August 13, 2009

Front row, L-R: Amy Bain, Center Consultant; Jennifer Tucker, Center Vice President; Rep. Kathy Webb (AR); Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau (KS); Rep. Kay Khan (MA); Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck (UT); Leslie R. Wolfe, Center President Back row, L-R: Anna Taleysnik-Mehta, Center Program Associate; Rep. Helen Miller (IA); Sen. Nicole LeFavour (ID); Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC); Sen. Christine Kaufmann (MT); Rep. Barbara Bigsby Boyd (AL); Sen. Sandra L. Pappas (MN) Not pictured: Rep. Martha Garcia (AZ) Photo © Sylvia Johnson Photography 2009

The Class of 2009 of the Center's Foreign Policy Institute for State Legislators met in Washington, DC in July, to learn from a faculty of experts and from key Members of Congress about the impact of US foreign policy on women and girls throughout the world.

During their week together, 11 women state legislators learned about key global women's human rights crises -- including the women's HIV/AIDS epidemic, international trafficking of women and girls, restrictions on reproductive rights and health, the impact of climate change and environmental degradation, and the situation of women in conflict and post-conflict settings and the role of women in building peace and security.

The Center launched the Foreign Policy Institute in 2001 because we believe that state legislators have a unique ability to influence the foreign policy of the United States, as state leaders who have unique relationships with their Congressional delegations. They also are in a powerful position to bring the women's human rights framework home to their states. We are proud of the leadership of the 110 state legislators from 41 states who have graduated from the Foreign Policy Institute between 2001 and 2009 - three of whom now serve in the US House of Representatives.

Each year, the participating state legislators leave the Foreign Policy Institute with a keener awareness of the impact of US foreign policy on women's human rights. This new knowledge enables them to implement the women's human rights framework at home - through state level policy initiatives and educational programs for their colleagues and constituents.

During 2010, the Center will continue to work with women state legislators nationwide to "bring women's human rights home." If you are interested to learn more about these domestic women's human rights efforts, please click here.

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