The peace, security and prosperity of the United States rests heavily on peace, security and prosperity around the world. Women for Women International believes that the United States can best promote our own national interests by remaining engaged in the world around us. As a nation, we do this through direct engagement by our citizens, our businesses, and civic associations around the world. Our government’s diplomats, development workers, and soldiers help create an environment in which peace and progress are possible. Our work was founded on the principle that women reaching out, across borders, to other women affected by conflict would benefit us all.
We wish to express our concerns with the proposed decrease in funding for international assistance and cooperation. We are concerned about proposed cuts to the State Department which will affect USAID, Peace Corps and other humanitarian and development entities that foster strong civilian partnerships and bring hope and relief to millions around the world. We are also particularly concerned about the proposed cuts to the United Nations, an organization that we work closely with as a body that establishes and maintains peace around the world. After a decade of incredible progress against the scourge of extreme poverty, now is not the time to retreat. Development activities strengthen national security by combatting the drivers of extremism such as poverty, insecurity, disease, and hopelessness.
The communities where we work around the world will be severely impacted by the withdrawal of support from the United States for humanitarian, development, and reconstruction activities. These funding cuts would lead to a drain of knowledge and experience; security issues for embassies and consulates; and deep cuts in the lifesaving work that we and other humanitarian and aid organizations are doing right now around the world.
At Women for Women International, we intend to continue our life changing and transformative work, creating a stable and equitable world for us all. We renew our commitment to promoting women’s rights globally and to remain resilient in our efforts, just as the women in our programs remain resilient in the face of injustice and conflict. Our program allows women to find their strength and confidence again to rebuild communities and maintain peace. We hope to have a strong and fully resourced United States government engaged in development and diplomacy standing beside us in this important work.
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