Title: Affirming the role of the United States in eliminating sexual violence in conflict.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution affirms the leadership and commitment of the U.S. government in efforts to prevent conflict-related sexual violence and to support and protect survivors of such violence.
The resolution calls on the United States to ensure mechanisms to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable are included in peacebuilding resolutions, and that women participate fully in such peace processes in accordance with the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1210 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1210

Affirming the role of the United States in eliminating sexual violence 
                              in conflict.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 28, 2022

  Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Waltz, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. 
Houlahan, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Titus, 
  Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Norton, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Johnson of 
  Georgia, Ms. Jacobs of California, Ms. Speier, and Ms. Jackson Lee) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Affirming the role of the United States in eliminating sexual violence 
                              in conflict.

Whereas sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war throughout history, 
        whether to subjugate, terrorize, or ethnically cleanse populations;
Whereas the term ``conflict-related sexual violence'' refers to rape, sexual 
        slavery, forced prostitution, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, 
        forced marriage, and any other form of sexual violence that is directly 
        or indirectly linked to a conflict;
Whereas conflict-related sexual violence directly correlates with the resurgence 
        of hostilities, militarization, the proliferation of small arms and 
        light weapons, mass population displacement, the rise of violent 
        extremism, the collapse of the rule of law and social support systems;
Whereas conflict-related sexual violence has been considered a war crime, crime 
        against humanity, and an act of genocide and torture under international 
        jurisprudence;
Whereas despite the numerous international resolutions, conventions, and 
        treaties, sexual violence continues to occur in many conflicts across 
        the world with almost total impunity;
Whereas, in 2021, 3,293 verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence were 
        committed, 800 more than in 2020, representing a significant increase;
Whereas substantial gaps remain in the areas of prevention, accountability, and 
        compliance;
Whereas many prescribed prevention measures are inadequately implemented and 
        enforced;
Whereas when perpetrators go unpunished, they are emboldened to strike again, 
        perpetuating and encouraging vicious cycles of sexual violence even when 
        a country emerges from conflict;
Whereas rendering justice to the victims is a precondition for reconciliation 
        and peace to take hold;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global spike in gender-based violence and 
        increased challenges to accessing services for survivors of conflict-
        related sexual violence;
Whereas the lockdowns, curfews, quarantines, and pandemic-related mobility 
        restrictions compounded the chronic underreporting of conflict-related 
        sexual violence and further complicated the pursuit of justice and 
        redress as the work of investigators, judges, prosecutors, and lawyers 
        was impacted;
Whereas women and girls in congested refugee and displacement settings were 
        among the hardest hit by the intersecting crises of COVID-19 and 
        conflict, facing elevated risks of sexual violence, child marriage, 
        exploitation, and trafficking, a situation that was exacerbated by an 
        overall decline in humanitarian reach and resources;
Whereas an individual's gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, socioeconomic 
        status, or displacement status may increase their vulnerability to 
        becoming a victim of conflict-related sexual violence;
Whereas harmful cultural and social norms related to honor, shame, victim 
        blaming, and gender discrimination persist as both a root cause of 
        sexual violence and an obstacle to effective prevention and response 
        efforts;
Whereas conflict-related sexual violence is also targeted at men and boys;
Whereas a staggering number of children living in conflict areas are living near 
        armed groups that perpetrate sexual violence;
Whereas, since 2006, more than 20,000 cases of conflict-related sexual violence 
        were perpetrated against children;
Whereas sexual violence against children can be especially damaging to their 
        physical and mental health, both in the near- and long-term, and can 
        prevent them from reaching their full potential;
Whereas access to safe and effective emergency health care, clinics and 
        shelters, reporting mechanisms, justice, and redress for victims are 
        essential to eliminating sexual violence in times of conflict;
Whereas the United States recognizes that successfully eliminating conflict-
        related sexual violence requires meaningful inclusion of women in peace 
        and security processes;
Whereas the United States continues to serve as a global leader in efforts to 
        promote and elevate the women's participation in economic, civic, and 
        security decisionmaking and peace processes; and
Whereas, in 2015, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 19 of each 
        year the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in 
        Conflict to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-
        related sexual violence, to honor the victims and survivors, and to pay 
        tribute to all those who have devoted their lives to standing up for the 
        eradication of these crimes: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms the leadership and commitment of the United 
        States Government in efforts to prevent conflict-related sexual 
        violence to support and protect survivors of, conflict-related 
        sexual violence;
            (2) calls on the United States to ensure mechanisms to hold 
        perpetrators of sexual violence accountable are included in 
        peacebuilding resolutions, and that women participate fully in 
        such peace processes in accordance with the Women, Peace, and 
        Security Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-68);
            (3) calls on the Secretary of State and the Administrator 
        of the United States Agency for International Development to 
        commit to strengthening legal reforms and justice for all 
        conflict-related sexual violence survivors, including as part 
        of transitional justice processes, while also advocating for 
        women's safe and meaningful participation in such processes;
            (4) recognizes that no peace agreement can be comprehensive 
        if the weapon of conflict-related sexual violence continues 
        unchecked; and
            (5) stands in solidarity with the survivors of conflict-
        related sexual violence, and those working to support them, to 
        ensure they are not forgotten.
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