PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 

WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY ACT OF 2017 


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131 STAT. 1202 PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 

Public Law 115–68 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful participation of women 

in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve 

violent conflict. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women, Peace, and Security 

Act of 2017’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Around the world, women remain under-represented 

in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict peace 

building efforts. 

(2) Women in conflict-affected regions have achieved significant success in— 

(A) moderating violent extremism; 

(B) countering terrorism; 

(C) resolving disputes through nonviolent mediation 

and negotiation; and 

(D) stabilizing societies by enhancing the effectiveness 

of security services, peacekeeping efforts, institutions, and 

decisionmaking processes. 

(3) Research suggests that peace negotiations are more 

likely to succeed and to result in durable peace agreements 

when women participate in the peace process. 

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that— 

(1) the meaningful participation of women in conflict 

prevention and conflict resolution processes helps to promote 

more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to the 

long-term stability of countries and regions; 

(2) the political participation, and leadership of women 

in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining lasting democratic institutions; 

and 

(3) the United States should be a global leader in promoting 

the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, 

management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief and 

recovery efforts. 

22 USC 2151 

note. 

Women, Peace, 

and Security Act 

of 2017. 

Oct. 6, 2017 

[S. 1141] 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 131 STAT. 1203 

SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

It shall be the policy of the United States to promote the 

meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict 

prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief 

and recovery efforts, reinforced through diplomatic efforts and programs that— 

(1) integrate the perspectives and interests of affected 

women into conflict-prevention activities and strategies; 

(2) encourage partner governments to adopt plans to 

improve the meaningful participation of women in peace and 

security processes and decision-making institutions; 

(3) promote the physical safety, economic security, and 

dignity of women and girls; 

(4) support the equal access of women to aid distribution 

mechanisms and services; 

(5) collect and analyze gender data for the purpose of 

developing and enhancing early warning systems of conflict 

and violence; 

(6) adjust policies and programs to improve outcomes in 

gender equality and the empowerment of women; and 

(7) monitor, analyze, and evaluate the efforts related to 

each strategy submitted under section 5 and the impact of 

such efforts. 

SEC. 5. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE PARTICIPATION 

OF WOMEN IN CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE 

BUILDING. 

(a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than one year after the date 

of the enactment of this Act, 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 governmentwide 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 4. 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. 

Deadlines. 

President. 

Consultation. 

Public 

information. 

22 USC 2152j-1. 

22 USC 2152j. 


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131 STAT. 1204 PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 

(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. 

SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION 

OF WOMEN IN CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE 

BUILDING. 

(a) FOREIGN SERVICE.—The Secretary of State, in conjunction 

with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall ensure that all appropriate personnel 

(including special envoys, members of mediation or negotiation 

teams, relevant members of the civil service or Foreign Service, 

and contractors) responsible for or deploying to countries or regions 

considered to be at risk of, undergoing, or emerging from violent 

conflict obtain training, as appropriate, in the following areas, each 

of which shall include a focus on women and ensuring meaningful 

participation by women: 

(1) Conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution. 

(2) Protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. 

(3) International human rights law and international 

humanitarian law. 

(b) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The Secretary of Defense shall 

ensure that relevant personnel receive training, as appropriate, 

in the following areas: 

(1) Training in conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that specifically 

22 USC 2152j-2. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 131 STAT. 1205 

addresses the importance of meaningful participation by 

women. 

(2) Gender considerations and meaningful participation by 

women, including training regarding— 

(A) international human rights law and international 

humanitarian law, as relevant; and 

(B) protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and 

trafficking in persons. 

(3) Effective strategies and best practices for ensuring 

meaningful participation by women. 

SEC. 7. CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State and the Administrator 

of the United States Agency for International Development may 

establish guidelines or take other steps to ensure overseas United 

States personnel of the Department of State or the United States 

Agency for International Development, as the case may be, consult 

with appropriate stakeholders, including local women, youth, ethnic, 

and religious minorities, and other politically under-represented 

or marginalized populations, regarding United States efforts to— 

(1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and 

(2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 

(b) COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION.—The Secretary of 

State should work with international, regional, national, and local 

organizations to increase the meaningful participation of women 

in international peacekeeping operations, and should promote 

training that provides international peacekeeping personnel with 

the substantive knowledge and skills needed to ensure effective 

physical security and meaningful participation of women in conflict 

prevention and peace building. 

SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 

(a) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

first submission of a strategy required under section 5, the Secretary 

of State, in conjunction with the Administrator of the United States 

Agency for International Development and the Secretary of Defense, 

shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on existing, 

enhanced, or newly established training carried out pursuant to 

section 6. 

(b) REPORT ON WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY STRATEGY.— 

Not later than 2 years after the date of the submission of each 

strategy required under section 5, the President shall submit to 

the appropriate congressional committees a report that— 

(1) summarizes and evaluates the implementation of such 

strategy and the impact of United States diplomatic efforts 

and foreign assistance programs, projects, and activities to promote the meaningful participation of women; 

(2) describes the nature and extent of the coordination 

among the relevant Federal departments and agencies on the 

implementation of such strategy; 

(3) outlines the monitoring and evaluation tools, mechanisms, and common indicators to assess progress made on 

the policy objectives set forth in section 4; and 

(4) describes the existing, enhanced, or newly established 

training carried out pursuant to section 6. 

President. 

22 USC 2152j-3. 


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131 STAT. 1206 PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1141 (H.R. 2484): 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–93 (Comm. on Foreign Relations). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 

Aug. 3, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 25, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term 

‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 

(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 

(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 

on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations 

of the of the House of Representatives. 

(2) RELEVANT FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—The 

term ‘‘relevant Federal departments and agencies’’ means— 

(A) the United States Agency for International 

Development; 

(B) the Department of State; 

(C) the Department of Defense; 

(D) the Department of Homeland Security; and 

(E) any other department or agency specified by the 

President for purposes of this Act. 

(3) STAKEHOLDERS.—The term ‘‘stakeholders’’ means nongovernmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected 

by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, protection, security, transition initiatives, humanitarian response, or 

related efforts. 

Approved October 6, 2017. 

22 USC 2152j-4. 


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