young women left their homes in the north in search of better economic opportunity. But without skills, homes or family in the city, many struggle to survive and resort to sleeping on the street in makeshift structures.

When we finished hanging nets over sleeping spaces, the women laughed, cheered and danced in celebration, grateful for our small gesture and comforted by the cooling breeze that came into their room once they removed the plastic from the windows.

Distributing nets with David and Hannah, who live and work side-by-side with local populations, reminded me that America is a force for good in the world. From the Peace Corps and faith- and community-based groups to the men and women in our military and USAID and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff, Americans are finding local solutions to complex problems, and improving millions of lives in the process.

Development programs, like those that work to prevent malaria, are a moral, strategic and economic imperative for the United States. The sustained bipartisan support for global health in the U.S. Congress over two administrations is a testament to the fact that we have been able to demonstrate an incredible return on investment for every dollar spent on saving lives and improving opportunity.

The health of a nation, especially the health of its children, is the foundation upon which economies are able to grow, and markets for U.S. products are strengthened.

Malaria interventions continue to be one of the best investments in global health, and it is vitally important that we sustain our momentum in support of a virtuous cycle. Children free of malaria are healthier. Healthy children decrease family size. A smaller family does not have to spread already scarce resources as thin.

Thus, these children receive better nutrition, better education and better opportunities. When those children grow up, they pass the benefits on to the next generation. Fighting malaria starts with ensuring every child sees his or her fifth birthday and nurturing this virtuous cycle.

Editor's Note: This entry first appeared on the TheHill.com.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/winning_battle_against_malaria/ 2012-04-25T13:10:06+00:00 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and several partners including UNICEF launched "Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday". The premise of this awareness-raising campaign is simple: every child should have a chance to reach five. Over 7 million children -- most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia -- didn't reach their 5th birthday last year. That number is equivalent to the entire population of New York City.

At an event this morning at the Kaiser Family Foundation, USAID Administrator Raj Shah talked about his own three children. Dr. Shah mentioned his second child, Amna, who will turn five next year. I celebrated reaching five with a carousel cake and a Smurf-themed party. Likely Amna's birthday will feature Dora the Explorer or a character that is more current!

Dr. Shah talked about how Amna will receive a common gift when American children turn five: a backpack. The sad truth is that over 7 million kids won't survive to five. But there is good news. We have the tools we need to change this brutal fact of life. And all of them just happen to fit in a backpack.

So instead of books, imagine the following. A vaccine. A bed net. A ready-to-use, highly nutritious supplement. A package of antiretrovirals. A bag mask to help babies breathe. Together these tools cost about $30. Together, they can address the leading causes of preventable child death in most developing countries.

That's what the 5th Birthday campaign is all about. We must ensure that affordable tools reach the most vulnerable children around the world. This isn't the responsibility of just the United States. It is a shared value with countries and citizens around the world.

Checkout the short video above and join our awareness-raising campaign to spur global action and to hold all countries to account. Post a photo from your fifth birthday -- if you can't find one, any photo of you or your kids at five will work -- and share it via our website and social media outlets. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using #5thBDay. Let's mobilize the world toward the goal of ending preventable child deaths.

Editor's Note: This entry first appeared on the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/child_5th_birthday/ 2012-04-23T20:35:10+00:00 Yom Ha'Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Judaism, when we remember the dead we say "zikron l'vrach"-- may their memory be for a blessing. On this day, we stand united against one of the most sinister and evil chapters of history, scarred by the unthinkable deeds of governments and collaborators and the silence of so many.

In my job as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, two of the tools I use in my outreach to governments and civil society are education and dialogue. They are mandatory first steps to prevent and overcome ignorance and hate. We must advance the universal message that such evil must be confronted rather than ignored. We must forge connections between students, between communities, and between faiths.

In January, I was honored to attend a United Nations showing of the unique documentary film, The Last Flight of Petr Ginz. The film tells the story of an artistic Czech boy who was killed at Auschwitz. It focuses on Petr's short life -- how he wrote poems and novels while interned at Terezin and how strongly he wanted to live despite the horrors surrounding him. Watching the documentary, I was humbled by Petr's strength, much as I am humbled whenever I meet survivors, camp liberators, rescuers, and eyewitnesses of this terrible event. I am the child of a Holocaust survivor myself. Films like Petr Ginz, remind us of the power of the individual, the power of expression, the power of memory. It is a lesson we must all take to heart.

Despite our commitment to expose and educate about the killing factories and concentration camps of World War II, to our dismay, the Holocaust was not the final chapter on genocide and human hatred. The bigotry and ignorance that drove the Nazis still exists, and, in fact, thrives today. In Rwanda during the summer of 1994 almost a million people were murdered in only 100 days. In 1995, more than 8,000 were massacred in Bosnia and Herzegovina around Srebrenica. During the Khmer Rouge's reign in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, almost two million people were killed. Between 2003 and 2010, over 300,000 people died in the conflict in Darfur.

As we pause today to commemorate Yom Ha'Shoah, we must remember the six million Jews and other victims who perished during the Holocaust. And we must stay vigilant in confronting bigotry and hatred whenever we encounter it. Let us work together to create a more respectful world and ensure memories of the millions killed by the Nazis will be "for a blessing."

Editor's Note: More information on Special Envoy Rosenthal's efforts to combat anti-Semitism can be found on the Department of State's website and on the Facebook page for the virtual campaign 2012 Hours Against Hate. To read Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's press statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, please click here.

Stay connected with Special Envoy Rosenthal on Facebook.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/holocaust_remembrance_day/ 2012-04-18T22:19:28+00:00 Kris Balderston, Special Representative for Global Partnerships, will hold a conversation with Kirsty Jenkinson, Director, Markets & Enterprise Program, World Resources Institute on "Investing with Impact: Building Partnerships for a Better Tomorrow." The conversation will highlight how government and business are working together to promote lasting change and innovation around the globe. The discussion will be moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and will be available for on demand viewing soon on DipNote, the Department of State's official blog.

You are invited to participate by submitting questions, some of which will be selected for response during the broadcast. Submit your questions below here on DipNote, and join the ongoing discussion via Twitter using the hashtag #ImpactGPI. Please submit questions via DipNote and Twitter as soon as possible for consideration.

Through Conversations with America, leaders of national non-governmental organizations have the opportunity to discuss foreign policy and global issues with senior State Department officials. These conversations aim to provide candid views of the ways in which leaders from the foreign affairs community are engaging the Department on pressing foreign policy issues.

View other Conversations with America here and by accessing the Conversations with America video podcasts on iTunes.

Editor's Note: This Conversations With America webcast occurred on April 19. You can read the transcript here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/cwa_investing_with_impact/ 2012-04-13T22:09:07+00:00 More: G-8 Foreign Ministers Meeting Chair's Statement

On April 11-12, 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted her G-8 counterparts for the G-8 Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Blair House in Washington, D.C. During the opening plenary on April 11, Secretary Clinton said:

"I greatly appreciate this opportunity to discuss in person the many global issues that require joint leadership from the G-8 nations. The events of this past year, even of just this past week, affirm the continued need for comprehensive international cooperation, and the G-8 is an essential forum for that."

During the two-day meeting, the Foreign Ministers discussed a range of country-specific, regional, and transnational topics, including Syria, North Korea, Iran, the crisis in the Sahel, and outcomes of the Middle East Quartet meeting, among other issues. At the conclusion of the G-8 Ministerial, Secretary Clinton said:

"This group of nations has extensive shared interests and responsibilities around the globe, so we discussed a range of issues that are of pressing concern. And while there was certainly frank debate about the details, we all affirmed our common commitment to confronting these challenges together and working in close consultation with one another."

On Syria, the Secretary said, "We welcomed Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's report that the violence in Syria, at least for the moment, has abated. I also spoke separately about this at some length with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. If it holds, a ceasefire is an important step, but it represents just one element of the special envoy's plan. As Kofi Annan reported, the Assad regime has, so far, failed to comply with key obligations. The regime's troops and tanks have not pulled back from population centers. And it remains to be seen if the regime will keep its pledge to permit peaceful demonstrations, open access for humanitarian aid and journalists, and begin a political transition. The Annan plan is not a menu of options. It is a set of obligations. The burden of fully and visibly meeting all of these obligations continues to rest with the regime. They cannot pick and choose. For it to be meaningful, this apparent halt in violence must lead to a credible political process and a peaceful, inclusive, democratic transition."

On North Korea, Secretary Clinton said, "The G8 ministers discussed our concerns that North Korea continues to prepare to launch a ballistic missile in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and its own national commitments. We urge the North Korean leadership to honor its agreements and refrain from pursuing a cycle of provocation. We all share an interest in fostering security and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and the best way to achieve that is for North Korea to live up to its word."

On Iran, Secretary Clinton said, "We also looked ahead to the P-5+1 talks with Iran, scheduled to take place in Istanbul this weekend. We continue to underscore that we hope these talks result in an environment that is conducive to a sustained process that delivers results. This is a chance for Iran to credibly address the concerns of the international community. Iran, in coming to the table, needs to demonstrate that they are serious."

You can find video and text transcript of the Secretary's full remarks at the G-8 Ministerial here. The United States holds the G-8 Presidency in 2012, and will host the G-8 Summit at Camp David May 18-19.

Update: G-8 Foreign Ministers release a statement condemning the launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and calling on the DPRK to abstain from further launches using ballistic missile technology or other actions which aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/u.s._hosts_g-8_foreign_ministers_meeting/ 2012-04-12T21:47:54+00:00 Global Fund Board members in Geneva and I am buoyed by the reform that is happening at the Fund under the leadership of new General Manager Gabriel Jaramillo. As everyone knows, the United States has been pushing aggressively for reform, linking our historic pledge of $4 billion from FY 2011 -- 2013 to it. I am pleased to report that while we have been encouraged by the significant reforms the Fund has been pursuing over the past year, the pace of reform has now quickened -- meaning that the Fund will be able to save even more lives.

The Fund remains absolutely committed to ensuring the disbursement of approximately $10 billion in its current funding period, 2011-2013 -- $2 billion more than it disbursed between 2008 and 2010. This includes money for new, ambitious programs, such as Round 10 grants, and will allow countries to continue and, in many cases, scale up, successful programs. Moreover, Mr. Jaramillo is making significant organizational changes, increasing staffing in the priority area of grant and program management by 40 percent, while streamlining other positions to ensure effective and efficient use of all staff resources. The Inspector General will continue to work diligently to crack down on any fraud and abuse that occurs in spite of the best efforts of the Fund.

As the reform occurs, we are also beginning to see others answering the Obama Administration's call to support the Fund. On World AIDS Day, the President said, "To the global community -- we ask you to join us. Countries that have committed to the Global Fund need to give the money that they promised. Countries that haven't made a pledge, they need to do so. That includes countries that in the past might have been recipients, but now are in a position to step up as major donors." Since then, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the Gates Foundation have all pledged their support. We are aggressively leveraging President Obama's call for $1.65 billion in FY13, which fulfilled our groundbreaking multi-year pledge of $4 billion, in order to expand the total resources available for the fight.

A strong Global Fund is critical as we move aggressively to a sustainable response to HIV/AIDS. When PEPFAR and the Fund coordinate, our investments against AIDS are expanded both geographically and programmatically. Simply put, a strong PEPFAR requires a strong Global Fund. In many countries, the governments outline a division of labor among Global Fund, national, and PEPFAR resources. For example, in Angola and South Sudan, Fund grants support the purchase of ARV drugs while PEPFAR's bilateral program supports health worker training and the delivery of ARVs to patients.

In Malawi, PEPFAR and the Global Fund engage in joint programming and joint financing. Together, PEPFAR and Fund-financed programs support treatment for close to 280,000 people, reaching about 70 percent of those in need. In addition, the government of Malawi targets Global Fund financing to deeply rural communities, where 85 percent of the population lives, working through district governments and local-community based organizations. PEPFAR bilateral funding is then targeted to HIV need in more urban populations. Finally, PEPFAR and UNICEF, which receives Global Fund dollars, partner to address prevention of mother-to-child transmission. UNICEF purchases the drugs, while PEPFAR supports the supply chain, training, laboratory, and quality assurance needed for the program.

I am proud of the U.S. commitment to the Global Fund, in part because it is a commitment to the work of PEPFAR. We have a unique opportunity in a tight fiscal environment to support the Fund at this critical juncture. It is the right thing to do, and together, we will save and improve more lives.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/update_global_fund_geneva/ 2012-04-09T14:13:31+00:00 Open Government Partnership (OGP) hews closely to these principles. It is, at its core, about the relationship between a government and its citizens -- a relationship that is defined by mutual responsibility and facilitated by dialogue.

Undeniably, technology and access are changing the relationship between a government and its people. Communication networks are enabling citizens to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, participate in the democratic process, and organize social movements that alter the face of entire regions. As citizens call for change, governments are responding by opening their doors and their data. In this context, governments at the national and local levels have the opportunity to harness citizen input, more easily identify and address inefficiencies and obstacles in service delivery, and create greater impact through public policy and services.

But this trend towards openness goes further than opportunity -- to imperative. At OGP's first outreach meeting in July 2011, Secretary Clinton elaborated on the dangers of closed societies. She stressed that the failure of government "to earn and hold the trust of its people...in a world of instantaneous communication, means that the very fabric of society begins to fray and the foundation of governmental legitimacy begins to crumble." The reality before us is that open government is not just good government; it is smart and sustainable government. That's why President Obama and Secretary Clinton have made open government a top priority for the United States, both domestically and internationally.

OGP is helping governments respond to the opportunity and the imperative before us. And, significantly, it is enabling us to go beyond the walls of government -- to partners in civil society and the private sector -- to find and implement the world's best ideas when it comes to open, efficient, and effective government.

Through OGP, governments and citizens of the world are reviving the linkages that bind them to one another. In September, we witnessed the beginning of a historic chapter in the story of good governance when OGP's eight founding governments launched their action plans. In April, what was eight will graduate to over 50. And what was once the beginning of a chapter will graduate to what is really the beginning of a new era of good governance -- the era of open.

Editor's Note: This entry also appears on the Open Government Partnership website.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/era_of_open_ogp/ 2012-04-05T21:50:40+00:00
That's why the recent release of first-ever Secretarial policy guidance on gender is so important -- and must be further ingrained into all the work U.S. diplomats are doing at the State Department -- from policy development, strategic planning and budgeting to policy and program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and management and training. Click here for a fact sheet with more information on the Secretarial policy guidance on gender.

It's no secret that Secretary Clinton believes that women must be at the core of America's foreign policy. She has integrated the rights of women and girls not only into all of her diplomatic efforts, but also into the very fabric of the State Department itself through the unveiling of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review in December 2010. On March 13, 2012, we took an historic step forward in cementing the Secretary's vision into action through the release of this policy guidance on gender. This guidance instructs our embassies and bureaus to implement specific steps to ensure that our diplomacy and development work supports our national security and foreign policy objectives by promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls.

This does not mean simply ensuring a balanced approach to our diplomatic efforts or development assistance or launching one-off programs that affect women and girls. Rather, it requires a focus on reducing gaps between women and men in resources, opportunities, and outcomes in the full range of our programs and diplomatic engagement -- including with host governments, civil society, and the private sector.

We tasked embassies and bureaus with three critical issues to tackle immediately:

- Political participation. To foster democratic outcomes and representative government, bureaus, and embassies should use diplomacy to promote women's equal ability to participate in politics and civic life -- including local and national government processes, civil society, and international and multilateral forums.

- Economic growth. No country that disadvantages half its population can live up to its economic potential. Embassies and bureaus should seek to expand opportunities for women as a critical tool for fostering economic growth and development.

- Peace and security. To foster conflict prevention, management, and resolution, and to promote relief and recovery in post-conflict situations, embassies, and bureaus should draw on the full contributions of both women and men in every aspect of peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace building.

Secretary Clinton declared her personal commitment to gender equality at her confirmation hearing in January 2009. I share deeply in this commitment as do many, many others in the United States and across the globe. But this is not just a matter of personal importance, it's of strategic importance. Simply put, advancing the status of women and girls is critical to the success of our foreign policy priorities of stability, prosperity, and peace.

Visit state.gov/s/gwi/ for more information on the Office of Global Women's Issues at the U.S. Department of State.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/advancing_women_girls/ 2012-03-28T02:17:13+00:00 Ronan Farrow, Special Adviser for Global Youth Issues, will hold a conversation with Bill Reese, President & CEO, International Youth Foundation, on Global Youth Issues. The discussion will be moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and will be available for on demand viewing soon here on DipNote.

You are invited to participate by submitting questions, some of which will be selected for response during the broadcast. Submit your questions below on DipNote, and join the ongoing discussion via Twitter using the hashtag #GlobalYouth. Please submit questions via DipNote and Twitter by April 4 for consideration.

Through Conversations with America, leaders of national nongovernmental organizations have the opportunity to discuss foreign policy and global issues with senior State Department officials. These conversations aim to provide candid views of the ways in which leaders from the foreign affairs community are engaging the Department on pressing foreign policy issues.

View other Conversations with America here and by accessing the Conversations with America video podcasts on iTunes.

Editor's Note: This Conversations With America webcast occurred on April 6. You can read the transcript here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/cwa_global_youth_issues/ 2012-03-27T13:53:41+00:00 The Hunger Games. I asked her recently about the trilogy -- she'd already read the books -- and I was struck by how much the premise relates to the very heart of what we are trying to address at USAID and through Feed the Future. Among other themes, the book touches on the fundamental right everyone should have: access to food.

As a father, nothing is more important to me than ensuring my daughter has a happy life. Sure, this includes her ability to hang out with friends at the movies (after her homework is done, of course). But more importantly, it means she's healthy enough to go to school and work toward opportunities for a bright future. Kids all over the world deserve the same, and it starts with access to healthy, nutritious food.

Through Feed the Future, we're addressing the root causes of hunger and undernutrition by working with countries to help them develop their own resilient agricultural sectors so they can feed themselves over the long-term. Our efforts recognize the importance of providing critical humanitarian assistance to save lives and protect livelihoods in times of need, but ultimately, our hope and goal is to create the conditions where our assistance is no longer necessary. Our efforts through the Feed the Future initiative aim to assist 18 million women, children and family members -- mostly smallholder farmers -- escape chronic hunger and poverty. We're making great progress, but there is still a long way to go.

Tonight, almost one billion people in the world will go to bed hungry. That keeps me up at night.

Global hunger seems like such an impossible challenge, but in fact we have the ability to beat it. Efforts USAID is supporting through the game-changing Feed the Future and Global Health Initiatives as well as through disaster assistance programs are critical to global progress and stability, but we as individuals can make a difference just by sharing information, raising awareness, and committing ourselves to staying engaged. While the challenges are real, we know we can use our collective voices to turn the page on hunger.

That's what intrigues me about The Hunger Games. It's an entry point for discussion and engagement on a very real issue based on an incredible pop culture success. If it gets people talking about hunger, the need for political will and access to resources, the consequences of inaction, and the transformative power of our collective commitment, that -- for me -- is a success beyond any box office record the film might set.

Our partners at the United Nations World Food Programme recently teamed up with the makers of The Hunger Games film and Feeding America to raise awareness about hunger. We're excited to be a part of the discussion.

Do you want to join the conversation? Follow us @FeedtheFuture and @USAID and tell us why global food security matters to you.

Editor's Note: This entry also appears on the USAID Impact Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/global_hunger_lets_talk_game_change/ 2012-03-22T21:09:41+00:00 You can view the full-size image here.

About the Author: Ben Hubbard serves as the Director of Development Credit Authority at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In the 1960s, during USAID's founding decade, official development assistance represented 70 percent of all capital flows to developing countries. Today, foreign aid makes up just 13 percent, having been replaced over time by trade, investment, and other sources of private capital.

This changing landscape means our impact can be even greater. Rather than using our development dollars to substitute for missing private capital, we can use them to attract it. Even better, we can unlock existing local wealth and put it to work for development.

That's what we do at the Development Credit Authority (DCA). In our 12 year history issuing credit guarantees, DCA has worked directly with more than 200 local private financial institutions, reaching more than 100,000 credit-worthy, but underserved borrowers. In 2011 we established 37 guarantees that will mobilize an additional $200 million in commercial capital in 21 countries.

Among the highlights, we supported the first-ever municipal bond offering in Serbia, a historic step in the development of their local capital markets. We finalized a $25 million deal with J.P Morgan Chase and a group of impact investors that will fuel economic growth in East Africa by providing equity financing for small businesses. And we signed a $34 million guarantee in Egypt that will mobilize capital for small businesses that lack access to credit following the turmoil of the Arab Spring.

Aside from these unique deals, DCA created a Strategic Transactions Group in order to develop capital markets alternatives to typical development solutions. At the Agency level, Field Investment Officers are being deployed to our regional missions to originate innovative deals and ensure financing solutions become a critical component of USAID programming.

This is a good start. In the coming year we will further deepen our work across the Agency, helping to incentivize private investment so that development continues long after we exit.

You can learn more about the Development Credit Authority by viewing the Impact Brief 2011 here.

Editor's Note: This entry was first posted on USAID's Impact Blog. You can learn more about the work of the Development Credit Authority (DCA) on its USAID web page.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/usaid_putting_local_wealth_to_work/ 2012-03-22T16:40:28+00:00 Secretary Clinton's Economic Statecraft agenda, every one of our diplomatic posts around the world and every office at the Department of State has been tasked with ensuring economics is at the center of our foreign policy. For the dedicated staff of the Bureau Economic and Business Affairs, this has always been our mission. And so, I am challenging my colleagues to implement the Secretary's vision through innovative approaches to persisting problems.

Today, I am introducing one small piece of that effort. Through a series of short videos, I will highlight key economic policy issues and the efforts of my Bureau to address them. The first is on our work helping countries address the problem of hunger and limited resources, through agricultural biotechnology. This also ties into the Secretary's goal of helping the private sector embrace development as a business opportunity.

In the coming weeks, I will release videos on topics including Internet Governance, Partnership for Growth, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Check out my facebook page for those releases.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/advancing_economic_statecraft_one_video_at_a_time/ 2012-03-21T20:31:58+00:00
Over the course of the week, the U.S. delegation played a leading role in the unanimous adoption of 12 resolutions on issues ranging from preventing overdose deaths to addressing specific regional challenges to facilitating alternatives to imprisonment. We held more than 20 bilateral and multilateral meetings with other countries, led a panel discussion on drugged driving, and joined a panel on meeting the specific needs of drug-addicted women. The latter panel allowed us to highlight the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, as well as our ongoing support for domestic and international programs addressing women's needs and promoting gender equality.

Established in 1946 as a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the CND reviews and analyzes the global drug control situation, considering the interrelated issues of drug abuse prevention, the rehabilitation of drug users, and preventing the supply and trafficking of illicit drugs. The CND is also responsible for supervising the application of international drug control treaties and advising ECOSOC on matters pertaining to the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors. Resolutions negotiated at the annual sessions of the CND shape global drug control policy and direct the work of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on these matters and related initiatives.

The 1912 Opium Convention was one of the first international treaties specifically aimed against a global threat. To recognize that historic event, and all the subsequent global cooperation strengthening international drug controls, the United States sponsored a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Convention. This resolution gained a record number of co-sponsors from around the globe, from Russia and China to European and Latin American countries, and recommitted all of us to continue fighting against illicit opiates; reducing drug production, trafficking, and use; and ensuring the availability of controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes.

Additional CND resolutions further reinforced and expanded existing drug controls. For example, the CND adopted a novel resolution on gender-specific treatment and rehabilitation needs. Other resolutions included an electronic import/export authorization system to facilitate legal trade of controlled substances; reintegrating persons released from prison after they've renounced drug abuse; and international cooperation in responding to new psychoactive substances. The United States also co-sponsored a resolution put forth by Russia and France to address opiate trafficking in Afghanistan and its surrounding region.

We're already beginning to see operational results from the CND. One country noted that, in response to a resolution, it plans to look into using a life-saving drug that can help prevent deaths from overdose. For its part, the United States looks forward to working with other states, as well as UNODC, in various joint projects and regional counter-narcotics initiatives addressed in the resolutions.

Continue the conversation with INL on Twitter and Facebook.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/commission_narcotic_drugs/ 2012-03-19T18:44:18+00:00 hosting British Prime Minister David Cameron. And all of our Ambassadors from around the world are in town for the Global Chief of Mission Conference. Following up on Secretary Clinton's very successful Global Business Conference, I took the opportunity of inviting several of our Ambassadors visiting us here in Washington to a breakfast to discuss the President's National Export Initiative (NEI) -- which featured prominently in the Global Business Conference.

Even with a 7:30 a.m. start time, 14 U.S. Ambassadors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates attended, together with Fred Hochberg (Ex-Im), Francisco Sanchez (Department of Commerce), Elizabeth Littlefield (OPIC), and Geoff Johnson (USTDA).

Our goal was to help those of us working on these issues in Washington to learn from the experiences of the Ambassadors and to have them learn from the experiences of one another. The lively discussion consisted primarily of the Ambassadors' sharing best practices and exchanging views on challenges in their countries.

Several Ambassadors described their efforts to look beyond major economic centers in their countries to other large cities that are increasingly serving as drivers for business and economic growth. Many also explained the importance they attached to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A number of Ambassadors explained the methods they were using to help new-to-market or new-to-export small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) gain a foothold in their countries.

Some of the suggestions focused on internal changes, such as setting up a "one team" approach at the embassy that breaks down interagency stovepipes ensuring that all economic officers at our missions are targeting our economic priorities. We also discussed how our Embassies could work more closely with business support organizations, such as local Chambers of Commerce, to further our economic objectives overseas -- including export promotion and attracting investment to the United States. One Ambassador pointed out that our coordination with these associations should go behind finalizing deals, but should also include jointly seeking policy reforms that would make it easier for U.S. companies to compete.

This conversation was just one of several we are having on how we move the President's National Export Initiative forward as a key part of Secretary Clinton's overall "Jobs Diplomacy" agenda. This was one more step in implementing a State Department and whole-of-government effort to boost exports, support high quality jobs for Americans, and broaden economic opportunities for larger and larger numbers of people throughout our country.

Related Content: White House Blog -- Celebrating Two Years of the President's National Export Initiative]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/nei_breakfast_with_visiting_ambassadors/ 2012-03-15T20:02:19+00:00
The Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are committed to advancing the rights and health of women and girls around the world. Under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Clinton, the United States has put women and girls front and center in the three pillars of our foreign policy -- diplomacy, development, and defense. This is embodied in a number of Presidential and policy directives, such as the interagency Global Health Initiative, which includes a central focus on women, girls and gender equality.

Today, at the National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event at the White House, we announced a joint S/GWI and PEPFAR initiative. We will support civil society organizations with small grants to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), with a link to HIV prevention, treatment or care. Through this partnership, we will provide over $4.6 million in small grants to grassroots organizations in countries with a PEPFAR presence, leveraging our respective platforms in the field and creating links to address the drivers of both violence and HIV.

The White House also released a Presidential Memorandum establishing a working group to explore the intersection of HIV/AIDS, violence against women and girls, and gender-related health disparities in the United States -- and will include lessons learned from our international work in this area. This is a prime example of our Administration's commitment to advancing the agenda for women and girls, and to addressing the link between violence and health disparities, here at home.

As we move forward globally, we will continue to focus on several key objectives -- including reducing GBV and coercion; engaging men and boys to address norms and behavior; increasing women and girls' legal protection; increasing women and girls' access to income and productive resources, including education; and ensuring gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs and services, including access to reproductive health services.

We have made significant investments to address gender as a central focus of our foreign policy and development goals, in close partnership with other U.S. agencies, partner governments, civil society, and the private sector. For example, over the last two years, PEPFAR has invested close to $155 million in responding to GBV. We have also been a big supporter of working to help identify female-controlled prevention methods, investing more than $90 million dollars over the last two years in microbicide research. And, since 2004, we have supplied over 55 million female condoms -- making PEPFAR one of the largest procurers of female condoms worldwide. S/GWI has made over $5.5 million in small grants to organizations around the world working on issues from economic empowerment to GBV to political participation and leadership. From mainstreaming gender throughout all programs, to special gender initiatives at the country level, the United States is making a difference in the lives of women and girls.

We are also partners in the Together for Girls initiative -- a unique partnership that brings together public, private, United Nations and U.S. agencies to address sexual violence against children, particularly girls. In Tanzania, for example, the first nationally representative survey of violence against children in 2010 found that nearly three in ten females and one in seven males experienced sexual violence prior to the age of 18. Such evidence will be used to inform future programming and guide policy priorities -- including in Kenya, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Haiti, with future work planned in additional countries.

We are starting to see results on the ground. In 2011, PEPFAR supported post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection for survivors of sexual violence to over 47,000 people, nearly 34 percent more than the year before.

There is still much work ahead. But the remarkable achievements to date give us hope for the future.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/international_womens_day_2012/ 2012-03-14T19:51:00+00:00
The story of Ethel Mackenzie illustrates this struggle here in the United States in the early 20th century. She was a native-born American citizen and resident of San Francisco who was active in the women's suffrage movement and participant in California's voter registration drive. Women in California had gained the right to vote in 1911, so Ethel Mackenzie was quite dismayed when she was denied the right to vote because, she learned, she was no longer a U.S. citizen. She had married a Scotsman -- a British citizen -- and according to U.S. citizenship law at the time, an American woman who married an alien automatically assumed her husband's nationality even if she never left the United States. Mackenzie brought her case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost (Mackenzie v. Hare, 239 U.S. 299 (1915)).

American women did not gain equal rights to nationality until 1934, after a series of laws and amendments gradually eliminated provisions that had stripped women of U.S. citizenship upon marriage to a foreigner, and that prevented American citizen women from transmitting their citizenship to their children born abroad and petitioning for naturalization for foreign spouses. Women's equal rights to nationality were not restored retroactively in the United States until 1994. These changes would not have occurred without courageous individuals like Ethel Mackenzie, strong advocacy by civil society groups, and leadership by key legislators.

Today, the vast majority of countries around the world grant equal nationality rights to women, and others are moving in that direction. For example, we have seen recent progress in Algeria, Botswana, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and other countries that have eliminated or limited discrimination against women in their nationality laws. At a ministerial meeting in Geneva marking the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness last December, Liberia and Senegal pledged to reform their laws to allow women to confer citizenship on their children.

Nationality laws that discriminate against women can deprive women and children of legal protection in the countries where they reside -- often for generations -- and can result in statelessness. Without recognition by any state, the estimated 12 million stateless persons around the world typically lack identity documentation, and cannot register births, marriages, or deaths. Without such documentation, they often cannot work legally or travel freely. They cannot vote, often cannot open a bank account, or own property, and they often lack access to health care and other public services. Without birth registration or citizenship documents, children are often barred from attending school. For these reasons, stateless persons are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, and arbitrary arrest and detention.

Secretary Clinton is leading the State Department's efforts to promote women's equal right to nationality and engage in diplomacy to mobilize other governments to repeal and amend nationality laws that discriminate against women. These are often complex issues, and our work is just beginning. Gender discrimination is a persistent challenge in many cultures and countries. But as we remember Ethel Mackenzie and the struggle for women's equal nationality rights here in the United States, we also see opportunities to achieve progress by working with governments, civil society groups, and multilateral partners. Additional information on gender discrimination in nationality laws and statelessness is available from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at www.unhcr.org, and on the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration website at www.state.gov/j/prm.

Continue the conversation on PRM's Facebook page.

Related Content: Fact Sheet on Women's Nationality Initiative]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/women_and_citizenship/ 2012-03-08T12:55:04+00:00
By the mid-twentieth century, largely due to unregulated and poor management of the commercial whaling industry, populations of large whales became severely depleted. In response, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) established a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. This action led to the recovery of many whale populations. In fact, the Eastern Pacific gray whales we saw in Mexico were de-listed from the U.S. Endangered Species list in 1994 because their population had sufficiently re-bounded. Despite some successes, many species of whales remain at risk, this is why the United States firmly supports the continued moratorium on commercial whaling. And that's why we are deeply disappointed by the actions of certain governments which have found ways to avoid the ban.

It's important to note, however, that the moratorium applies specifically to commercial whaling. The IWC grants quotas for subsistence whaling by indigenous groups (e.g., in Greenland, Russia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the United States). In the United States, subsistence whaling is primarily done by Alaskan Natives. They harvest approximately 40-50 bowhead whales per year, which provides approximately 60% of their annual protein needs. Whales and whaling are an important part of the Alaskan Native culture, going back thousands of years. The IWC's Scientific Committee has determined that these hunts, and those by other indigenous communities, are sustainable. As a result, the United States will seek renewal of our subsistence whaling catch allowance at the July IWC annual meeting in Panama.

Whale conservation is not only the right thing to do, it also stimulates economic growth. A study by the IWC estimated that 13 million people went whale watching globally in 2008. These eco-tourists spent nearly $2.1 billion and supported 13,000 jobs across hundreds of coastal regions worldwide, including in Mexico where we viewed the gray whales. I'm delighted to see an industry evolve from commercial whaling to commercial whale watching because it gives everyday citizens a stake in their natural resources, thereby strengthening support for global conservation measures.

Our whale-watching excursion was aptly timed as a side-event during the G-20 Foreign Ministers meeting because conservation efforts for whales, tigers, great apes, and numerous other animal species must be international to be successful. Animals -- marine or otherwise -- do not confine themselves to national boundaries. It's vital that all governments -- including those in the G-20 and others -- take ownership and pride in their biodiversity and ecosystems, and live up to their responsibilities both moral and legal. All of the ministerial officials who went whale-watching were grateful to Mexico for organizing the event and inspiring all of us to take a personal interest in the conservation of whales and other marine species.

Editor's Note: This entry appeared first on the Huffington Post.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/g20_mexico_ecotourism/ 2012-03-06T18:21:05+00:00
The 1980s saw primarily refugees resettling in the United States from Vietnam, Laos, and the Soviet Union. The 1990s brought large numbers of Bosnians as war engulfed the former Yugoslavia. In the 21st century, we welcomed refugees from Burma, Bhutan, Iran, Iraq and Somalia, among others, reflecting a more diverse and expansive refugee resettlement program.

Historically the United States has provided protection to such well-known individuals as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeline Albright, Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein, performer Gloria Estafan, and marathoner Mebrahtom Keflezighi.

The stories of many other lesser-known refugees reflect the same determination and perseverance:

- Mr. Bol B. Aweng, a "Lost Boy" from Sudan, came to the United States in 2001. He fled at the age of six, without his parents, when helicopter gunfire and aerial bombs destroyed his village. He saw friends shot, eaten by crocodiles, and die of food poisoning. He took refuge in Ethiopia and finally in Kenya before being resettled to the U.S. As a boy in the refugee camp, Mr. Aweng first began drawing in dirt and then on cardboard. He brought his love of art with him to the U.S. He graduated from Ohio State University in 2009, where he majored in Fine Arts, specializing in digital media.

- Mr. Bertine Bahige, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, arrived in the United States in 2003. When Mr. Bahige was fifteen years old, rebels came to his house and tried to forcibly recruit him. Traveling alone, he fled first through Zambia, then spent five years in a refugee camp in Mozambique. When he was resettled in Maryland, he worked multiple jobs and went to community college. In 2006, he was offered a scholarship to the University of Wyoming. Today, he serves as a high school and community college math teacher, soccer and cross-country coach, and liaison/interpreter for Spanish-speaking parents.

- Mr. Anh "Joseph" Quang Cao was the first Vietnamese-American elected to the U.S. Congress, serving Louisiana's second Congressional District from 2009 until 2011. Mr. Cao left his home country with his aunt and two siblings in a military transport plane three days before the fall of Saigon, while his mother and the rest of his family stayed behind to wait for his father.

- Mr. Wilmot Collins, from Liberia, arrived in the United States in 1994. Mr. Collins and his wife have been U.S. citizens since 2001. He is an administrative officer at the Veterans Hospital in Helena. He has an M.A. in Human Resources Management, and is working towards a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. He is also a member of the U.S. Naval Reserves.

- Mr. Aumer Hadi is an Iraqi refugee who resettled in Columbia, South Carolina in 2010. Following the Gulf War, Mr. Hadi and his family fled to Yemen, where they lived for eight years. With a computer science degree from Saba University in Yemen, Mr. Hadi has been able to use his education in the United States by helping his employer to develop software for the iPhone.

- Mr. Igor Kotler, originally from the Soviet Union, has lived in the United States for over 20 years. He is President and Executive Director of the Museum of Human Rights, Freedom and Tolerance. An accomplished scholar in human rights and world history, Mr. Kotler and others helped to capture 52,000 interviews of Holocaust survivors in 32 languages, representing 56 countries.

Less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled in a third country, estimates the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. But, in the words of one refugee, new life in the United States was "the beginning of my return to humanity."

This past year, more than 56,000 refugees from almost 70 countries, fleeing fear of persecution based upon race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, found new homes in the United States. Until then, some lived in camps for years or even decades, such as the Burmese on the Thai border or Bhutanese in Nepal. Others, like Iraqis in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, or Somalis and Ethiopians in Kenya, eked out meager existences in temporary and uncertain urban dwellings.

Some came with family members, most came with few belongings, but all came with hope for the future.

In the end, all Americans benefit from our nation's open doors -- the refugees, those whose lives they touch, and communities strengthened by their contributions.

The Great Seal of the United States carries the motto "E Pluribus Unum." Ninety-nine percent of all Americans trace our heritage to foreign lands. Our founding fathers would be proud that our nation continues to offer a place of refuge to the most persecuted from many ethnicities, races and religions, who now call America home.

Continue the conversation on PRM's Facebook page.

Editor's Note: This entry appeared first on the Huffington Post.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/changing_lives/ 2012-02-27T21:52:45+00:00 Global Business Conference in Washington, D.C.

In her remarks, Secretary Clinton said, "I have made 'Jobs Diplomacy' a priority mission at the State Department, with a clear goal: Just as our companies are ready to out-work, out-innovate, and out-compete their rivals, so we intend to be the most effective diplomatic champions for prosperity and growth."

The conference brought together senior officials from U.S. business support organizations from over 100 countries; U.S. private sector executives focused on international business; and senior U.S. Government leaders from the White House, the Departments of State, Commerce, Treasury and Energy, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Building on the President's agenda to accelerate America's economic renewal, the conference will highlight how the U.S. Government can promote U.S. businesses abroad, increase U.S. exports, attract new investment to the United States, and create American jobs. Learn more about the event here.

Related Content: Following the Secretary's Global Business Conference -- A Guide to Our Message and Social Media and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides' Op-Ed -- 'Using Diplomacy To Create Jobs']]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/global_business_conference_2012/ 2012-02-21T16:06:21+00:00
As part of this effort, Secretary Clinton is hosting the State Department Global Business Conference February 21-22, 2012. For the first time, a Secretary of State is inviting senior representatives of U.S. business support organizations around the world to explore what more we in the U.S. government can do to help U.S businesses abroad. These representatives will be joined by U.S. business executives, as well as by officials from the White House, Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Treasury, Export-Import Bank, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, U.S. Trade Representative and the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

On February 21, we will focus on interactions between government and business officials. We want to hear from businesses what we can do better to get them into new global markets, expand investment opportunities, and challenge unfair business practices overseas. Small group and panel discussions will cover topics like "Government Support for Exports," "Facilitating Business and Leisure Travel to the U.S.," "U.S. Energy and Climate Policy," "Creating Effective Public-Private Partnerships," and "U.S. Tax Policy." Presentations on this opening day will include remarks by Secretary Clinton, Secretary of Commerce John Bryson, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Thomas Donohue, and Boeing Chairman, President and CEO W. James McNerney, Jr.

February 22 discussions will have a regional focus, with our regional Assistant Secretaries of State hosting meetings on topics pertinent to their areas of the world. Meetings on Africa will focus on creating a supportive business climate, while South and Central Asia will address new market opportunities. East Asia and the Pacific will tackle intellectual property rights and regional cooperation, and the Middle East and North Africa panels will explore how to work in a region where several countries are undertaking political and economic reforms. The European region's sessions will examine regulatory frameworks, while discussions on the Western Hemisphere will focus on regional partnership initiatives, infrastructure, and creating opportunities for U.S. businesses. I will participate in sessions on the Western Hemisphere, the Middle East /North Africa, and the South and Central Asia regions.

Above all, we hope this conference will open new public-private channels of conversation that benefit U.S. interests. This is truly a joint venture -- a new beginning of enhanced cooperation and partnership between the U.S. government and U.S. business around the world. We will continue to strengthen the relationship between diplomacy and economics because, at the end of the day, our efforts and American businesses' success abroad translate into jobs here at home and a stronger U.S. economy.

Related Content: Following the Secretary's Global Business Conference -- A Guide to Our Message and Social Media and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides' Op-Ed -- 'Using Diplomacy To Create Jobs']]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/engaging_with_business/ 2012-02-21T13:52:44+00:00 Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides authored an opinion piece that appears on Politico.com. The text of his piece also follows below:

"Today's headlines are filled with conflict -- from uprisings in Syria to last week's bomb blasts in New Delhi and Bangkok. So it's only natural that, when most people think of diplomacy, they think of negotiations on matters of war and peace. But that's only half the story. Our diplomats and development experts are out there protecting America's national security, including our economic strength -- a dual mandate of peace and prosperity.

"Here's why we, as diplomats, care about economics: We live in an era when the size of a country's economy is every bit as important to exercising global leadership as the size of its military. Meanwhile, our investment in development prevents conflict and cultivates future allies and consumers of American goods. We're working at the highest levels with our partners in Europe and Asia to stabilize and balance the global economy. And closer to home, the American people are hungry for an economic recovery that depends on reaching beyond our borders to find new customers and new markets. That means the State Department -- which manages our relationships around the world -- is essential to exercising our economic influence, keeping Americans prosperous, and creating jobs here at home.

"This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host the first-ever State Department Global Business Conference in Washington, D.C. Participants range from leaders of organizations promoting U.S. businesses in more than 120 countries to senior executives of major American businesses to senior U.S. government representatives, including Vice President Biden. We have designed this international gathering to generate exciting ideas on how the United States government can better help businesses find new export markets, accelerate America's economic renewal, and -- most importantly -- put the American people back to work.

"As a former businessman, I know that building sustainable global growth and creating jobs at home is a joint venture: the private sector innovates and allocates capital, and the government opens doors to new markets and ensures that the rules are fair. Given the economic hardship Americans are suffering today, we must bring this partnership between business and government to the next level. On the government side, we must use all the tools at our disposal -- including diplomacy and development -- to support our businesses and grow the economy. That's what this conference is all about.

"The truth is that we've always done a great deal to support American businesses abroad. For decades, our diplomats, trade negotiators, agricultural experts, and commercial service officers have worked hard to make sure that American companies get a fair shake wherever they operate. We have helped establish the rules and institutions to safeguard healthy economic competition and spur unprecedented global growth. We've advocated on behalf of U.S. manufacturers exporting to Indonesia, Brazil, and Germany. We've pressed for economic reforms to spark growth in places like Pakistan and Tanzania because aid -- no matter how effective -- can only do so much. We've negotiated complex trade and investment agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama. At every turn, we have sought to ask and answer a simple question: how can we use diplomacy to create American jobs?

"We've done a great deal. But we can and must do even more. At the State Department, we're building on the Secretary's vision of Economic Statecraft -- that is, harnessing economic forces to advance our foreign policy and employing the tools of foreign policy to shore up our economic strength. We're using our network of over 200 embassies and consulates to connect businesses to opportunities and to tear down obstacles to fair competition. We're making it easier for foreign companies to learn about investing in America and changing the way we recruit, train, and develop our people. We're encouraging reform in the markets of the Middle East, boosting private investment to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan, and stepping up our efforts in the Asia-Pacific region. We're all doing our part to support the President's full-court press to strengthen our economy for the long haul.

"All of this furthers our mission to protect America, while helping others prosper and promote growth around the world. In fact, the conditions of open, free, transparent and fair competition that allow American companies to thrive will help others to compete and grow as well.

"In the end, America's economic renewal depends on the strength of the global economy -- and the global economy depends on the strength of the American economy. We live in a world with global companies and global consumers. The tastes of consumers in Tokyo drive production decisions in Detroit. Stock prices in Frankfurt affect growth forecasts in Sydney and living standards in Lima.

"In this increasingly interconnected and dynamic world, we must work together -- whether businesspeople or diplomats, Americans or our international friends -- to advance our shared prosperity. We must continue to build the rules, institutions, and relationships necessary to systematically advance the economic interests of our citizens and businesses well into the future.

"America's economic strength and our global leadership are a package deal."

Related Content: Following the Secretary's Global Business Conference -- A Guide to Our Message and Social Media]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/op-ed_using_diplomacy_to_create_jobs/ 2012-02-20T17:35:54+00:00 released on February 13, showcases President Obama's commitment to making smart, efficient investments to help those in the greatest need while helping to create economic opportunity and safeguarding American security.

It is important to remember that these numbers represent lives around the world that can be supported and saved through our smart investments in agriculture, health, and access to clean water, among other programs. And these investments come at an incredibly small fraction of our national budget -- in the case of development assistance, less than one percent.

Similar investments we made last year demonstrated a number of important results. Thanks to our investments in humanitarian assistance, we were able to save tens of thousands of lives in the Horn of Africa after a devastating drought led to famine and threw over 13 million people into crisis. U.S. support helped provide lifesaving AIDS drugs to nearly 4 million people, protect 200,000 infants from HIV infection and keep millions of children throughout Africa safe from malaria. And our agricultural investments are supporting the goal of lifting 18 million people from a state of hunger and poverty.

Despite those results, we've had to make difficult choices this year, consolidating some programs and eliminating others. Our 2013 budget shows a willingness to focus on countries and programs where we believe we can make the greatest impact.

Global health is a key part of our investment in economic and human security. Our request goes to cost-effective, proven global health interventions delivered through President Obama's Global Health Initiative. These investments will help achieve a number of the President's ambitious global health goals, including saving the lives of five million children by the year 2015 and expanding HIV/AIDS treatment. Thanks to the falling costs of health commodities, including contraceptives, malaria bednets and antiretroviral drugs, and increased investments by partner governments, we can now save more lives.

$1 billion of our FY 2013 request is devoted to Feed the Future, President Obama's landmark food security initiative. These investments will help countries develop their own agricultural economies and grow their way out of hunger and poverty, rather than relying on humanitarian food aid that costs us seven times as much to deliver. We've also designed a results framework so we can transparently measure and demonstrate the impact our investments have made in fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

Our budget request maintains robust funding for our humanitarian accounts. Efficiencies in our use of these resources will ensure we have the necessary means to continue U.S. leadership in responding to natural and man-made disasters, just as we did last year after a devastating drought in the Horn of Africa. In addition, we continue to increase our focus on preventing future crises through disaster risk reduction activities and funding for greater resilience against food shocks through Feed the Future.

Changing the way we do business. In line with the Secretary's Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, USAID developed a suite of reforms called USAID Forward. These reforms are helping our staff deliver faster and more lasting results. These investments allow us to fund innovative technologies that can change the way development is done. For instance, we've developed a series of Grand Challenges for Development that encourage entrepreneurs and researchers to develop new solutions to intractable development challenges. Our first Grand Challenge -- Saving Lives of Birth -- leveraged $8 million from partner governments and private sector donors to help mothers safely give birth even if they can't reach a hospital or clinic.

Our USAID Forward reforms also give our Missions and contracting officers the flexibility to partner directly with local governments, entrepreneurs and NGOs that can build sustainable institutions at lower cost. Those investments will help countries build their own capacity, giving them the tools they need to chart their own futures.

Finally, we will invest in the key to all of these efforts: our staff. These funds will strengthen and support our workforce, protecting them in frontline states, supporting them in embassies and missions and giving them the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.

The investments included in the FY13 budget will improve the lives of people throughout the world. For millions, this assistance can literally mean the difference between life and death.

But we shouldn't lose sight that these investments aren't just from the American people -- as USAID's motto says -- they're for the American people. By fighting hunger and disease, we defuse the anger and injustice that can fuel conflict. By investing in growth and prosperity, we create stronger trade partners for our country's exports -- 10 of the top 15 American export markets are current or former recipients and aid.

And above all, by extending freedom, opportunity and dignity to people throughout the world, we express our core American values.

This entry also appears on USAID's Impact Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/making_smart_investments/ 2012-02-16T15:46:51+00:00 Update: You can watch the event in the video player above and read the transcript of Secretary Clinton's remarks here.

On Thursday, February 16, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host and deliver remarks at an event commemorating the Ninth Anniversary of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) at the Department of State. The event will be streamed live on DipNote at 1:00 p.m. EST.

Following the Secretary, Representative Joe Crowley (NY-07) will also deliver remarks. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer will then moderate a panel discussion with leading experts and activists dedicated to the global effort to eradicate FGM/C and to raise awareness of its negative consequences on women, girls, families, and societies. The discussion will highlight the importance of fostering community-based approaches and engaging religious leaders and the Diaspora community to encourage abandonment of this harmful traditional practice.

Related Content: Secretary Clinton's Statement on International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting | U.S. Supports Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_zero_tolerance_fgm_2012/ 2012-02-15T15:01:10+00:00
Hence, it's vital that we create opportunities to enable older persons to contribute to their economies and communities in increasingly effective and productive ways. This will require new policies and innovations that promote healthy aging, including advances in medicine, continued learning, and cultural norms regarding aging. As population aging is elevated to the global agenda, the countries that capitalize on the increasing percentage of older adults, and are able to increasingly facilitate their meaningful contributions, will secure a strategic and competitive advantage in the years to come.

Consider the demographic facts: In the United States, 77 million Baby Boomers -- born from 1946 through 1964 -- are beginning to transition into retirement. In addition to increasing the strain on government-sponsored programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, the retirement of this large group of Americans could also create significant losses in productivity as well as specialized skills upon which many of our companies depend.

The United States is not alone in the challenge and opportunity of population aging. By 2050, more than two billion people worldwide will be over the age of 60. By then, for the first time in human history, more people will be over the age of 60 than under 15. Life-spans have increased an incredible three decades in the past one hundred years and disability rates have been declining. The science of health promotion and risk factor reduction, coupled with advancements in medicine, have made it possible for a large percentage of the population to live out their lives in functional and productive ways. Longevity and health, however, are only part of the equation. As more people worldwide enter their traditional retirement years, the dependency ratio (i.e., the number of retirees per worker) will skyrocket requiring prudent review of twentieth century retirement models.

Providing opportunities for continued contribution by an aging population is an economic imperative in a growing number of countries, both developing and developed nations. This is a new challenge for developing country governments, especially in Latin America and Asia, which over the past few decades have experienced a significant drop in fertility and death rates. That's why the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has declared economic success to be a function of the health and productivity of APEC's Member Economies' aging populations. This declaration is supported by other global organizations also working to turn aging into an opportunity. Indeed, the European Union has launched 2012 as its year of Active and Healthy Aging. And the World Health Organization (WHO) has begun an Age-Friendly Cities Program and is dedicating 2012 World Health Day to aging populations.

Equally significant is the global health community's new focus on age-related health challenges, called non communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes. A WHO Resolution calling on governments to "strengthen NCD policies to promote active aging" will be at the center of this year's World Health Assembly in May. This work is an important sign that aging is now beginning to occupy a critical and rightful place on the international agenda.

We need a focused, society-wide effort to transform our vision of aging from a time of dependency to a time of continued growth, contribution, and social and economic participation. Older adults have a wealth of experience and much to contribute. We need a sea-change not just in policies, but in attitudes about what it means to grow old. We must break the stereotype that to be old is to be inactive or dependent, and in so doing turn "population aging" into the century's greatest achievement.

Collaborating with our private sector and global partners is a path to sharing strategies and solutions to the truly global phenomenon of population aging. On the government side, an important step will be to broaden the base of collaboration on aging populations to include not only health, but also economic, finance and trade portfolios. Working together, we can turn the longevity bequeathed us from the twentieth century into a positive driver of growth, contribution and economic activity in the twenty-first. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/aging_population/ 2012-02-14T01:02:06+00:00
This budget will enable PEPFAR to achieve the President's stated goals for the program, including on prevention and supporting 6 million people on treatment by the end of 2013. As we move towards creating an AIDS-free generation, President Obama and Secretary Clinton are focused on improving and saving lives -- these outcomes are the most important metric of success. The results to date speak for themselves:

o We have more than doubled the number of individuals on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (nearly 4 million in FY 2011, up from 1.7 million in FY 2008).
o We averted 200,000 infant HIV infections in FY 2011, through increased commitment to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
o We supported care services for almost 13 million people (including 4 million orphans and vulnerable children) in FY 2011, a 55 percent increase from FY 2008.

Under this Administration, PEPFAR has matured. We've become more efficient, increasing the impact of our work. The FY 2013 request reflects this focus on finding efficiencies and continuing to drive down costs. By using generic drugs, shipping commodities more cheaply, task-shifting to nurses and community health workers as appropriate, and linking AIDS services to other programs (such as maternal and child health), we have dramatically decreased the per-patient cost of providing treatment and other services. We have reduced PEPFAR treatment costs per person from $1,100 to $335 per person and costs continue to fall -- every dollar we invest is going farther.

The growth in country ownership of programs is another critical piece of the story. Middle income countries with PEPFAR programs have begun to increase their investments in health programs, further reducing our direct costs. South Africa is the leading example of a country that has ramped up its investment (now over $1 billion) and indicates that it will continue to do so -- a key development, as it has the largest number of people living with HIV in the world.

As the PEPFAR program matures, we are able to maximize our impact based on new prevalence data and assessments of absorptive capacity. We focus resources on countries where we can have the largest impact on the HIV epidemics, and we carefully review our levels of support in countries with low HIV prevalence or where significant other resources are available. For example, we are freeing up resources by reducing programs in lower HIV prevalence countries like Ethiopia, and are eliminating support to countries like Russia (which has stated its intention to become a donor country). Kenya is an example of a mature program focused on sustainable country systems for program implementation and building up the capacity of local implementers. As a result, we are able to adjust Kenya funding to better match its capacity to absorb funds through these new mechanisms.

The President's budget for FY 2013 requests $1.65 billion for a contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, fulfilling his pledge to seek $4 billion over three years for the Fund. As the President has stated, the response to the global AIDS pandemic is a shared responsibility. The Global Fund is the vehicle for others to step up and increase their investments. In fact, each dollar we invest in the Fund leverages $2.50 from other donors, and we will continue to seek to leverage our donations with other partners.

In October 2010, the U.S. tied our historic multi-year pledge to the Global Fund to successful implementation of reforms that increase the impact of grants. The Fund took decisive action in adopting comprehensive reforms last year, and we are encouraged by the appointment of the Fund's new General Manager, Gabriel Jaramillo, who has promised to advance the reform agenda as rapidly as possible. As a sign of support, the Gates Foundation has recently announced a $750 million commitment to the Fund, and Saudi Arabia has stepped up and contributed to the Fund for the first time.

I want to address any concern that our increased investment in the Global Fund may interfere with PEPFAR's ability to reach its bilateral goals. I can say with conviction that if this was the case, we would not be doing it. Our Global Fund investment is critical to the ability of our bilateral PEPFAR program to reach its goals. These two U.S.-supported efforts on global AIDS are now truly interdependent and collaborative. We are jointly funding many country programs and specific service sites, and as we review our country PEPFAR programs, again and again we see that the success of Global Fund grants is a critical factor in the success of our work.

Saving lives is the bottom line, and to reach it, we need a strong PEPFAR and a strong Global Fund.

In their remarks in late 2011, President Obama and Secretary Clinton put forward the inspiring vision of an AIDS-free generation. With this budget, the United States will keep our commitments, and we will meet our ambitious targets.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/budget_global_aids/ 2012-02-13T16:11:30+00:00 More: FY 2013 Executive Budget Summary | Fact Sheet | Foreign Assistance Dashboard

Today, Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah discussed the FY 2013 State Department and USAID budget. Deputy Secretary Nides said, "State and USAID account for just one percent of the federal budget. ... Today, I want to explain how we use that one percent to make the outsized contribution to America's prosperity, security, and leadership."

Deputy Secretary Nides continued, "This budget follows a year of transformational change in the world, as you all know. New powers are emerging, America is strengthening relationships in the Asia Pacific region, while keeping commitments around the world. In Iraq, we completed the largest military-to-civilian transition since the Marshall Plan, and the budget reflects the beginning of a normalizing of our footprint. And Afghanistan has 33,000 U.S. troops who surged in come home. Our civilians will continue to do their work to secure our hard-won gains. This budget also reflects that.

"Meanwhile, the Middle East is reinventing itself before our eyes. And since I presented last year's budget, there hasn't been a day when we weren(tm)t managing multiple crises at once. The demands on us have never been higher, and you will see all of that in this budget request. Of course, this is also a time of economic hardship in our country, and we all get that here. And so this budget seeks to stretch every tax dollar as far as possible without compromising our core national security interests."

You can read the full briefing here, and more about the international affairs budget here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/fy_2013_budget_request/ 2012-02-13T15:20:40+00:00 State of the Union Address:

"The basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement...[is] the defining issue of our time...how to keep the promise alive... No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important...we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules."

President Obama's call for a change to the status quo is based on the fact that income inequality in the United States has risen in the past three decades and real median wages have stagnated. These issues are not unique to the American economy. In fact, the challenge that President Obama spoke of, is the same challenge facing other world leaders today. As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said: "The most consequential question facing nation(s)...is whether leaders will let their people live up to their God-given potential and claim their place at the heart of the 21st century..."

In fact, the problem of economic inequality manifests itself in various forms around the globe. The unemployed, young graduates, the working poor, and men and women in the formal and informal sector are desperate for their voices to be heard -- in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. They are looking for their leaders to provide policies that address inequality and social inclusiveness, issues that if ignored, will only lead to further social unrest and political instability.

Indeed, even during discussion at the yearly gathering of world leaders from business, politics, media, and academia at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland in January, there was unanimous agreement by senior economic figures that "growing inequality should now be the priority for leaders after the economic crisis." The figures from the economic fall-out of the global crisis are staggering -- especially for youth unemployment. In the United States, the youth unemployment rate is 23 percent, in Spain it is close to 50 percent, and in some parts of the Arab world it is almost 90 percent. In fact, some business leaders at Davos warned of "a disaster and a ticking time bomb," as the demographics of countries such as Jordan, where 70 percent of the population is under the age of 30, come to the forefront. Others pointed to the possibility of a "lost generation," as government policies have failed to address these problems in a timely manner.

So what policy options are available to world leaders? Sharan Burrow, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the co-chair of the Secretary's Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society, spoke at Davos about labor, promoting five key principles: "Jobs -- it is workers in work who will drive the global economy out of crisis... Social Protection, sustainable demand and decent work -- measures to mitigate social inequality are crucial to building a fairer, more stable global economy... Financial regulation... Fair and Progressive Taxation... [and] Climate Action."

World leaders must listen to their citizens and allow them the opportunity to live in dignity through decent work. As the world struggles to emerge from the global recession and ongoing financial turmoil, we need to ensure that the global economy is bounded by rules that ensure that its prosperity is widely shared, and that it serves to empower, not exploit workers. The promotion and protection of core worker rights are fundamental to strong and durable democracies. The inclusion of women, young people, and of those who labor in the informal sector are essential to building a vibrant sustainable global economy.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/inequality_lost_generation/ 2012-02-09T23:20:17+00:00
It is estimated that 100 to 140 million women globally have undergone this procedure and three million girls are at risk every year. Cutting is often performed by untrained practitioners, employing no anesthesia and often using such instruments as broken glass, tin lids, scissors, or unsterilized razors. In addition to causing intense pain and psychological trauma, the procedure carries with it severe short and long-term health risks: including hemorrhaging; infection, including increased risk of HIV transmission; birth complications; and even death. Remarkably, some people still defend this practice as part of a cultural or religious tradition. But as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stressed, violence toward women and girls isn't cultural -- it's criminal.

The United States has supported efforts to abandon this egregious practice since the early 1990s, and considers it not only a public health issue, but a violation of women's rights and dignity. Here are a few examples of our advocacy and funding:

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) addresses prevention of female genital mutilation and cutting in humanitarian settings and works to raise awareness of the need to reduce the practice of gender-based violence and FGM/C. PRM also supports some targeted activities to prevent female genital mutilation/cutting in Somali and Sudanese refugee populations. For example, in Kenya, we provide resources to NGO partners to promote awareness and prevention of female genital mutilation/cutting by supporting community based organizations including men's groups, youth groups, women's groups, and religious leaders. Other projects promote social and economic empowerment of women and girls to reduce the risk of exposure to gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation/cutting, while educating participants on the impact of harmful traditional practices.

In northern Ethiopia, PRM supports an awareness-raising program for women and girls living in Shimelba and My'Ayni refugee camps, including through discussions with girls, women, boys, and men on gender based violence-related topics -- including female genital mutilation/cutting -- and a Girls' Wellness Week, which promotes adolescent girls' health through a coming-of-age ceremony that does not include the procedure.

In Egypt, the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues provides support to an organization working to address and prevent violence against women, including female genital mutilation/cutting, in select Cairo communities. The project provides training and capacity building for survivor advocacy and mental health training for health care providers, community leaders and volunteers. The Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor are also funding an NGO working in northern Iraq to support a multidimensional program composed of integrated victim services and a successful educational campaign for village residents and political and religious leaders that has led to the first of its kind declaration of a village being "Female Genital Mutilation Free" in Iraq.

USAID has supported similar projects in many countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Djibouti, and Burkina Faso, among others. All projects addressing female genital mutilation/cutting supported by USAID are culturally sensitive and are integrated with health, economic, social, or democracy and governance programs. USAID programs are community-based, involving work with community and religious leaders as well as women's groups, men, and youth to advance the quality and effectiveness of our efforts and to improve conditions that will lead to abandonment of the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting.

Among the best-known programs are those carried out by the NGO Tostan, which made the case that the procedure was detrimental to the health of the future mothers of Senegal and was able to convince tribal and religious leaders to join its cause. Tostan understood that community based approaches involving men, boys, religious leaders, and all members of society are the only way to achieve lasting support against mutilation. In fact, community advocates have found that when men come to understand the physical and psychological trauma FGM/C causes, they often become the most effective activists for eradication, including fathers that unequivocally refuse to allow their daughters to be subjected to the procedure. Communities must act collectively to abandon the practice, so that girls or their families who opt out do not jeopardize marriage prospects or become social outcasts. We are encouraged to see that this approach has led some 6,000 communities across Africa to abandon the practice, usually through some form of public declaration. In the past, the Egyptian Ministry of Women and Children worked to organize renunciation ceremonies in which entire communities agreed not to continue the procedure in the interest of the good health of the women and girls in the community.

We hope that the support of governments and international donors -- along with the many men and women around the world who denounce this practice -- will overturn deeply entrenched social norms that are not only harmful to women and girls, but to our communities and societies.

Stay connected with the Office of Global Women's Issues on Facebook and Twitter, and the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration on Facebook.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/zero_tolerance_fgm_2012/ 2012-02-06T20:41:01+00:00 L'Aquila Joint Statement on Global Food Security, agreeing to "to act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security."

This marked a turning point for international efforts to achieve food security worldwide. Leaders committed to a take a comprehensive approach to ensure food security, coordinate effectively, support country-owned processes and plans, engage multilateral institutions in advancing efforts to promote food security, and deliver on sustained and accountable commitments.

This year marks the final year of AFSI donor governments' pledge to mobilize over $22 billion toward global food security over three years, of which the United States pledged $3.5 billion. Food security is a critical priority as it is closely linked to economic growth, social progress, political stability, and peace.

In the United States, this pledge is embodied in Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative. Taking a uniquely comprehensive approach to food security by investing in entire agricultural value chains, from seeds to markets to consumers, Feed the Future is the largest investment in agricultural development the United States has made in decades. Beyond improving farm and ranch production, Feed the Future also works with underserved agricultural workers, and prioritizes improvements in their nutrition as well as their income. Women producers are supported within FTF programs through several mechanisms including innovation funds to develop technology appropriate to them, and diversification programs that improve nutrition, specifically targeting the 1,000 day window from pregnancy through a child's second birthday. Adequate nutrition during this window is critical to a healthy pregnancy, and developing a child's lifetime cognitive and physical capacity.

AFSI participants convene twice annually to review progress toward meeting commitments, including financial pledges, and to discuss best practices and lessons learned. The first AFSI meeting of 2012 brings together over 50 food security officials from 30 countries, and international and regional organizations. Participants have heard from civil society and partner countries, and will discuss coordination efforts between partner and donor governments, investments in research to improve food security, tracking progress toward meeting the L'Aquila commitments, and using Managing for Development Results to enhance the impact of investments in food security.

AFSI members are making good progress in committing funds to fulfill their financial pledges, but we have much work ahead to achieve sustainable global food security.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/keeping_promises_food_security/ 2012-02-03T15:23:05+00:00
The launch of two groundbreaking initiatives -- the Business Leadership Council and the Social Media Syndicate -- will marshal the power of the private sector, converging business acumen, technology, and other assets to support country-led efforts to prevent new infant infections and save mothers' lives.

This exceptional commitment by the private sector stems from the Global Plan towards the Elimination of New Pediatric Infections and Keeping Mothers Alive, launched last year by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and UNAIDS. The Plan's central goal is to reduce the number of new pediatric infections by 90 percent by 2015 in the 22 countries carrying 90 percent of the global burden of vertical transmission. The science is clear -- achieving a generation born HIV-free is possible. It is a smart investment that will save lives and pay dividends in many of the world's emerging economies.

I am proud to note that in 2011 alone, PEPFAR tested nearly 10 million pregnant women. Of these, more than 660,000 pregnant women were found to be living with HIV, and antiretrovirals (ARVs) for these women allowed more than 200,000 infants to be born HIV-free. These are the highest results of any year in PEPFAR's eight-year history.

Everyone has a role to play. By working together with the private sector, we will enhance our collective impact. Leaders in business and the media have unique core competencies that only they can bring to this effort. I commend these business and media leaders for their commitment and partnership. I also encourage other companies to join this effort, and hope that other sectors will similarly pledge to do more, and do it smarter.

As we have learned from 30 years of struggle, extraordinary things happen when we work together. By uniting around our common humanity and our shared responsibility, we can change, not just the course of the epidemic, but the course of history for families and communities around the world.

Ambassador Eric Goosby serves as the United States Global AIDS Coordinator, leading all U.S. Government international HIV/AIDS efforts. In this role, Ambassador Goosby oversees implementation of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), as well as U.S. Government engagement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

For more information on PEPFAR, visit: www.pepfar.gov. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PEPFAR and Twitter at www.twitter.com/PEPFAR.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/eliminate_pediatric_aids/ 2012-02-01T15:30:29+00:00
As we mark that moment, when Lincoln sent to the states a document ending slavery, we note also that the 13th Amendment wasn't merely a moment in our nation's history. It was a promise: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist." Not then. Not ever. Today, a century and a half later, the work to deliver on that promise continues.

Trafficking in persons, a modern-day form of slavery, victimizes as many as 27 million people whether through forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. It is a crime that affects every country in the world.

That's why the Obama Administration continues to make this struggle a priority. Next month, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will chair the annual meeting of the President's Interagency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons, bringing together leaders from across government to share accomplishments and strategic objectives in fulfilling our long-held promise.

Across the country, law enforcement and criminal justice organizations are strengthening their response to this crime by improving victim identification, providing more comprehensive services to survivors, and delivering traffickers the justice they deserve. Nearly every state has adopted a modern, comprehensive anti-trafficking law that approaches this crime with the victim-centered 3P Paradigm of prevention, protection, and prosecution (including Indiana, where just two days ago Governor Daniels signed a law toughening penalties for sex trafficking).

But just as modern slavery doesn't exist solely within our borders, the 13th Amendment doesn't stand alone as a promise to bring an end to this ancient crime. Look no further than Article 4 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights: "slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms." This isn't just a problem at home, and we aren't alone in this struggle.

That's why the President and Secretary Clinton have made the fight against modern slavery -- the legacy of National Freedom Day and the 13th Amendment -- an important component of our foreign policy. The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) engages governments around the world and assesses global efforts to combat this crime in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

Likewise, the TIP Office is at the forefront of diplomatic engagement. Last month, following Secretary Clinton's historic visit, I traveled to Burma to meet with government officials. We discussed positive steps forward in addressing modern slavery in that country as well as the potential for future progress.

That trip -- that sort of engagement -- is essential, because trafficking in persons is a threat to stability. It devastates communities, breeds corruption, and hinders our interests around the world.

But, just as important, we carry that promise of freedom around the world because it's part of who we are as a nation. Because Lincoln signed his name to the 13th Amendment -- because those men and women laid a wreath before the Liberty Bell 70 years ago -- our work today seeks not only to honor that solemn commitment for all those who once endured exploitation, but to deliver on that promise of freedom for all whose suffering we are determined to end.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/national_freedom_day_2012/ 2012-02-01T12:07:52+00:00 opinion piece that appears today on The Daily Beast website. In the piece, Ambassador Verveer and Ms. Azzarelli underscore why the global economy needs the "other 51 percent." The text of their article follows below.

"Businesses are starting to understand what development experts have long known: investing in women pays dividends. Women are more likely than men to put their income back into their communities, driving illiteracy and mortality rates down and GDP up.

"Now a corporate revolution is at hand, one that is moving beyond philanthropy, making women partners in business at all levels. This was an important theme at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, which hosted a plenary session entitled 'Women as the Way Forward' on the potential impact of women on the global economy. On February 1, some of the most powerful companies in the United States (Accenture, Coca-Cola, Ernst and Young, Goldman Sachs, and others) are signing on to a worldwide campaign to bring women into the economic mainstream. The Third Billion Campaign is being launched by La Pietra Coalition -- an alliance including corporations, governments, and nonprofits -- to enable one billion women to become members of the global economy by 2025. The campaign's title comes from the notion that over the next decade, the impact of women will be at least as significant as that of China's and India's respective one-billion-plus populations.

"Bringing women into businesses creates what Michael Porter and Mark Kramer of Harvard Business School call 'shared value' -- it helps companies while helping communities too. Consumer-product businesses have quickly understood the benefits: for instance, bypassing retail and hiring women to build person-to-person distribution channels for everything from cosmetics to beverages. More recently, companies have found it especially effective when the purchaser needs to be educated on the product being sold, be it a mobile sonogram machine, an energy lantern, or a cookstove. Women can also be the best innovators of the products they use and sell, sometimes transforming their communities with something as small as the knowledge of the optimal use of a household's single electric light.

"The rewards are clear. Avon, for example, gives more than six million women in more than 100 countries the opportunity to start their own businesses; these entrepreneurs serve as Avon's main sales force, resulting in more than $10 billion in revenue. Similarly Unilever has invested in 45,000 underprivileged Indian entrepreneurs, mostly women, in more than 100,000 villages through microfinance and training -- a strategy that accounts for five percent of the company's total revenue in India. Recently, Walmart has pledged to source more than $20 billion from women-owned companies in the United States alone, and Coca-Cola announced a program, 5 By 20, to support five million women entrepreneurs globally by 2020. The benefits of women in upper management have also been shown: a recent Catalyst survey found a strong correlation between gender diversity in the leadership ranks of a business and that business's economic performance.

''There is no doubt,' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said, 'that the increasing numbers of women in the economy ... has helped fuel significant growth everywhere. And economies that are making the shift more effectively and rapidly are dramatically outperforming those that have not'."]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/verveer_oped_invest_in_women/ 2012-01-30T16:39:05+00:00 More: Questions Submitted on DipNote | Text Transcript

Suzan Johnson Cook, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, held a conversation with Dr. Chris Seiple, President of the Institute for Global Engagement, on the role of religion in foreign policy. The discussion was moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. Members of the general public were invited to participate by submitting questions on DipNote, some of which were selected for response during the broadcast.

This is the twenty-third installment in the Conversations With America video series coordinated by the Bureau of Public Affairs, in which the State Department's senior leadership hosts conversations online, with leaders of prominent non-governmental organizations. The discussions provide a candid view of civil society leaders engaging the Department on pressing foreign policy issues and global issues.

View other Conversations With America by following this link and by accessing the Conversations With America video podcasts on Apple iTunes.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/cwa_religion_foreign_policy/ 2012-01-25T14:54:55+00:00
The ICWBL will meet at least once a year and at such other times and places as are required to fulfill the objectives of the Council. Subcommittees and working groups will meet as appropriate for their assigned responsibilities. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is Chair; PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Founder Cherie Blair are Vice-Chairs.

ICWBL membership consists of representatives who are leaders of American and foreign public and private sector organizations and institutions having an interest in the role of women in international business, economic policy development and global economic growth.

The inaugural ICWBL meeting was streamed live on www.state.gov and DipNote. A text transcript of the Secretary's remarks during the meeting is available here.

You can learn more about the ICWBL here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_icwbl/ 2012-01-24T04:22:07+00:00
The "right to play" is a universal human right enumerated in Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The right to play is the right to rest and leisure, and with it the right to engage in recreational activities. It is important to recognize that play environments often do not sufficiently take people with disabilities into consideration in their design. The onus is often on parents to push for inclusive play.

I was therefore pleased to speak at the OCAD University in Toronto, Canada, on January 19 as part of the Faculty of Design speaker series. My talk, "Changing Society: The Power of Inclusive Thinking" was presented in conjunction with the Faculty of Design's annual Design Competition, which brings together interdisciplinary teams of students who must present innovative solutions to real-world design challenges. My remarks focused on the importance of the designer in the progress toward social inclusion -- and equality.

Drawing from personal experience, I spoke about fighting for my own right to inclusion, both as a child and an adult. It's not just about ensuring that design takes into account the needs of children. The right to rest and leisure is important to people throughout their lifetime. It is equally important to those who acquire disabilities later in life as to people with disabilities who are aging. Facilitating enjoyment of the right to rest and leisure by persons with disabilities should be seen less as a reasonable accommodation and more as an aspect of universal design.

It's not just about accessibility to physical play spaces. It is also important that play spaces people access through technology, like video games or computer-based word games, be accessible to all. As the world moves toward knowledge-based economies and technological skills put people at an advantage for employment, the development of inclusive technologies for play, learning, and work is essential. Technology also empowers communities. If large swaths of the disability community -- who are often poor and less educated -- do not have access to technology, they have less capacity to advocate for themselves and to contribute as members of civil society.

As countries move forward to address inclusion, it is essential to look at the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and in turn to adopt uniform policies that have strong standards applied widely. There should be a holistic approach to avoiding and removing barriers to the enjoyment of this right and others.

Just as I encouraged participants to consult with people with disabilities to understand their needs, I encourage government leaders, architects, and members of civil society to do the same. As we continue to work toward more inclusive societies, we must pay attention to what societies need to ensure equal enjoyment of the right to play by children, youths, and adults with disabilities, especially in the area of technology. People with disabilities should always be consulted as the end users of such designs. Remember, "Nothing about Us without Us."

For more updates on international disability rights, visit my Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/SAHeumann.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/changing_society_the_power_of_inclusive_thinking/ 2012-01-20T22:35:38+00:00
If the fundamentals are right, innovation proceeds, economies grow and solutions to tough problems, including energy and food security, improved health and protected environments, are all the likelier to be identified. One of the fundamentals that we need to get right is to inspire young people toward careers in science and technology then to support their creative initiatives in science and technology through all means possible.

Yesterday, I heard Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland echo these very sentiments as part of her acceptance speech of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council on Science for the Environment. As the most recognized champion for the concept of "sustainable development," Dr. Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization, articulated the critical need for youth engagement in science and technology as we work toward a sustainable future. She called on all of us to support what she called the “Innovation Generation,” those talented individuals who, if inspired and supported with adequate funds, will create the solutions we need to protect the planet while still growing economies.

Two programs supported by the Department of State, USAID, and private sector partners demonstrate our support for novel approaches on innovation. The LAUNCH program is an open competition which invites entrepreneurs to propose new products or solutions for pressing problems, including on global health and new energy sources. Those with the best ideas are mentored through on-line and other means toward product development and patenting.

The Global Innovation in Science and Technology (GIST) program, funded by the Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, focuses on building young scientist entrepreneurship capacity in 43 countries of significant Muslim population. Training and mentorship are the core of GIST activities. At the second Global Entrepreneurship Summit held December 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey, 25 teams of entrepreneurs were connected with Silicon Valley mentors before pitching their ideas to a panel judges. These young entrepreneurs were selected as part of the GIST Technology Idea competition which asked the public through YouTube to vote on submitted video pitches. $60,000 in prizes and trips to the United States to meet with investors and business leaders were awarded to the top finishers.

Dr. Brundtland's excitement for the"“Innovation Generation" is a clarion call for all of us working to use science for diplomacy. The Innovation Generation concept is a powerful conversation starter with nations worldwide on how a collective effort could be imagined to spark youth involvement in science and solutions for the future. It reminds us that our programs are an important element of support for the Innovation Generation, but that we can still do so much more. I look forward to continuing the conversation to determine ways that we can do more across the globe to support the "Innovation Generation."]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/innovation_generation/ 2012-01-20T16:51:47+00:00 Recommendation of the Council on Principles for Internet Policy Making.

The Recommendation was born at a U.S.-initiated high-level meeting earlier this year. It was developed through the OECD's multilateral consensus-based process and is a successful follow-on to the June 28-29 High Level Meeting on the Internet Economy. A Communique' was agreed to by the member countries, Egypt, businesses, and Internet technical advisory groups, setting the principles to guide Internet-related policy making.

This is an important deliverable on the U.S. open Internet agenda. In May, President Obama issued the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace, an agenda for safeguarding the single Internet. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has developed a groundbreaking Internet freedom agenda, a principled approach to preserving the freedom to connect -- the freedoms of expression, association and assembly online -- and to ensuring that the Internet can be a platform for commerce, debate, learning and innovation in the 21st century.

The stakes are high. According to McKinsey and Associates, over the past five years, the Internet has been responsible for 21 percent of the growth in mature economies and has created 2.6 jobs for every job it has displaced. Its power to generate innovation is rivaled only by its potential to help people realize their rights and democratic aspirations, as the Arab Spring demonstrated. According to McKinsey, this platform produced more growth in its first 15 years than the Industrial Revolution did in its first 50. The United States plans to work with others to continue building consensus for global norms that promote a free future for the Internet.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/oecd_internet_policy_making_principles/ 2012-01-14T16:55:51+00:00 World Health Organization estimates a shortage of at least one million frontline health workers worldwide, with Africa the region in greatest need. PEPFAR, in collaboration with partner countries, is pursuing a number of initiatives to respond.

Our efforts are being reinforced by many actors around the globe. A growing number of health organizations, recognizing the life-saving impact frontline health workers offer, are committed to employing innovative strategies to address the crisis. Tomorrow, 37 of these organizations from the public and private sector are coming together in Washington to launch the Frontline Healthcare Workers Coalition. The coalition will seek to stimulate high-impact investments in frontline health workers in the developing world, in order to save more lives and foster healthier communities.

Through PEPFAR, the United States has been a leader in making such investments. As we have moved from an emergency response toward a more sustainable, country-owned approach, we have been strengthening health systems as the foundation to achieving long-term health objectives -- such as the goal Secretary Clinton announced in November of an AIDS-free generation. PEPFAR and its implementing partners -- many of which are represented in the new coalition -- are working with partner countries to implement game-changing programs.

Two programs that exemplify our efforts to build lasting solutions are the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and the Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI). Through these, PEPFAR seeks to alleviate Africa's critical shortage of trained healthcare professionals and paraprofessionals, while developing sustainable local capacity to produce skilled doctors, nurses, and midwives for generations to come.

For medical education, over the five years of MEPI, PEPFAR, and the National Institutes of Health are providing $130 million directly to medical schools in a dozen African countries. The schools are using these funds to improve medical education, invest in innovative technologies, and strengthen educational resources. Funds are also used to support the research capacity of MEPI institutions, enabling African researchers and scholars to make invaluable contributions to the larger body of HIV knowledge.

In a similar fashion, PEPFAR is providing training and technical support to nursing and midwifery programs through NEPI. We recently launched NEPI in three countries -- Zambia, Lesotho, and Malawi -- that face extreme challenges in meeting the need for trained nurses and midwives, and will soon expand to additional countries. Partnering with Ministries of Health will be key to NEPI's success, and Ministries have embraced the opportunities to collaborate to develop a strong nursing workforce.

These programs are building on Africa's greatest resource of all -- its people. To make a truly lasting difference in our health and development programs, we will continue to support this kind of work. On this and our other efforts to support human resources for health, we look forward to collaborating with the members of the Frontline Health Workforce Alliance. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/frontline_healthcare_coalition/ 2012-01-10T22:39:18+00:00
AFSI signatories' endorsement of the L'Aquila Joint Statement on Global Food Security at the 2009 G-8 Summit marked a turning point for international efforts to achieve sustainable global food security. Under the Joint Statement, the United States and other donors agreed to be accountable for delivering a comprehensive approach to improving food security, which entails effective coordination, support for country-owned processes and plans, and engagement of multilateral institutions to promote food security worldwide. President Obama's L'Aquila pledge of $3.5 billion became Feed the Future (FTF), the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative. These reversed decades of underinvestment in food security, especially agricultural development and preventative nutrition.

This year FTF continued to build bridges between short- and long-term food security, and demonstrated early signs of success in improving nutrition in early life. Conceived as a new approach to agricultural development, FTF promotes development along the entire agricultural value chain -- from farms to markets to consumers -- and market growth. FTF encompasses all U.S. government agricultural investments and changes the structure and focus of such investments to avoid a myopic focus on increased food production alone. We also incorporate high-leverage interventions, such as those related to improved nutrition and women's empowerment. Through this comprehensive approach, FTF is on track to achieve greater success in the short and long term than has been seen from agriculture investments in previous decades.

The scale and scope of the drought and subsequent famine in the Horn of Africa brought the need for these investments into sharp focus for the world. As Secretary Clinton pointed out in her August 2011 speech at the International Food Policy Research Institute, although droughts are natural occurrences, famines are man-made. The famine in the Horn of Africa is still the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world today, and its effects are far reaching. Yet, glimmers of hope can be found. Although still unacceptably high, the number of people affected in Ethiopia and Kenya is less than half that affected in previous droughts. Both countries have also demonstrated commendable leadership and investment in their own agriculture sectors. And although the United States has dedicated more than $870 million in emergency relief funds to the most severely affected areas, we will continue to invest in long-term solutions in the region and worldwide through FTF to try to prevent droughts from becoming famines ever again.

The 1,000 Days partnership also grew substantially this year and continues to promote improved nutrition during the 1,000 days from pregnancy through age two, when adequate nutrition has the greatest impact on a child's cognitive and physical development. Thousanddays.org was re-launched as a portal for the international nutrition community, and the 1,000 Days Hub was created to better coordinate and mobilize public and private nutrition partners. Secretary Clinton continued her strong support for early life nutrition at the U.N. General Assembly in 2011 by speaking at the Secretary General's nutrition event to promote and support the partnership, and by promoting nutrition investments as cost-effective economic growth strategies. Her tireless efforts have resulted in unprecedented international attention to nutrition during the 1,000 day window of opportunity with diverse NGO and private sector organizations creating 1,000 days messaging and programs. Several governments are independently increasing nutrition investments as well.

These efforts leave us well situated in 2012 to lead the AFSI group, which aims to strengthen mutual accountability among participating governments in meeting food security commitments. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that food security remains a high-level global priority through the U.S. presidency of the G-8 and beyond. We have laid the foundation for progress in achieving lasting food security. Now, we need to stay the course!]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/ensuring_food_security/ 2012-01-10T17:36:38+00:00 resolutions for 2011: to continue promoting U.S. job creation; to seek and build overseas economic alliances; and to protect U.S. businesses and their interests. Beyond these three, I also resolved to exploit every opportunity to foster prosperity at home and abroad. It is clear to me that my bureau's hard work and resilient efforts paid off during 2011. In the wake of the Arab Awakening, we took quick steps to foster economic recovery in the region, including through promotion of entrepreneurship and U.S.-Middle East business relationships. This fall, we seized long-standing opportunities for expanding economic growth by finalizing trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama. With Secretary Clinton's unequivocal endorsement of economic policy as a pillar of foreign policy, 2012 is poised to provide even greater chances for my bureau to deliver on its mission. I would like to preview with you how my bureau plans to do that in the coming 12 months.

1. By continuing to promote growth at home.

In 2010, President Obama announced the National Export Initiative -- a government-wide effort to double U.S exports by the end of 2014 in support of millions of U.S. jobs. My bureau and I focused our efforts during the past year on trade advocacy and export promotion, access to credit, removal of trade barriers, enforcement of trade rules, and promotion of strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Our efforts worked: between July and September 2011 exports grew at a rate of 15.8 percent compared to the same timeframe in 2010, exceeding the 14.9 percent target rate needed to meet NEI goals. We helped U.S. companies compete for more than $27.8 billion in international contracts, with a total U.S. export value of over $18.6 billion. In the year ahead, we will charge full steam ahead, adding a new emphasis on foreign investment in the U.S. domestic market and on export opportunities in infrastructure.

A major success this year was the passage of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. These agreements open key markets for U.S. firms and create thousands of jobs. In 2012, we will continue to work on expanding market access by ensuring existing FTAs are implemented, advancing our talks on the Trans Pacific Partnership, and working to remove non-trade barriers.

On the aviation front, by the end of 2011, we had concluded Open Skies aviation agreements with over 105 global partners, allowing air carriers to provide more affordable, convenient and efficient air service. In the year ahead, we look to add more agreements with new partners connecting even more people to our friendly skies.

2. By re-focusing our development agenda.

We at State worked over the past year to re-frame our approach to development as a partnership, rather than as a donor-recipient relationship. President Obama's Partnership for Growth (PFG) initiative is a perfect example of this new way of thinking. Piloted in four countries -- El Salvador, Ghana, the Philippines and Tanzania -- PFG works with governments to identify the major obstacles to their economic growth and then jointly designs action plans to tackle them. I was honored to lead the negotiation of and then sign the first action plan with El Salvador in November, and look forward to our continued partnership with the country.

3. By promoting growth abroad.

2011 was a big year for entrepreneurship, which is a key priority for our bureau. The Arab Awakening provided an unprecedented opportunity for the people of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and other countries to take ownership of their fates, including their economic futures. Recognizing this, we launched a number of entrepreneurship partnerships to promote economic growth in the region. In October, a delegation of U.S. entrepreneurs and investors traveled to North Africa to conduct workshops on building businesses. Young entrepreneurs pitched ideas to the delegation, and winners received a three-month training at Tech Town, one of the United States' premier business incubators. I look forward to traveling to the region in 2012 to continue promoting entrepreneurship, expanding opportunities for U.S. companies, and furthering our mutual economic goals.

Next week, I will lead the U.S. delegation to the second annual North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO) Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference in Marrakech. This conference will bring together over 400 entrepreneurs from the Maghreb and beyond to exchange ideas and learn from global leaders.

But entrepreneurship and economic growth cannot flourish when a country's public revenues are wasted or when corruption runs rampant. Through our Domestic Finance for Development (DF4D) initiative, we seek to partner with countries to address these very issues. We have already identified five pilot DF4D countries (El Salvador, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, and Zambia). In support of the democratic transitions in the Middle East and North Africa, DF4D is partnering with the Government of Tunisia and the International Tax Dialogue to sponsor an international Open Governance Conference in April. We are also working with international partners to develop a corps of international Volunteer Tax Experts to advise DF4D partner countries on tax administration.

4. By ensuring safe and fair access for all.

In 2011 we imposed tough new sanctions on Iran, Syria and -- for a time -- Libya. These policies advanced U.S. national interests and supported people's desire to freely determine their future. We have already rolled back the Libya sanctions in a way that supports the National Transitional Council and the rebuilding of the country. We will also continue to work with our international partners on a coordinated approach to Iran in order to hold the Iranian regime responsible for its refusal to comply with its international obligations.

It is not just in the goods market that we are striving to maintain openness. We are working to keep the Internet a space where economic, political, and social exchanges flourish. Together with a growing cross-regional group of like-minded countries, we will provide a platform for governments to engage creatively and energetically with the private sector, civil society, and other governments.

2012 will no doubt have its share of global economic challenges, but these can also present opportunities for advancing U.S. policy. I look forward to embracing these opportunities and strengthening the American economy.

Happy New Year to all!]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/advancing_us_policy_2012/ 2012-01-09T21:52:11+00:00 Update: Watch the video here.

Suzan Johnson Cook, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, will hold a conversation with Dr. Chris Seiple, President of the Institute for Global Engagement, on the role of religion in foreign policy. The discussion will be moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and will be available to view here on DipNote, the Department of State's official blog on January 25. Members of the general public are invited to participate by submitting questions in the comments section of this DipNote entry, some of which will be selected for response during the broadcast.

This is the twenty-third in the Conversations with America video series coordinated by the Bureau of Public Affairs, in which the State Department's senior leadership hosts conversations online, with leaders of prominent non-governmental organizations. Discussion topics include foreign policy and global issues and provide a candid view of how leaders from civil society engage the Department on pressing foreign policy issues.
]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/join_a_discussion_on_religion_and_foreign_policy/ 2012-01-09T20:14:34+00:00
As information networks become more ubiquitous and powerful, new movements and power structures are forming, others are being disrupted, and the speed of communications is making all of this take place at a blistering fast pace. Connection technologies are changing the ecology of politics and government.

In a speech last February, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed the United States' commitment to Internet Freedom, the necessary backbone for people to be able to exercise their universal rights in an increasingly networked world. In her speech to a global audience, Secretary Clinton said:

"I urge countries everywhere instead to join us in the bet we have made, a bet that an open internet will lead to stronger, more prosperous countries. At its core, it's an extension of the bet that the United States has been making for more than 200 years, that open societies give rise to the most lasting progress, that the rule of law is the firmest foundation for justice and peace, and that innovation thrives where ideas of all kinds are aired and explored. This is not a bet on computers or mobile phones. It's a bet on people."

2011 also marked another major year advancing one of Secretary Clinton's signature initiatives, Civil Society 2.0. Civil Society 2.0 recognizes the important role civil society organizations play in empowering individuals to create change in their communities. Through this work, the State Department seeks to increase the effectiveness of civil society organizations working on a variety of issues by providing them with training in the latest technology tools to help facilitate those changes.

Participants learn how to use technology and integrate digital tools into their work. With new knowledge comes new capabilities -- and these groups are now better able to participate in the political process, visualize data to educate the public, communicate safely in restricted environments, and use mobile phones to create information networks among their members and the communities they serve.

We hosted five TechCamps in 2011. In June, Secretary Clinton participated in TechCamp Vilnius, which convened participants from 22 countries. One of the personal highlights of 2011 for me was introducing her to those seventy-five activists in Vilnius. The Secretary's excitement and engagement were obvious to everyone that was there.

To date, through TechCamps, we have trained more than 350 civil society organizations from more than 40 countries. Currently, we are planning several TechCamps aimed at helping to build capacity for civil society organizations working in education, women's empowerment, and open government.

As we begin 2012, we continue to celebrate the advances we have made in 21st Century Statecraft by hosting several different special events throughout January. Each week, we are inviting people from around the world to submit questions through Twitter using the hashtag #AskState. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland will respond to those questions during our Twitter Briefing each Friday in January.

I will be participating in a variety of activities myself. This week, I'll address the diplomatic corps at the Blair House and participate in a Live at State video chat with bloggers and journalists from around the world. On January 19, I'll hold a Twitter Q&A, and look forward to receiving your questions.

As we look ahead, 2012 will doubtless bring forward more innovations and advances in technology that we cannot yet foresee. Citizens around the world will continue to develop new and creative ways to engage one another and their governments. Here at the U.S. Department of State, we will continue to do our best to adapt our the practice of statecraft to account for these changes as we advance our diplomatic and development goals.

Happy New Year!

Editor's Note: You can watch Alec Ross's Live at State streamed on video.state.gov at 9:45 a.m. EST on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/2011_year_in_review_21st_century_statecraft/ 2012-01-09T15:26:55+00:00
We made a major push in 2011 to coalesce U.S. government and international commitment in support of women as peacemakers and peace-builders. This effort culminated in the release of the U.S. National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security. The NAP represents many months of close collaboration -- coordinated by the White House -- between U.S. government agencies, particularly the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It also involved significant outreach to foreign governments, the United Nations, the NGO community, and private sector leaders. We hope that women's participation as peace builders will be integrated across programs and policies to ensure more effective outcomes in ending conflicts and promoting peace, stability, and economic progress. As Secretary Clinton said during the NAP launch at Georgetown University a few weeks ago, "Women are not victims of war, but agents of peace."

Expanding women's economic opportunities and progress, and breaking down barriers to women-run small and medium enterprises, were a focus of our work in 2011 and will remain a priority in the year ahead. In collaboration with the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and USAID we launched the first "Invest for the Future: Women Driving Economic Growth" conferences in Istanbul, Turkey and Zagreb, Croatia, which provided training, mentoring and business networking for nearly 300 women entrepreneurs in the Caucasus and Southeastern Europe. Working with our regional partners and embassies overseas, we carried out similar signature programs elsewhere. In tandem with the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, we organized the Central Asia and Afghanistan Women's Economic Symposium, held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in July. The African Women's Entrepreneurship Program and the Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Network continued to grow and expand their reach, enabling more women to tackle traditional obstacles to trade, create successful business incubators, and catalyze enterprises that employ networks of other women.

With the United States as the 2011 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) host, in September we organized with the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs the high level APEC Women and the Economy Summit in San Francisco, where Secretary Clinton laid out a strong, evidence-based case for how women are driving economic growth. By the end of the summit, all 21 APEC countries signed onto the San Francisco Declaration, committing each economy to develop programs and policies to reduce barriers to and improve women's economic opportunities and entrepreneurship. Later, at the APEC Ministerial in Honolulu, leaders called for the implementation of steps to expand women's business opportunities throughout the region.

Efforts to strengthen women's political participation and leadership included an emphasis on the role of women in the Arab Spring and political transitions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. In May, we convened the Women's Empowerment Working Group in Tunisia with civil society leaders from across the Arab world.

In Afghanistan, we built upon previous efforts to ensure that women are fully represented and participating in country-wide political decision-making processes. U.S. leadership in advocating for the important role women play in the future of Afghanistan helped to ensure that they were at the table during the Bonn conference in December.

We incorporated women into more of our strategic dialogues, including the first-ever bilateral U.S.-China Women Leaders Exchange and Dialogue (Women-LEAD), aimed at increasing exchanges and learning among women leaders across all sectors from China and the United States.

It was also a year to boost women in the fields of science and technology. Through the U.S.-Brazil Memorandum of Understanding on the Advancement of Women, we initiated a series of exchanges for U.S. and Brazilian women scientists, not only to benefit the participants, but also to help lay a foundation to inspire a new generation of young women to enter these vital fields. Under the leadership of Secretary Clinton, the Department launched TechWomen, an innovative initiative that harnesses the power of technology and mentoring to engage women from Silicon Valley with emerging women leaders in the technology field from the Middle East and North Africa. We also expanded efforts to harness mobile technology as a means of empowering women. The GSMA mWomen Programme, launched in 2010 to help provide women in the developing world greater access to mobile technology has broadened in reach. A new three-year mWomen partnership between USAID, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the GSMA and Visa Inc., will enable more women to use mobile phones to access life-enhancing information, networks and services -- such as banking, education and healthcare.

We forged ahead with our work on improving women's health and launched a variety of public-private partnerships including the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action aimed at empowering new mothers. We also inaugurated the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon Partnership to combat cervical and breast cancer in Africa and Latin America.

The year 2011 also marked progress for the role of women in combating climate change, including greater inclusion in key climate negotiations, enhancing agricultural productivity and through investments in initiatives like the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves.

With a new year beginning, we look forward to building on the progress made and momentum gained. We continue to take our inspiration from so many women around the globe who -- often at great personal risk -- are on the frontlines of advancing economic, political and social progress, protecting human rights and promoting economic growth, democracy and peace.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/women_progress_2011/ 2012-01-07T23:57:57+00:00 More: January 2012 Designated "21st Century Statecraft Month"

Today, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland held a Twitter briefing, answering questions selected from the U.S. Department of State's 10 official Twitter feeds. Spokesperson Nuland will answer questions submitted via Twitter each Friday during the month of January. Questions can be submitted using the hashtag, #AskState.

Throughout the month of January, U.S. officials in Washington, D.C. and at U.S. Missions abroad will host digital engagements across multiple social media platforms on a wide array of issues to directly connect with the public on foreign policy issues that matter to them. You can find additional information about next week's engagements here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/askstate_nuland_twitter_briefing/ 2012-01-07T02:30:28+00:00 keynote remarks at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in early November, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paused to reflect on the last 12 months: "What a year 2011 has been for freedom in the Middle East and North Africa."

For people in that region and around the world, this past year brought exceptional progress and challenges. Some dictators fell, while others tyrants teetered, and in Syria, yet another clung to power by inflicting terrible suffering on his own people. Demands for free and fair elections and for governance that can provide both human rights and fundamental economic needs spread from country to country and across the globe. TIME Magazine named "The Protester" as its Person of the Year. Whenever I traveled -- from Sudan to Russia to Burma to Bahrain -- I met with people who simply wanted to exercise their right to free expression, to have a say in how they would be governed, to practice their religion without fear, and to earn a decent wage.

For these reasons, last year was quite extraordinary for the men and women here at the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL). They each worked in close partnership with offices and embassies throughout the State Department on these issues, three of which I'd like to highlight here:

Middle East transitions: We worked in close coordination with State Department colleagues on the many challenges and opportunities that have arisen this year. In her NDI speech, Secretary Clinton addressed American commitments to promote reform and support transitions in the Middle East and North Africa. In May, I testified on Capitol Hill about the state of these political transitions. In July, I did the same regarding human rights abuses in Syria; and, more recently, in December, I briefed key lawmakers on my trip to Bahrain and the government's response to the landmark Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report.

Internet Freedom: Protecting the rights of individuals to exercise their fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association and religion on and offline is a signature issue for Secretary Clinton, our bureau and the Department as a whole. Last year, Secretary Clinton delivered two major policy addresses on the topic -- most recently at the Freedom Online Conference in the Netherlands, which launched a coalition of 15 countries committed to joint action in support of a free and open Internet. I also had the privilege of talking about Internet freedom at the New America Foundation "Future Tense" Conference and at the Silicon Valley Human Rights Conference, where I emphasized the challenges and responsibilities the private sector has in this space. Since 2008, we have committed $70 million in programming to this cause. You can learn more about our continued efforts here.

LGBT: Integrating the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into American foreign policy has been a core priority for this Administration. In early December, Secretary Clinton delivered a historic speech in Geneva entitled "Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights," in which she addressed "one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time" and pledged to continue combating efforts to criminalize homosexuality. This speech followed on the heels of a June UN Human Rights Council session which passed the first-ever UN resolution on the human rights of LGBT people. Deputy Assistant Secretary Dan Baer later outlined the underlying American values and foreign policy rationales for the promotion of LGBT rights in this op-ed. A fact sheet about the Department and my bureau's collective work can be read here.

The year 2012 marks the 35th anniversary of the creation of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. As we embark on this new year, we rededicate ourselves to the American values and universal principles that guide our bureau, this government and this country. I look forward to working with you in 2012.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/year_in_review_2011_drl/ 2012-01-05T20:22:20+00:00 Bureau of Counterterrorism.

1. We build foreign counterterrorism capacity. We build international partner counterterrorism capacity in the civilian sector and contribute to efforts in the military and defense sectors. We develop and support implementation of antiterrorism assistance in the law enforcement, rule-of-law and counterterrorism finance sectors, on topics ranging from cyber-security to money laundering prevention to crisis response to prison de-radicalization.

2. We stood up and co-chair a new multilateral counterterrorism body. In 2011, we established the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). With 30 founding members (29 countries and the EU), the GCTF is a major initiative within the Obama Administration's broader effort to build an international architecture for dealing with 21st century terrorist threats. Two major deliverables announced at the September launch demonstrate the GCTF's action-oriented nature. The first was approximately $100 million, contributed by several members, to develop rule of law institutions. The United Arab Emirates announced the second: its intention to host the first ever international center of excellence on countering violent extremism, slated to open in Abu Dhabi in the fall of 2012. The forum is co-chaired by Turkey and the United States.

3. We counter violent extremism. To defeat terrorists, we must undermine their ability to recruit. We work to delegitimize the violent extremist narrative, to develop positive alternatives for populations vulnerable to recruitment, and to build partner government and civil society capacity to counter violent extremism themselves.

4. We engage with foreign governments. We hold regular bilateral, regional, and multilateral dialogues on shared counterterrorism issues and consult with foreign governments on urgent and emerging threats. Through bilateral and multilateral engagement we work with our more capable partners to enhance the abilities of countries around the world to counter terrorism and to cooperate more effectively together. We exchange intelligence, information, and best practices and procedures to ensure that we all are in the best possible position to thwart terrorist plots and take and keep terrorists off the streets. We help draft foreign counterterrorism laws. We routinely advise foreign governments on best practices for counterterrorism crisis management, and maintain cooperative research and development agreements with partner nations.

5. We respond to crises. We lead an interagency crisis response team, known as the Foreign Emergency Support Team (FEST). Established in 1985, the FEST is ready to travel at four hours notice to the scene of an overseas emergency and provide round the clock advice and assistance to Ambassadors and foreign governments facing crises. The FEST's interagency team has responded to real-world bombings, kidnappings, and other crises around the globe, and also supports and participates in training exercises for such incidents. FEST training and response activities have occurred in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. We have deployed a FEST 31 times since 1989.

6. We strategize. We work closely with the National Security Staff and other agencies to develop, refine and implement U.S. counterterrorism strategy and operations to disrupt and defeat the networks that support terrorism.

7. We designate. We prepare designations that carry legal sanctions of State Sponsors of Terrorism, foreign terrorist organizations, entities and individuals, and countries not fully cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts for consideration by the Secretary of State.

8. We support research and development. We co-chair (with the Department of Defense) the interagency Technical Support Working Group (TSWG). TSWG conducts the National Interagency Combating Terrorism Research and Development Program whose purpose is to enhance the counterterrorism technology and equipment capabilities of U.S. government agencies involved in counterterrorism activities.

9. We support the safe recovery of hostages. The Hostage Policy Subgroup refines and implements official U.S. government policy toward Americans taken captive abroad. We work closely with interagency partners to shape and guide implementation of hostage policy in a way that accomplishes the safe recovery of hostages, bringing of hostage-takers to justice, and the prevention of future incidents.

10. We strengthen homeland security. We work in partnership with DHS, as well as other agencies and bureaus, to strengthen international cooperation on a wide range of homeland security issues, including transportation security, the interdiction of terrorist travel, and critical infrastructure protection.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/bureau_of_counterterrorism/ 2012-01-04T20:34:12+00:00 Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) assists persecuted and uprooted people through our support to international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and by advocating for their protection through humanitarian diplomacy. From the Arab Awakening to the crisis in the Horn of Africa, global political upheaval and conflict have presented many humanitarian challenges, and as 2012 begins, I'd like to take a moment to share a few examples of the work we did last year.

Refugee Admissions: The United States welcomed more than 56,000 refugees to re-start their lives thanks to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. English as a Second Language pilot programs provided basic language training to hundreds of U.S.-bound refugees in Kenya, Thailand, and Nepal. Our overseas partners reported a significant increase in basic skills and confidence. We anticipate increased enthusiasm for studying English after arrival in the United States -- a key skill for newly arrived refugees when seeking employment to become self-sufficient in their new communities.

Africa: In Africa, we supported international organization and NGO efforts to assist some 170,000 Ivoirian refugees in Liberia as well as hundreds of thousands of Ivoirians who were internally displaced as a result of conflict in that region. This spring, turmoil in Libya forced over one million persons to cross into Tunisia and Egypt. In response, PRM supported the emergency evacuation and repatriation of stranded third-country migrants, assistance and protection efforts for refugees and internally displaced persons, and emergency medical care and protection programs for conflict victims and detainees. Our partnership in this effort with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was a model of multilateral humanitarian action at its best. In the Horn of Africa, conflict and famine in southern Somalia forced another 300,000 Somalis to flee in 2011, bringing the overall Somali refugee population in the region to nearly one million. PRM funding to international organization partners and NGOs provided shelter, food, and other assistance to Somalis in need, and we sponsored a series of colloquia in the region to bring affected governments -- especially those who have played an important role in hosting large numbers of Somali refugees -- and service providers together to begin developing a unified strategic plan to address the crisis.

Middle East: Supporting Iraqi refugees in the Middle East continued to be one of our top priorities. Inside Iraq, PRM assistance programs help support voluntary returns and reintegration, for example, though home reconstruction, rehabilitation of water and sanitation systems, employment services and protection assistance. In neighboring countries, our funding supports a range of services for Iraqi refugees, including education, health care, and food assistance. In Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza, PRM's continued contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) supported vital programs in education, health, and social services to five million Palestinian refugees. UNRWA's commitment to peace and tolerance is a force for stability in the region and is an indispensible counterweight to extremism.

South and Central Asia: PRM supported UNHCR as it built its two hundred thousandth shelter for Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan. We continued to advocate and provide assistance for the 2.7 million Afghan refugees outside Afghanistan as well as for Pakistanis displaced by conflict and flood. In Nepal, PRM supported UNHCR protection and assistance to Tibetan refugees transiting to India. We continued to support UNHCR assistance to 55,000 Bhutanese refugees, many of whom are in the process of resettlement to the United States. With PRM funding, UNHCR and the Turkmenistan government conducted a country-wide registration campaign, identifying approximately 8,000 stateless persons. More than 3,000 verified stateless people were granted Turkmen citizenship, with more expected in the coming months. Turkmenistan also acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

Western Hemisphere: PRM humanitarian diplomacy saw progress when the Panamanian government passed a law granting approximately 900 indigenous and Afro-Colombian refugees the ability to request residency and work permits. We promoted solutions to statelessness in the Dominican Republic. In Haiti, PRM focused on addressing the protection needs of earthquake-displaced Haitians and building government capacity to address gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, with an emphasis on assistance for vulnerable women and children.

Europe: Our diplomatic efforts and assistance programs in the Balkans worked towards a lasting solution for those displaced since the mid 1990s war. In November, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia signed a joint declaration aimed at providing durable housing solutions to the 74,000 most vulnerable refugees and internally displaced persons remaining in the four countries -- a landmark achievement.

Migration: PRM migration programs supported direct assistance to vulnerable migrants, government capacity building, and regional coordination and dialogues on migration issues. The United States played a leadership role in several regional and international governmental forums, chairing the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees, the largest global forum for dialogue on migration and development issues.

Population: Last year, the global population reached 7 billion, providing multiple opportunities to highlight U.S. leadership in investing in women and girls as essential to solving the world's most challenging problems. Women and girls are the world's engines of change. When their rights are protected and promoted, when they are healthy and educated, and when they can participate fully in society, they trigger progress in families, communities, and nations. Promoting sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, and access to safe and effective voluntary methods of family planning are at the top of President Obama's global health agenda. PRM supported these goals by representing the U.S. government at meetings of the UN Population Funds' (UNFPA) Executive Board and at the annual session of the UN Commission on Population and Development.

Statelessness: Under the Secretary's leadership, the Department launched an initiative to promote women's equal right to nationality. At UNHCR's ministerial event in December commemorating the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1954 and 1961 Conventions on Statelessness, Secretary Clinton spoke about discrimination against women as a major cause of statelessness around the world. PRM also targeted statelessness of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic, addressing the issue in several public forums and supporting UNHCR and others as they seek solutions to this enduring problem.

What's in store for 2012? At the UNHCR ministerial, the United States renewed its commitment to displaced people by pledging to take concrete steps to address statelessness, women's nationality issues, protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) refugees and asylum seekers, and to improve detention and asylum practices. Our continued support to our international organization and NGO partners and our diplomacy in 2012 will help improve the lives of millions of persecuted people who have suffered through upheaval and tragedy.

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