LWV San Diego testimony at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting on 11/16/21:
The Leagues of both San Diego and North County San Diego strongly support adoption of a CEDAW ordinance by the Board of Supervisors. Given next year’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, adopting an ordinance to identify, assess and eliminate discriminatory actions that target and impact women and girls is timely and necessary. This will enable San Diego County to join with other California counties — and counties and cities throughout the United States — which have enacted CEDAW ordinances. San Francisco adopted its CEDAW Ordinance in 1998, Los Angeles its in 2003, Santa Clara and other counties more recently. Achievements of both L.A. and San Francisco have been so impressive in implementing plans to assure gender equity that their elected leaders were honored at the United Nations.
In 2019, the League mobilized a group of community organizations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which entitled women to vote. Three dozen of these organizations joined with us in support of a CEDAW ordinance for the city of San Diego. The CEDAW Working Group, led by the League, has analyzed CEDAW ordinances in other counties and cities, and stands ready to assist you with development of an ordinance for San Diego County. We’re hopeful that the County’s ordinance will leverage similar action in other local jurisdictions. Mayor Gloria has indicated his support, and we continue to work with the San Diego City Council. Moving forward with this motion will be an important step toward universal and fundamental acknowledgement of human rights for women and girls and the League looks forward to working with the county on this important effort.
Status: the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a CEDAW ordinance for the county of San Diego.