US Congresswoman Julie Johnson has introduced legislation aimed at strengthening women’s economic security across South and Central Asia. The bill links the initiative directly to broader American foreign policy and regional stability goals.
The proposed legislation, titled the EMPOWER Act, seeks to establish US policy to promote “women’s economic security and advancement in South and Central Asia as an integral part of our foreign policy objectives in the region.”
Announcing the bill this week, Johnson said women’s participation in the economy was closely tied to poverty reduction and long-term regional stability.
“We know that women’s labor force participation, asset ownership, and economic security are key drivers of poverty reduction and long-term stability, including in South and Central Asia. North Texas is home to a large and vibrant South and Central Asian community, and the connections between our region and that part of the world make this work even more meaningful,” she said.
This bill would direct the Secretary of State to maintain and expand existing Women’s Councils and other public-private partnerships, such as the US-Pakistan Women’s Council, US-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and the Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience.
Furthermore, the bill will establish within the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs a unit responsible for overseeing public-private partnerships by a Special Advisor for Women’s Economic Security who will report to the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia.
