President Biden issued two executive orders directing federal agencies to take comprehensive action to address barriers to opportunity for underserved communities and to embed equity into all aspects of federal decision-making. Over the past year, the Department has taken concrete steps to advance equity in foreign policy by refining tracking of foreign assistance programs to embed equity and inclusion into global programming, further integrating equity into public diplomacy, updating travel and citizenship documents and forms, and increasing small business awards by two percent.
With today's release of the 2023 Equity Action Plan, the Department continues to implement these executive orders with five global strategic focus areas: pursuing diplomatic efforts to combat hate and protect inclusive democracy; advancing racial equity and justice; protecting LGBTQI+ persons; promoting respect for international disability rights; and advancing gender equity and equality. These strategic focus areas bolster the Department's enterprise-wide approach to integrating equity and inclusion operationally in foreign assistance; foreign policy development and implementation; public diplomacy; consular services; and procurement, contracts, and grants.
Embedding equity in our work yields better outcomes for the American people. We will continue to work to break down barriers faced by marginalized and underserved populations.
