The San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women was established by the Board of Supervisors in 1975 and became a permanent Department under the City Charter in 1994. In 1998, San Francisco became the first city in the U.S. to adopt a local ordinance reflecting the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international bill of rights for women. As part of a strategic shift to create a greater impact and serve more San Franciscans while building a more diverse and efficient city government through gender responsive and racially equitable policies, programs and legislation, the Department has identified three core service areas to catalyze transformative change in the lives of women girls and nonbinary people: Health and Safety, Economic Security and Civic Engagement and Political Empowerment. Through these three areas, the Department aims to improve the whole lives of our targeted communities, including their health, wealth, physical safety and well-being. Our programming is designed to not just create balance when it comes to the construct of gender, but also to empower women, girls and gender nonbinary people with the tools and resources needed to build pathways to healthy and prosperous futures.
