Today, President Barack Obama delivered his penultimate State of the Union address in Washington D.C to outline his plans for his final years in office. One thing President Obama made very clear was that he supports the advancement, inclusion and protection of women the world over.
Barely ten minutes into his hour-long address, the president implored the country and its Congress to recognise the importance of affordable childcare, and to join him in promising to make it available to everyone.
He went on to outline his commitment to equal pay, to paid sick leave and paid parental leave, and his determination to protect women’s health and right to choose.
Again and again, Obama drew attention to the importance of protecting and empowering women. He noted the importance of this to our safety as a society, but also to our global economic development and overall progress. Here are some highlights:
On equal pay
“Nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It’s 2015. It’s time.”
On childcare
“In today’s economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever.”
“It’s not a nice-to-have — it’s a must-have. It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And that’s why my plan will make quality childcare more available, and more affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America — by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year.”
He used a family from Minneapolis – Ben and Rebekah – who both work hard and worked particularly hard to overcome the financial strain they faced after the GFC, to illustrate his point. “Basic childcare for Jack and Henry costs more than their mortgage, and almost as much as a year at the University of Minnesota. Like millions of hardworking Americans, Rebekah isn’t asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.”
On maternity leave
“Today, we’re the only advanced country on Earth that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave. Forty-three million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I’ll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own.”
“Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It’s the right thing to do.”
On abortion
“We still may not agree on a woman’s right to choose, but surely we can agree it’s a good thing that teen pregnancies and abortions are nearing all-time lows, and that every woman should have access to the health care she needs.”
And then, he finishes with this:
“(We) condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.”
It is heartening and gratifying that Obama dedicated so much time in his second-to-last State of the Union address to discuss these issues. As he aptly points out, none of these things are side issues nor women’s issues but global issues, and pressing ones at that.
We hope that the thoughtful and bold leadership of politicians like Barack Obama on these issues will drive others to follow suit. In the meantime, can we please have him as our minister for women?