171. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Springsteen) to the President’s Counselor in the White House Office for Women’s Programs (Armstrong), Washington, May 14, 1974.1 2
DEPARTMENT O STATE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20520
May 14, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR MS. ANNE ARMSTRONG
THE WHITE HOUSE
Subject: International Women’s Year (IWY)
In response to your April 18th inquiry concerning progress on planning for, and the status of the Executive Order dealing with IWY (1975), I have the following to report.
The United Nations Economic Committee (UNEC), the U.S. inter-departmental committee chaired by State, has considered this matter and reached a measure of agreement on the wording of the Order that will establish a National Commission of 35 members for the Year and set goals and guidelines directed toward stimulating interest in IWY across the country. The draft Order provides for a Secretariat and office and conference facilities for the National Commission, as has been the practice with previous “Years.” The Order will also recognize the National Commission’s responsibility to review and coordinate the work of all elements of the Federal Government, and to establish a cooperative working relationship with the U.S. Center for the Observance of IWY in its work with the private sector.
The draft Order establishes a budget of $500,000 for the National Commission. The Department is attempting to identify $100,000 of this amount in State’s FY 75 and 76 budgets. $400,000 will have to be provided by other elements of the Executive branch and the relevant line obligations identified before the Order can move from State to the Office of Management and Budget. We anticipate this will be done no later than July 1974. We have received informal estimates of contributions that might become available from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare ($125,000) amounts of $30,000 from the Departments of Interior and Agriculture. Other sources for this budget would logically come from Labor, Defense, and the Civil Service Commission. However, the extent of their financial contributions has not been indicated. This would be an area in which your office could be particularly helpful.
We have not arrived at a firm agreement on the specific area of the Executive Branch in which the Secretariat should be located.
We are continuing to press within the United Nations for the passage of the U.S. sponsored resolution to hold an international women’s conference in 1975. The matter is before the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) together with a resolution containing a program for the worldwide observance of IWY. The Soviets have opposed both resolutions as they plan to hold an international women’s conference in East Berlin in 1975. However, our Representative to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Mrs. Patricia Nutar, is now in New York at ECOSOC, and we believe she will be as successful in winning approval for both items as she was at the recent meeting of the Commission.
Our representatives have worked closely with the UN Secretariat, which plans to fund IWY with a budget of $300,000 from within existing UN resources. Our Delegation is also encouraging nongovernmental organizations accredited to the UN to hold a brief conference at the same time as IWY. We believe it important that their views be reflected in the final Conference recommendations.
On a Federal level, interest in planning for the Year has come from women representing a broad base of federally employed women who are united in the objective of upgrading the status of women. The Federal Women’s Coordinators in each of the Federal Departments and the UNEC representatives have also shared the active interest in planning. We are working to broaden this interest and to develop a more extensive base of active participation among other Federal agencies.
In October 1973 the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of the Department of state granted $36,000 to Meridian House International, which created the U.S. Center for the Observance of International Women’s Year. I believe that Dr. Ruth Bacon, the Director of the Center, has been in touch with your office and provided a recent briefing on the subject.
The U.S. Center is developing its program with the advice of an advisory group drawn from 35 nongovernmental organizations, the majority with national and international affiliations. It has recently activated a financial committee and a speakers bureau; and, with the help of a newly recruited media consultant, is focusing on fund raising and publicity.
Your interest and offer of assistance are most appreciated. In this regard, our major obstacle appears to be the funding of this program. Your suggestions and support could be of inestimable help as we attempt to cope with this problem.
[signed]
George S. Springsteen
Executive Secretary
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P740087–2370. No classification marking. Drafted by Heater; cleared by McDonald and Allen and in IO, IO/EX, and CU. Armstrong’s April 18 request for a progress report and information about the status of the Executive Order is ibid., P740087–2373. ↩
- Springsteen updated Armstrong on U.S. government efforts to promote the U.N. International Women’s Year.↩