United States strategy to promote the participation of women in conflict prevention and peace building

Source Credit

(a) Requirement
Not later than one year after October 6, 2017, and again four years thereafter, the President, in consultation with the heads of the relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make publicly available a single government-wide strategy, to be known as the Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, that provides a detailed description of how the United States intends to fulfill the policy objectives in section 2152j of this title. The strategy shall—
(1) support and be aligned with plans developed by other countries to improve the meaningful participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, transitional processes, and decisionmaking institutions; and
(2) include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks, performance metrics, timetables, and monitoring and evaluation plans to ensure the accountability and effectiveness of all policies and initiatives carried out under the strategy.
(b) Specific plans for departments and agencies
Each strategy under subsection (a) shall include a specific implementation plan from each of the relevant Federal departments and agencies that describes—
(1) the anticipated contributions of the department or agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind contributions, to implement the strategy; and
(2) the efforts of the department or agency to ensure that the policies and initiatives carried out pursuant to the strategy are designed to achieve maximum impact and long-term sustainability.
(c) Coordination
The President should promote the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, in coordination and consultation with international partners, including, as appropriate, multilateral organizations, stakeholders, and other relevant international organizations, particularly in situations in which the direct engagement of the United States Government is not appropriate or advisable.
(d) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the President, in implementing each strategy submitted under subsection (a), should—
(1) provide technical assistance, training, and logistical support to female negotiators, mediators, peace builders, and stakeholders;
(2) address security-related barriers to the meaningful participation of women;
(3) encourage increased participation of women in existing programs funded by the United States Government that provide training to foreign nationals regarding law enforcement, the rule of law, or professional military education;
(4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations;
(5) support the training, education, and mobilization of men and boys as partners in support of the meaningful participation of women;
(6) encourage the development of transitional justice and accountability mechanisms that are inclusive of the experiences and perspectives of women and girls;
(7) expand and apply gender analysis, as appropriate, to improve program design and targeting; and
(8) conduct assessments that include the perspectives of women regarding new initiatives in support of peace negotiations, transitional justice and accountability, efforts to counter violent extremism, or security sector reform.

History

(Pub. L. 115–68, §5, Oct. 6, 2017, 131 Stat. 1203.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, and not as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

Executive Documents

Delegation of Certain Functions and Authorities Under the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017
Memorandum of President of the United States, June 29, 2021, 86 F.R. 35383, provided:
Memorandum for the Secretary of State[,] the Secretary of Defense[,] the Secretary of Homeland Security[, and] the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, the authority to submit to the Congress the reports required by sections 5(a) [22 U.S.C. 2152j–1(a)] and 8(b) [131 Stat. 1205] of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–68).
The delegation of authority provided in this memorandum shall apply to any provisions of any future public laws that are the same or substantially the same as those provisions referenced in this memorandum.
The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.