World YWCA Statement of Support of YWCA USA on the United States One Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1)

YWCA USA CEO Margaret Mitchell issued a statement in response to the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the so-called One Beautiful Bill Act, which passed with a vote of 218-214 along political party lines, and “Sets in motion innumerable transactions that will have negatively transformational consequences”, says World YWCA CEO/GS Casey Harden.

“World YWCA recognises that such partisanship, reflected in the vote on the bill, manifests power structures that have a devastating impact on women. Further, such actions reflect a trending backlash against the rights of people, especially women, in every region of our world,” adds Ms. Harden.

Ms. Mitchell said in her statement, “As the CEO of YWCA USA—an organisation dedicated to advancing equity and supporting more than 190  YWCA Local Associations across 45 states and the District of Columbia—I am deeply disheartened by the U.S. House’s decision to pass a reconciliation bill that so blatantly deprioritises the real, human needs of millions of people across this nation…The consequences of this bill are not abstract. They are real. A child will go to bed hungry. A family will skip a meal to make rent. A senior will go without a life-saving prescription. These are not policy trade-offs—they are human losses.”

She continued with a clarion call, “Where Congress has faltered, YWCA will hold the line—and we will continue to fight for the just and equitable future that all of us deserve.”

The YWCA global movement has maintained its position for almost two centuries. At the recent YWCA World Council, the decision-making body of the global YWCA movement, comprised of community-based leaders worldwide, the following statement was approved to recognise the trending backlash and rising conservatism that erode established rights.

The resolution calls for decisive action for women’s rights globally and against anti-feminist voices: In recent years, rising (political) anti-feminist movements have tried to undermine, suppress, or even undo women’s rights and freedoms that have been fought hard for through generations. Therefore, we call for decisive action for women’s rights globally and against these anti-feminist voices. Firstly, women should have equal rights, access to healthcare and education, and be able to choose to exercise their rights to make decisions about their own bodies, sexuality, health, and clothing. This cannot be compromised. Secondly, the international community should prioritise women’s rights. The YWCA should play an active role in the global movement countering anti-feminist backlash. The World YWCA movement will actively engage in educating about feminism to dispel myths and promote gender equality.

World YWCA joins YWCA USA in decrying the multi-faceted and negative impacts of the so-called One Beautiful Bill Act. The effects of such policies fall hardest on women already facing systemic oppression, especially women of colour, low-income women, and migrant and disabled women. Further, such a bill reflects a congressional power structure that does not serve most citizens, but instead specific partisan or sector interests, having nothing to do with a life of freedom, dignity, and justice for most. We must also name the language of “reform” and “efficiency” for what it is: a rhetorical tool masking ideological harm.

In moments like this, women’s movements must not only condemn injustice but also organise collectively to dismantle the power structures that enable it.

For more information from YWCA USA on H.R.1 or the advocacy work of YWCA USA, contact: Randi Schmidt, Director of Government Relations at rschmidt@ywca.org or Kate Kasper, Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at kkasper@ywca.org.