Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; and (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions.

The President, not later than October 1 of 2017, 2022, and 2027, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall:

• be aligned with other nations' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; and
• include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness.

Such a strategy shall include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency.

The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention.

It is the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) provide technical assistance and training to female negotiators, peace builders, and stakeholders (non-governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, security, or related efforts); (2) address security-related barriers to women's participation; (3) increase women's participation in U.S.-funded programs that provide foreign nationals with law enforcement, rule of law, or military education training; (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations; and (5) expand gender analysis to improve program design.

The Department of State shall ensure that personnel responsible for, or deploying to, countries or regions considered to be at risk of undergoing, or emerging from, violent conflict obtain training in the following areas, each of which shall include a focus on ensuring participation by women:

• conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution;
• protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons; and
• international human rights law.

The Department of Defense shall ensure that relevant personnel receive training in:

• conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that addresses the importance of participation by women; and
• gender considerations and participation by women, including training regarding international human rights law and protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons.

The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to:

• prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and
• enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women.

The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.

The State Department shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on: (1) training regarding the participation of women in conflict resolution, and (2) guidelines established for overseas personnel to engage in stakeholder consultations.

The President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that evaluates the implementation of such strategy and the impact of U.S. diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs to promote the participation of women.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov