AAUW believes that Public Policy work is the most effective way to fulfill our mission to advance equity for women and girls. This work consists of developing and implementing certain courses of action designed to advocate for our organization’s policy priorities.

Individuals and groups often attempt to shape public policy through education, advocacy, or mobilization of interest groups. The process always involves efforts by competing interest groups to influence policy makers in their favor.

This process is necessarily political (“decision-making about distribution of resources or policy selection by those in power”). This is not the same as partisan, which involves the decision to support or oppose a particular candidate based on their party identification. We are non-partisan, but we are not non-political.

AAUW’s Public Policy efforts, at the local, state, and national level, are guided by our Public Policy Priorities, which are updated, with input from members, every two years. The three pillars of our priorities are: Economic Justice for All Women; Equal Access to Quality Public Education for all Students; and Social and Racial Justice for All Members of Society.

AAUW National’s #1 priority for FY2025-26 is on women in higher education. Of special concern currently is the impact of recent changes to the efforts to reduce student loan debt, and to Title IX.

AAUW California’ s focus for FY2025-26 will be on monitoring school boards for compliance with California laws, keeping members informed regarding policy developments, and encouraging members to take action.

To learn more about AAUW Public Policy, the work we do, and ways you can be involved, we encourage you to visit the following web pages:

AAUW National: Public Policy Priorities

AAUW National: Two-Minute Activist (“Take Action”)

AAUW California: Public Policy  

AAUW California: Public Policy Priorities

AAUW California: School Board Project

AAUW California: Public Policy Newsletters, including “Take Action” Items

Questions about AAUW’s Public Policy work?  Feel free to contact AAUW California Online Public Policy Director Kathi Harper at kandb1989@gmail.com.