ABOUT US

 

MISSION

The San Francisco Commission and Department on the Status of Women promote equitable treatment and foster the advancement of women and girls throughout San Francisco through policies, legislation, and programs.

Visit the Commission Page

 

HISTORY

1975

The San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women is created by a local ordinance.

1980

The Commission awards first grant of $75,000 for domestic violence emergency shelter services.

1994

Voters enact Proposition E, creating a permanent City Department to carry out policies of the Commission.

1998

San Francisco becomes first city to adopt the principles of the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as a local ordinance.

2000

The homicide of Claire Joyce Tempongko spurs a decade of policy work and 170 recommendations to improve the City’s response to domestic violence.

2007

The Department conducts the first CEDAW gender analysis of commission and board appointments.

2010

Launch of the Gender Equality Principles online tools and resources: www.genderprinciples.org  

2012

Healthy Mothers Workplace Coalition is formed to improve workplaces for pregnant and parenting workers.

2013

Mayor’s Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking created to improve the City’s response to human trafficking.

2014

After 12 years of work on policy reforms and expanding services, San Francisco eliminates domestic violence-related homicides for an unprecedented 44 months.

2016

The Department helps to pass the Paid Parental Leave Ordinance, giving new parents working in San Francisco 6 weeks fully paid parental leave.

2017

The Violence Against Women Prevention and Intervention Grants Program budget increases to $6.8 million annually, funding crisis line, shelter, legal, and case management services.

2018

San Francisco enacts pioneering Prioritizing Safety for Sex Workers Policy which leads to state law protecting sex workers who report violence from prosecution.

 

*All references to “women and girls” include gender-expansive individuals (cis women and girls, trans women and girls, non-binary individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, gender queer individuals and any women or girl identified individuals).