City and County of San Francisco - Department on the Status of Women

The San Francisco Department on the Status of Women fosters the advancement of the status of women and girls in the City and County of San Francisco, with a focus on populations in need. In 1998, San Francisco became the first city in the world to enact a local ordinance reflecting the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international bill of rights for women. Following the adoption of the local CEDAW Ordinance, the Department was designated the official government agency to implement the principles of CEDAW in San Francisco, and tasked to ensure that women and girls have equal economic, social, political, and educational opportunities.