Save the Children as Part of "Big Ideas for Women and Girls Coalition" Applauds Appointment of First USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Women’s Empowerment

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2017-08-15

The Big Ideas for Women and Girls Coalition, which includes Save the Children, applauds the appointment of Michelle Bekkering as the first Deputy Assistant Administrator for Women’s Empowerment in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

U.S. leadership to place women and girls at the center of U.S. foreign policy and development assistance is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do. Evidence suggests that investing in women and girls brings high returns for economic growth, societal well-being and global stability. A 2015 McKinsey Global Institute study found that full participation of women in the global economy would increase annual GDP in 2025 by $28 trillion, or 26%.

Bekkering brings to the position years of leadership and deep expertise in international development, global women and girls’ empowerment and democratic governance. The Big Ideas for Women and Girls Coalition appreciates the fluency in issues related to gender equality that she brings to USAID’s longstanding work on empowering women and girls globally. The position she holds will be critical to continuing U.S. leadership in advancement of gender equality and integration of these principles throughout our development assistance policies and programs.

The coalition encourages Bekkering to work closely with other colleagues in USAID and the State Department, whose work is critical to the rights and empowerment of women and girls in order to effectively coordinate and deliver maximum impact. Investing in women and girls is vital not only to U.S. foreign policy goals, but also to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of global goals that were heavily influenced by the U.S. government that outline a set of commitments for a better collective future.

Source: Save the Children

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