Equal Rights and Access for the Women of South Sudan Act
Bill: H.R.116 | Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila (D-TX)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Equal Rights and Access for the Women of South Sudan Act
This bill requires that activities carried out by the United States in South Sudan relating to governance, post-conflict reconstruction and development, police and military training, or refugee relief and assistance support the human rights of women and their full political, social, and economic participation.

To require that activities carried out by the United States in South 
   Sudan relating to governance, reconstruction and development, and 
 refugee relief and assistance support the basic human rights of women 
        and women's participation and leadership in these areas.

    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 ``Equal Rights and Access for the 
Women of South Sudan Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Despite the 2011 referendum for secession that 
        established the independent state of South Sudan, South 
        Sudanese women continue to experience brutal violation of their 
        human rights.
            (2) Strong and continued United States support can ensure 
        that the advances made by South Sudanese women since July 2011 
        when the Republic of South Sudan gained its independence will 
        continue and grow, rather than recede.
            (3) The United States has made a substantial contribution 
        to the emergency relief and humanitarian efforts for South 
        Sudan. Completing the United States mission in South Sudan will 
        also require significant and long-term investments in 
        development and reconstruction assistance.
            (4) An inadequate healthcare system has resulted in high 
        maternal and infant mortality rates. The maternal mortality 
        rate is 1,054 deaths per 100,000 live births, making it one of 
        the highest in the world.
            (5) South Sudan faces many difficulties with its lack of 
        infrastructure and lacks significant human development factors, 
        which can further marginalize women.
            (6) Over 80 percent of women and girls in South Sudan are 
        illiterate, and thus it is imperative to both secure and inform 
        women's rights within the national development.
            (7) With the assistance of internal aid and the 
        proliferation of local women's organizations, women's equality 
        can be integrated into South Sudan's nation-building efforts.
            (8) South Sudan has made gains in incorporating women into 
        the new regime with efforts such as inclusion in the 
        legislative assembly, thus additional support from the United 
        States serves to reinforce these ideals and implementations.
            (9) The women of South Sudan are taking the initiative to 
        reach across the conflict divide and foster peace. Women's 
        perspectives and experiences in seeking solutions to conflicts 
        are necessary to ensure lasting peace.
            (10) Adequate security in both urban and rural areas, 
        particularly on military borders, is essential if women and 
        girls are to exercise their human rights, work, attend school, 
        and otherwise participate in and benefit from humanitarian and 
        development programs sponsored by the United States.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO UNITED STATES ACTIVITIES RELATING TO 
              SOUTH SUDAN.

    (a) In General.--Activities described in subsections (b) through 
(e) that are carried out by the United States in South Sudan shall 
comply with the applicable requirements contained in such subsections.
    (b) Governance of South Sudan.--With respect to the governance of 
South Sudan, the applicable requirements are the following:
            (1) Include the perspectives and advice from South Sudanese 
        women's organizations, networks, and leaders in United States 
        policymaking related to the governance of South Sudan.
            (2) Promote the inclusion of a significant number of women 
        in the National Legislature and future legislative bodies to 
        ensure that women's full range of human rights are included and 
        upheld in any constitution or legal structures of South Sudan.
            (3) Promote the continuation and strengthening of the 
        rights of women as the South Sudan Government transitions to a 
        long-term government structure, and encourage the appointment 
        of women to high-level positions within South Sudanese 
        Government.
    (c) Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development.--With respect to 
activities relating to post-conflict stability in South Sudan, the 
applicable requirements are the following:
            (1) Ensure that a significant portion of United States 
        development, humanitarian, and relief assistance is channeled 
        to local and United States-based South Sudanese organizations, 
        particularly South Sudanese women's organizations. Provide 
        technical assistance, training, and capacity-building for local 
        organizations to ensure that United States-funded efforts will 
        be both effective and sustainable.
            (2) Encourage United States organizations that receive 
        funds authorized by this Act to partner with or create South 
        Sudanese-led counterpart organizations and provide these 
        organizations with significant financial resources, technical 
        assistance, and capacity building.
            (3) Provide direct financial and programmatic assistance to 
        the Ministry of Women's Affairs adequate to ensure that the 
        Ministry is able to fulfill its mandate.
            (4) Promote multiyear women-centered economic development 
        programs, including programs to assist widows, female heads of 
        household, women in rural areas, and disabled women.
            (5) Increase women's access to or ownership of productive 
        assets such as land, water, agricultural inputs, credit, and 
        property.
            (6) Provide long-term financial assistance for primary, 
        secondary, higher, nontraditional, and vocational education for 
        South Sudanese girls, women, boys, and men.
            (7) Provide financial assistance to build the health 
        infrastructure and to deliver high-quality comprehensive health 
        care programs, including primary, maternal, child, 
        reproductive, and mental health care.
            (8) Integrate education and training programs for former 
        combatants with economic development programs to encourage 
        their reintegration into society and to promote post-conflict 
        stability.
            (9) Provide assistance to rehabilitate children affected by 
        the conflict, particularly child soldiers.
            (10) Support educational efforts to increase awareness with 
        respect to landmines, facilitate the removal of landmines, and 
        provide services to individuals with disabilities caused by 
        landmines.
            (11) Include programs to prevent trafficking in persons, 
        assist victims, and apprehend and prosecute traffickers in 
        persons.
    (d) South Sudanese Military and Police.--With respect to training 
for military and police forces in South Sudan, the applicable 
requirements are the following:
            (1) Include training on the protection, rights, and the 
        particular needs of women and emphasize that violations of 
        women's rights are intolerable and should be prosecuted.
            (2) Encourage such trainers who will carry out the 
        activities in paragraph (1) to consult with women's 
        organizations in South Sudan to ensure that training content 
        and materials are adequate, appropriate, and comprehensive.
    (e) Relief, Resettlement, and Repatriation of Refugees and the 
Internally Displaced.--With respect to the relief, resettlement, and 
repatriation of refugees and internally displaced in South Sudan, the 
applicable requirements are the following:
            (1) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women refugees 
        and internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages 
        are directly receiving food aid, shelter, relief supplies, and 
        other services from United States-sponsored programs.
            (2) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women refugees 
        in camps, urban areas, and villages are accessing high-quality 
        health and medical services, including primary, maternal, 
        child, and mental health services.
            (3) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women and 
        children in refugee camps are protected from sexual 
        exploitation.
            (4) Take all necessary steps to ensure refugees and 
        internally displaced persons that seek to return to their place 
        of origin can do so voluntarily, safely, and with the full 
        protection of their rights. United States-sponsored efforts 
        shall not coerce refugees or internally displaced persons to 
        return to their places of origin.

SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the President shall prepare and transmit to 
Congress a report that contains documentation of the progress in 
implementing the requirements of section 3. All data shall be 
disaggregated by sex.
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