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Mountain Lakes, NJ Area Branch
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AAUW Public Policy Program2009-2011
The public policy program underscores
AAUW's mission of advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy,
education, and research, and speaks to women's needs, aspirations, and concerns
across the life span. The work of AAUW builds upon more than 125 years of
responsible public participation and the following principles provide a basis
for AAUW members' actions at the local, state, national and international
levels. Implicit in each of our principles is support for government agencies
administering programs, including adequate appropriations, effective and
accountable administration, and provision for citizen participation. We
advocate public discussion to ensure enlightened decisions on these
principles We work to increase the number of under- represented populations,
including women, in policy- and other decision-making positions. AAUW is
committed to working in partnership with diverse allies and coalitions to
break through educational and economic barriers for women and girls.
Public Policy
Principles for Action
Basic to all of AAUW's public
policy efforts is the understanding that true equity requires a balance
between the rights of the individual and the needs of the community. AAUW
opposes all forms of discrimination and supports constitutional protection
for the civil rights of all individuals.
AAUW believes that quality public education is the foundation of a democratic
society. We advocate equitable and harassment-free climates, academic
freedom, civil education, protection from censorship, bias-free education,
and responsible fund for education at all levels, including early childhood
education. We advocate increased access to higher education, especially for
women in poverty. We promote efforts to close the ever widening gap that disproportionately
affects low-income children and adults.
AAUW promotes economic, social, and physical well-being of all persons.
Essential to that well-being are an economy that provides equitable
employment opportunities, a livable wage, reduction of poverty, quality
affordable dependent care, paid family and medical leave, decent and
affordable housing, and quality affordable health care; and a clean and
healthful environment. We support a Social Security system that provides
inflation-protected, guaranteed lifetime benefits with a progressive benefit
formula, spousal and widow benefits, and disability and survivor benefits.
AAUW believes in the right to privacy, freedom from violence, and choice in
the determination of one's reproductive life. We firmly believe in the
separation of church and state. We support a fair, balanced, and independent
judiciary. We support public budgets that balance individual rights and
responsibility to the community.
AAUW supports affirmative action to improve racial, ethnic, and gender
diversity and affirms our commitment to passage and ratification of the Equal
Rights Amendment. We support meaningful campaign finance reform and voter
education efforts that will promote equitable political participation and
representation. AAUW supports and is committed to the arts and humanities,
which develop and enhance our pluralistic cultural heritage.
AAUW believes that global interdependence requires national and international
policies that promote peace, justice, human rights, sustainable development,
and mutual security for all people. We support a strengthened United Nations
and its affiliated agencies. We advocate implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action from the 4th World Conference on Women
and subsequent declarations. We affirm our commitment ot the U.N. Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). We
support international family planning programs that are consistent with AAUW
policy.
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Biennial Action
Priorities
Biennial priorities for federal
action are chosen according to the criteria of viability, critical need,
strong member support, and potential for distinctive AAUW contribution or
leadership.
To support a
strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, and
diversity, AAUW advocates
Adequate and
equitable funding for quality public education for all students
Opposition to the use of public funds for nonpublic elementary and
secondary education
Protection of programs that meet the needs of girls and women in
elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education, including vigorous
enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining to education
Increased support for and access to higher education for women and
disadvantaged populations
Increased support for programs that break through barriers for women and
girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
fields
To achieve economic self-sufficiency for all women, AAUW advocates
Pay equity and fairness in compensation
Equitable access and advancement in employment,
including vigorous enforcement of employment antidiscrimination statutes
Greater availability of and access to benefits and policies that promote
work-life balance
Programs that provide women with education, training, and support for
success in the workforce, including nontraditional occupations and women's
entrepreneurship
Strengthening programs, including welfare and vocational
education, to improve postsecondary education access, career development, and
earning potential
Strengthening retirement benefits and programs, including
pension improvements and protecting Social Security from privatization
To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse
society, AAUW advocates
Vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights
Choice in the determination of one's reproductive life
Freedom of violence and fear of violence in homes, schools,
workplaces, and communities
Increased access to quality, affordable health care and family
planning services, including expansion of parents' rights
Support U.N. programs that address human rights and women's and
girls' concerns
Freedom in definition of family and guarantee of civil rights in all
family matters
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Revised: 04/09/2010
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