Source: Chicago Sun-Times
President Obama has been issuing a series of executive orders to show his administration is getting things done despite being stymied by Congress on a number of fronts. On Monday, the White House will announce an executive order to create a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

The order seems to follow on a United Nations resolution to ask member nations to develop "National Action Plans & Strategies on Women, Peace and Security." Until today, the U.S. has not had an action plan while other nations have, according to the UN, over at UN.org/womenwatch.

From a White House Senior Administration Official:

"Later this morning, President Obama will issue an Executive Order and release the United States' first-ever National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. These two new documents lay out the concrete steps the Administration will take to increase our commitment to support women as critical participants in preventing and resolving conflict.

"We know that enabling women to have a voice alongside those of men in matters of international peace and security is the right thing to do. Moreover, we know that including women and their perspectives in our conflict prevention efforts, our efforts to end wars and bring about just and sustainable peace, and our efforts to protect civilian populations and hold abusers accountable -- is essential to international peace and stability, and to our national security.

"This is a simple and powerful concept: that we are all safer, that our efforts at peacebuilding are stronger, and that constitutions and peace agreements are more inclusive, just, and lasting when women--50% of the world's population, and more than 50% of populations in some war-torn areas--have a say in how societies rebuild peace and recover from conflict.

"The documents we are releasing represent a change in how the U.S. will approach its diplomatic, military, and development-based support to women in areas of conflict -- by ensuring that women's perspectives and considerations of gender are woven into the DNA of how the United States approaches peace processes, conflict prevention, the protection of civilians, and humanitarian assistance."