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AAUW in
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Public Policy Goals
Branch Bylaws
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American Association
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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 cocerns
across the life span. The work of AAUW builds upon over a century of
responsible public participation at the local, state, national and international
levels. AAUW is committed to working in partnership with diverse allies.
The following principles provide a basis for AAUW members' actions at
the local, state, and federal levels. Implicit in each is support for
government agencies administering programs, including adequate appropriations,
effective and accountable administration, and provision for citizen
participation. We work to increase the number of under- represented
populations, including women, in policy-making
and other decision-making positions.
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. We firmly believe in
the separation of church and state.
AAUW supports constitutional protection for the civil rights of all individuals,
including the right to privacy. We believe in choice in the determination
of one's reproductive life.
We support a fair, balanced, and independent judiciary. We oppose all
forms of discrimination. We support affirmative action to improve racial,
ethnic, and gender diversity. We affirm our commitment to passage and
ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
AAUW believes that quality public education is the foundation of a democratic
society. We advocate equity, academic freedom, protection from censorship,
bias-free education, and responsible funding for all levels of education.
We advocate increased access to higher education, especially for women
in poverty.
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; freedom from violence; and a clean
and healthful environment. We support a Social ecurity system that provides
inflation-protected, guaranteed lifetime benefits with a progressive benefit
formula, spousal and widow benefits, and disability and survivor benefits.
We support public budgets that balance individual rights and responsibility
to community. We support meaningful campaign finance reform that will
promote equitable participation and representation.
AAUW values 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 advocate public discussion to ensure
enlightened decisions on these issues. 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 deckarations. 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
To achieve economic
self-sufficiency for all women.
To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse
society.