IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 842 
Condemning the sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls 
in Ethiopia and emphasizing the urgent demand for humanitarian re-
sponses to meet their needs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 7, 2021 
Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. BASS, Ms. JA-
COBS of California, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Ms. TITUS, 
Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. 
MALONEY of New York, Mr. CARSON, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. SHERRILL, 
Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. EVANS, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. 
GARAMENDI, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. WELCH, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. 
TLAIB, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. MENG, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. GARCIA of 
Texas, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. TORRES of New York, 
Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. PINGREE, 
Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. 
PHILLIPS, Mr. CORREA, Ms. HOULAHAN, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Ms. 
SA´NCHEZ, Mr. GREEN
of Texas, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, and Ms. 
ESCOBAR) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Condemning the sexual and gender-based violence against 
women and girls in Ethiopia and emphasizing the urgent 
demand for humanitarian responses to meet their needs. 
Whereas the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia that began 
in the Tigray region is impacting safety, health, and 
human rights, particularly that of women and girls, and 
exacerbating underlying gender inequality; 
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•HRES 842 IH 
Whereas, in January 2021, the United Nations Special Rep-
resentative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence 
in Conflict called on all parties involved in hostilities in 
Tigray to commit to a zero-tolerance policy for crimes of 
sexual violence, in line with their obligations under inter-
national humanitarian and human rights law; 
Whereas parties to the conflict include the Ethiopian Na-
tional Defense Forces, the Eritrean Defense Forces, re-
gional forces from Amhara and other regional states of 
Ethiopia, and forces aligned with the Tigray People’s 
Liberation Front; 
Whereas, in January 2021, the United Nations Special Rep-
resentative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence 
in Conflict called on the Ethiopian Government to exer-
cise due diligence obligations to protect all civilians from 
sexual and other violence, allow for an independent in-
quiry into all allegations of sexual and other forms of vio-
lence, hold perpetrators accountable, provide redress to 
victims, and prevent future violations; 
Whereas the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for 
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator 
briefed the United Nations Security Council in April 
2021 that sexual violence was being used as a weapon of 
war in the Tigray region; 
Whereas, in April 2021, the United Nations Special Rep-
resentative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence 
in Conflict confirmed accounts of sexual violence per-
petrated by armed combatants, including— 
(1) the systematic use of rape and sexual assault; 
(2) holding women and girls captive for days and re-
peatedly assaulting them; 
(3) targeting young girls and pregnant women; and 
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