I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5332 
To ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful participation 
of women in mediation and negotiations processes seeking to prevent, 
mitigate, or resolve violent conflict. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2016 
Mrs. NOEM (for herself, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ROYCE, and Mr. ENGEL) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on For-
eign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful 
participation of women in mediation and negotiations 
processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent 
conflict. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 2016’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Around the world, women remain under- 
represented in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, 
and post-conflict peace building efforts. 
(2) Despite the historic under-representation of 
women in conflict resolution processes, women in 
conflict-affected regions have nevertheless 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 proc-
esses. 
(3) Research shows that— 
(A) peace negotiations are more likely to 
end in a peace agreement when women’s groups 
play an influential role in the negotiation proc-
ess; 
(B) once reached, a peace agreement is 35 
percent more likely to last at least 15 years if 
women have participated in the negotiation 
process; and 
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(C) when women meaningfully participate, 
peace negotiations are more likely to address 
the conflict’s underlying causes, leading to more 
sustainable outcomes. 
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 soci-
eties and is critical to the long-term stability of 
countries and regions; and 
(2) 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. 
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy 
of the United States to promote the meaningful participa-
tion of women in all aspects of conflict prevention, man-
agement, and resolution, reinforced through diplomatic ef-
forts and programs that— 
(1) integrate the perspectives and interests of 
affected women into conflict-prevention activities and 
strategies; 
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(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 secu-
rity, 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 pur-
pose of developing and enhancing early warning sys-
tems 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 implementa-
tion efforts and the impact of such efforts. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that the President, in implementing each strat-
egy submitted under section 5, 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; 
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(3) increase the participation of women in exist-
ing programs funded by the United States Govern-
ment that provide training to foreign nationals re-
garding law enforcement, the rule of law, or profes-
sional military education; 
(4) support appropriate local organizations, es-
pecially women’s peace building organizations; 
(5) support the training, education, and mobili-
zation 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 in-
clusive of the experiences and perspectives of women 
and girls; 
(7) expand and apply gender analysis to im-
prove program design and targeting; and 
(8) conduct assessments that include the per-
spectives of women before implementing new 
projects or activities in support of peace negotia-
tions, transitional justice and accountability, efforts 
to counter violent extremism, or security sector re-
form. 
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