Strengthening Efforts to End Violence Against Children Act of 2023

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to update and strengthen existing efforts to end violence against children, improve coordination among agencies addressing this violence, and promote the use of evidence-based strategies and critical information gathering capabilities, and for other purposes. 1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Efforts to End Violence Against Children Act of 2023 2. Sense of congress regarding violence against children surveys It is the sense of Congress that— (1) Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) are critical tools for realizing the objectives of the Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance, 2019–2023 (A) building strong beginnings for vulnerable children through early childhood development interventions; (B) strengthening families and advancing positive parenting; and (C) protecting children from violence; and (2) when leveraging the findings of a VACS, relevant bureaus and offices should consider whether— (A) governments have fully committed to the process of conducting the survey; (B) there is presence and capacity amongst partner entities in-country to support implementation of the survey; (C) there is availability of funding to both implement the survey and support Centers for Disease Control technical assistance for implementation; and (D) governments have expressed support for action in response to survey findings, such as demonstrating the ability to mobilize resources and having funding in place for programs and services. 3. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to— (1) promote, fund, and support the protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect by investing in preventative and responsive programming care in relevant foreign assistance programs; and (2) rely on evidence-based, efficient, and effective interventions in strategies and programs to support vulnerable children, promote permanent family care, and protect children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. 4. Assistance for children in adversity Section 135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2152f (1) by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following: (10) Exposure to sexual, physical, and emotional violence, particularly when such exposure is repeated or chronic, can significantly affect a child’s brain development and function and cause life-long consequences, including poor mental health, hindered neurological development, slowed physical development, reduced learning, and risky health behavior, continuing cycles of poverty, and epigenetic consequences. (11) Child protection interventions can be lifesaving, especially in such critical circumstances as humanitarian responses, regions experiencing fragility, and conflict areas. (12) The Violence Against Children Surveys are critical tools in partnering with foreign governments to analyze violence against children and in creating action plans to address this violence and protect vulnerable children. ; (2) by adding at the end of subsection (b) the following: (6) Vulnerable children The term vulnerable children (A) are living outside of family care; (B) have been trafficked; (C) are experiencing violence; (D) are experiencing labor or sexual exploitation; (E) are affected by, or are emerging from, armed conflict or humanitarian crises; (F) have disabilities; (G) are orphans; or (H) are otherwise vulnerable, including because of HIV/AIDS, acute illness, or having been born prematurely. ; and (3) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (6), by striking ; and (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (8) to support nurturing, protective, and permanent family care for vulnerable children and to extend protective services to children living outside of family care; (9) to promote the protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect by investing in preventative and responsive programming built upon evidence-based strategies; and (10) to provide lifesaving protection and interventions for vulnerable children in emergency settings and fragile contexts. . 5. Amendments to the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–95 (1) In section 4 ( 22 U.S.C. 2152f (A) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: (a) Requirement for strategy (1) Initial submission Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Strengthening Efforts to End Violence Against Children Act of 2023 (2) Comment and review The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall not be implemented before the date that is 90 days after the date of the submission of the strategy. During such 90-day period, the President shall consider and, if appropriate, revise, such strategy in light of any comments provided to the President by the appropriate congressional committees. (3) Implementation deadline Subject to revisions in accordance with paragraph (2), the President shall begin implementation of the strategy required by paragraph (1) not later than 150 days after the date of the submission of the strategy. (4) Review of implementation Every 4 years, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees— (A) a review of the manner and extent to which the strategy required by paragraph (1) has been implemented during the preceding 4 years; and (B) an updated strategy, incorporating the findings of such review, for the subsequent 4 years. ; (B) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: (b) Consultation (1) In general The strategy described in subsection (a)(1) shall be developed by the Special Advisor for Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (appointed pursuant to section 135(e)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961), in consultation with the appropriate consulting partners listed in paragraph (2), to ensure that the strategy— (A) will not impede the efficiency of implementing assistance programs for orphans and vulnerable children; (B) addresses the specific needs of local populations; and (C) is fully implemented. (2) Appropriate consulting partners The appropriate consulting partners listed in this paragraph are— (A) relevant offices in the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of State, PEPFAR, and the Peace Corps; (B) United States civil society stakeholders, including service providers; and (C) employees of the field missions of the United States Agency for International Development. ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (c) Publication The strategy required by subsection (a)(1) and each review of the implementation of such strategy required by subsection (a)(4) shall be made publicly available. . (2) In section 5(b) ( 22 U.S.C. 2152g(b) (A) by striking paragraph (1); (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (1) through (3), respectively; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (4) The activities of the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, PEPFAR, and the Peace Corps that implement INSPIRE strategies for ending violence against children, which include— (A) implementation and enforcement of law; (B) norms and values; (C) safe environments; (D) parent and caregiver support; (E) income and economic strengthening; (F) response and support services; and (G) education and life skills. (5) The manner and extent to which Federal departments and agencies and partner organizations have used findings from Violence Against Children Surveys to inform programming to support, care for, and protect children in adversity. . 6. Impact of COVID–19 Pandemic on Children in Adversity (a) In general The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, acting through the Special Advisor for Children in Adversity, shall include in the first report submitted pursuant to section 5 of the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 ( 22 U.S.C. 2152g (b) Matters To be included The report required under subsection (a) shall also include the following elements: (1) An assessment of the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on violence against children and child protection risks, including domestic violence, child trafficking, child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting, and sexual exploitation, especially as these forms of violence affect marginalized children and youth, such as girls, LGBTQ children and youth, children with disabilities, and other minority populations. (2) An overview of programs being carried out by participants in the Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity Interagency Working Group to continue investments in child protection, child safeguarding, social-service workforce strengthening, positive parenting, and family strengthening programming during the COVID–19 pandemic, including existing data on funding and programmatic focus disaggregated by gender, country, income level, and disability. (3) Descriptions of the effectiveness, cost, and accessibility of the tools and strategies most commonly used to minimize child protection risks and mitigate service disruptions during the COVID–19 pandemic. (4) Identification of any gaps in reaching marginalized populations with child protection information and services during the COVID–19 pandemic, such as girls, children with disabilities, or children affected by conflict and crisis. (5) Descriptions of the tools and resources needed for the Agency to contribute to long-term recovery of children’s protection and well-being in the wake of COVID–19 including distance learning interventions, safe school reopening guidelines, and reenrollment campaigns for out-of-school children and youth. (c) Form The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form and made available to the public.

Summary: Strengthening Efforts to End Violence Against Children Act of 2023 This bill modifies the framework for providing foreign aid to programs that support vulnerable children by expanding the goals of these programs and requiring additional reports. Specifically, aid may be provided to programs that (1) support family care for vulnerable children and extend protective services to children living outside of family care; (2) promote the protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect through preventative and responsive programming; and (3) provide lifesaving protection and interventions for vulnerable children in emergency settings. The bill also requires the President, among other reporting requirements, to develop and submit to Congress a strategy for coordinating, implementing, and monitoring assistance programs for children in adversity, submitting a review to Congress every 4 years afterwards.