AGENDA ITEM #1

COMMITTEE MEMO

Date: February 2, 2018

To: Members of the Human Relations Commission (HRC)

From: Ad Hoc CEDAW Committee:

Commissioner Steven D. Lee
Chair Valerie Stinger

Subject: CEDAW Committee’s Recommendation to HRC for CEDAW Ordinance -Agenda

Item #1

Introduction

The goal of the committee recommendation that follows is to identify and study gender
equality issues, as they affect and apply to Palo Alto. The committee was asked to evaluate
Cities for CEDAW as a framework to enhance gender equality in this community. What follows
is a description of CEDAW as an analytical process leading to policy and program
recommendations. There is enthusiasm for the process and what could be accomplished. There
are also concerns. Both the possible outcomes and hurdles are considered in the following
recommendation.

Gender discrimination in Palo Alto, as well as the current political and social climate, highlight
longstanding, pervasive, and, as of yet, still unresolved gender equality issues that continue to
affect the women of our community, nation and the world. They also highlight the continued
need for us as a City and community to proactively identify where there is room for
improvement and to suggest policies and programs which can be adopted to address gender
equality issues in the City of Palo Alto.

Background

CEDAW is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, and
is often referred to as the international women’s bill of rights. CEDAW has been adopted by
over 189 countries. The US is one of a handful of countries, including, Iran, Somalia, Sudan and
Tonga, which have not ratified the treaty. In the absence of national action in the U.S. Senate to
ratify the treaty, the Cities for CEDAW initiative aims to “make the global local.”

The Palo Alto City Council passed Resolution No. 8217 in support of CEDAW on October 15,
2002.

For additional information on the Cities for CEDAW initiative please visit:
http://citiesforcedaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CEDAW-USFact-Sheet-07-2017.pdf
CEDAW as a Framework for Analyzing Gender Discrimination and Enhancing Gender Equality

The committee proposes to utilize the Cities for CEDAW framework to address gender equality
issues in Palo Alto. This framework consists of: (1) establishing a gender equality task force that
is responsible for conducting a gender analysis and proposing policies and programs that
address the Palo Alto-specific issues identified, and (2) identifying staff, budget, and community
resources to conduct the gender analysis and to implement the policies and programs that are
recommended by the task force and which are adopted by the City Council. This framework is
not unique to Cities for CEDAW, nor is it a rigid or binding framework. While it is informative to
examine how other jurisdictions have undertaken their own Cities for CEDAW initiatives, given
the flexibility of the CEDAW framework and the size of the City of Palo Alto relative to much
larger jurisdictions which have undertaken this effort, the committee encourages the City of
Palo Alto to think creatively about ways it can structure its own CEDAW initiative in light of our
size and resources.

With respect to conducting a gender analysis, jurisdictions have staffed and budgeted those
efforts in different ways, including: (1) using existing staff and budgetary resources, (2)
dedicating new staff and budgetary resources, (3) hiring outside consultants, (4) leveraging
support from local universities, community groups, stakeholders and experts, or (5) some
combination thereof.

Establishment of a Task Force

The committee recognizes the benefit of leveraging community expertise and human-power to
augment limited City resources, and recommends that the City form a task force consisting of
11 members, with representatives from the HRC and members who live, work, or study in the
community with the following experience, expertise, or backgrounds in:
- human resources or diversity employment
- local business community
- political involvement
- women’s advocacy
- gender violence
- women’s studies
- current university student
- City of Palo Alto employment

The task force would be responsible for setting its gender study priorities, establishing a work
plan, conducting and/or overseeing the gender analysis, and preparing recommendations for
policies and programs.

In formulating this recommendation, the committee assumes that HRC expertise and time, and
staff time and budget are limited. To assist the task force in conducting and/or overseeing the
gender analysis, the committee recommends that it leverage expertise and human-power from
individuals, experts, university students and groups, nonprofits, law firms and local businesses.
One open question for the HRC is whether the task force should report to the HRC or the City
Council directly? One proposal is that the task force report to the HRC, so that the HRC retains
its codified advisory role on this subject matter, while leveraging additional expertise and
human power to assist the HRC in formulating its recommendations on policy and programs for
the City Council’s consideration. In this role, the HRC would be responsible for overseeing the
task force. An alternative would establish this task force a separate body, reporting to and
advising the City Council directly. This alternative might abdicate some of the HRC’s existing
role, but maintain the capacity of the HRC to do it other work. In either case, the HRC would
have representatives on the task force.

The work of the task force will be primarily, but not exclusively, in the following subject areas,
which reflect CEDAW principles applicable to the City of Palo Alto:

(1) Leadership and Political/ Civic Empowerment. To ensure that women are engaged in
leadership opportunities in all areas, such as the formulation of City policies and programs at
the commission, City Council and departmental (both staff and executive) levels.

(2) Economic Development. To ensure that women have the same economic opportunities and
results both inside and outside the workplace.

(3) Gender Violence. To address gender violence against women and girls, including, but not
limited to, sexual harassment, rape, domestic violence, human trafficking, and prostitution.

The work of the task force in each of the three broad subject areas specified above should be
focused, in light of the limited roles and powers of the City of Palo Alto, through the lenses of
the City as a (i) employer, (ii) regulator, (iii) provider of services, programs and grants/funding,
(iv) contractor, and/or (v) partner with non-profits, other government agencies, local
businesses and the community at large.

Recommendation

The proposed recommendation of the HRC to the City Council is:

The HRC formally recommends that the City Council direct staff to study and submit a draft
CEDAW ordinance for the HRC’s and City Council’s consideration, which factors in this memo
and guidance provided by the HRC and City Council, that:

1. affirms the City of Palo Alto’s commitment to the principles of the United Nations
Convention on the Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and
2. establishes a task force that conducts and/or oversees a gender analysis, the task force’s
composition, reporting structure, and responsibilities.