Obama Orders Initiative to Reduce Global Violence Against Women

President Barack Obama ordered an administration-wide initiative aimed at reducing violence against women and girls globally, including human trafficking and practices such as so-called honor killings.

An executive order issued Friday establishes a working group headed by  secretary of state and the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development that coordinate programs, collect data and make the issue a U.S. foreign policy priority.

The goal is to improve response measures and increase government programming that addresses gender-based violence, according to a White House statement.

Representatives from Cabinet departments including the Treasury Department, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as agencies such as the Peace Corps will be part of the working group.