An act to ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful participation of women in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict
PL 115-68 (S.1141), enacted 10/06/2017

131 STAT. 1202 
PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 
Public Law 115–68 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful participation of women 
in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve 
violent conflict. 
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 ‘‘Women, Peace, and Security 
Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Around the world, women remain under-represented 
in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict peace 
building efforts. 
(2) Women in conflict-affected regions have achieved signifi-
cant 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 processes. 
(3) Research suggests that peace negotiations are more 
likely to succeed and to result in durable peace agreements 
when women participate in the peace process. 
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 societies and is critical to the 
long-term stability of countries and regions; 
(2) the political participation, and leadership of women 
in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transi-
tions, is critical to sustaining lasting democratic institutions; 
and 
(3) 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. 
22 USC 2151 
note. 
Women, Peace, 
and Security Act 
of 2017. 
Oct. 6, 2017 
[S. 1141] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
13:12 Jul 14, 2023
Jkt 069194
PO 00000
Frm 00360
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2017\PT1\RENAMED 32-90\69194PT1.003
69194PT1
jmbennett on LAPBW6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
131 STAT. 1203 
PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It shall be the policy of the United States to promote the 
meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict 
prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief 
and recovery efforts, reinforced through diplomatic efforts and pro-
grams that— 
(1) integrate the perspectives and interests of affected 
women into conflict-prevention activities and strategies; 
(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 security, 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 purpose of 
developing and enhancing early warning systems 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 the efforts related to 
each strategy submitted under section 5 and the impact of 
such efforts. 
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE PARTICIPATION 
OF 
WOMEN 
IN 
CONFLICT 
PREVENTION 
AND 
PEACE 
BUILDING. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and again four years thereafter, 
the President, in consultation with the heads of the relevant Federal 
departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees and make publicly available a single government- 
wide strategy, to be known as the Women, Peace, and Security 
Strategy, that provides a detailed description of how the United 
States intends to fulfill the policy objectives in section 4. The 
strategy shall— 
(1) support and be aligned with plans developed by other 
countries to improve the meaningful participation of women 
in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace 
building, transitional processes, and decisionmaking institu-
tions; and 
(2) include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks, 
performance metrics, timetables, and monitoring and evaluation 
plans to ensure the accountability and effectiveness of all poli-
cies and initiatives carried out under the strategy. 
(b) SPECIFIC PLANS FOR DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—Each 
strategy under subsection (a) shall include a specific implementation 
plan from each of the relevant Federal departments and agencies 
that describes— 
(1) the anticipated contributions of the department or 
agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind contributions, 
to implement the strategy; and 
(2) the efforts of the department or agency to ensure that 
the policies and initiatives carried out pursuant to the strategy 
are designed to achieve maximum impact and long-term 
sustainability. 
Deadlines. 
President. 
Consultation. 
Public 
information. 
22 USC 2152j-1. 
22 USC 2152j. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
13:12 Jul 14, 2023
Jkt 069194
PO 00000
Frm 00361
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2017\PT1\RENAMED 32-90\69194PT1.003
69194PT1
jmbennett on LAPBW6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
131 STAT. 1204 
PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 
(c) COORDINATION.—The President should promote the mean-
ingful participation of women in conflict prevention, in coordination 
and consultation with international partners, including, as appro-
priate, multilateral organizations, stakeholders, and other relevant 
international organizations, particularly in situations in which the 
direct engagement of the United States Government is not appro-
priate or advisable. 
(d) SENSE
OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that 
the President, in implementing each strategy submitted under sub-
section (a), should— 
(1) provide technical assistance, training, and logistical sup-
port to female negotiators, mediators, peace builders, and stake-
holders; 
(2) address security-related barriers to the meaningful 
participation of women; 
(3) encourage increased participation of women in existing 
programs funded by the United States Government that provide 
training to foreign nationals regarding law enforcement, the 
rule of law, or professional military education; 
(4) support appropriate local organizations, especially 
women’s peace building organizations; 
(5) support the training, education, and mobilization of 
men and boys as partners in support of the meaningful partici-
pation of women; 
(6) encourage the development of transitional justice and 
accountability mechanisms that are inclusive of the experiences 
and perspectives of women and girls; 
(7) expand and apply gender analysis, as appropriate, to 
improve program design and targeting; and 
(8) conduct assessments that include the perspectives of 
women regarding new initiatives in support of peace negotia-
tions, transitional justice and accountability, efforts to counter 
violent extremism, or security sector reform. 
SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION 
OF 
WOMEN 
IN 
CONFLICT 
PREVENTION 
AND 
PEACE 
BUILDING. 
(a) FOREIGN SERVICE.—The Secretary of State, in conjunction 
with the Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development, shall ensure that all appropriate personnel 
(including special envoys, members of mediation or negotiation 
teams, relevant members of the civil service or Foreign Service, 
and contractors) responsible for or deploying to countries or regions 
considered to be at risk of, undergoing, or emerging from violent 
conflict obtain training, as appropriate, in the following areas, each 
of which shall include a focus on women and ensuring meaningful 
participation by women: 
(1) Conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution. 
(2) Protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and traf-
ficking in persons. 
(3) International human rights law and international 
humanitarian law. 
(b) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that relevant personnel receive training, as appropriate, 
in the following areas: 
(1) Training in conflict prevention, peace processes, mitiga-
tion, resolution, and security initiatives that specifically 
22 USC 2152j-2. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
13:12 Jul 14, 2023
Jkt 069194
PO 00000
Frm 00362
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2017\PT1\RENAMED 32-90\69194PT1.003
69194PT1
jmbennett on LAPBW6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
131 STAT. 1205 
PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 
addresses the importance of meaningful participation by 
women. 
(2) Gender considerations and meaningful participation by 
women, including training regarding— 
(A) international human rights law and international 
humanitarian law, as relevant; and 
(B) protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and 
trafficking in persons. 
(3) Effective strategies and best practices for ensuring 
meaningful participation by women. 
SEC. 7. CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State and the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Development may 
establish guidelines or take other steps to ensure overseas United 
States personnel of the Department of State or the United States 
Agency for International Development, as the case may be, consult 
with appropriate stakeholders, including local women, youth, ethnic, 
and religious minorities, and other politically under-represented 
or marginalized populations, regarding United States efforts to— 
(1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and 
(2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation proc-
esses by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 
(b) COLLABORATION
AND
COORDINATION.—The Secretary of 
State should work with international, regional, national, and local 
organizations to increase the meaningful participation of women 
in international peacekeeping operations, and should promote 
training that provides international peacekeeping personnel with 
the substantive knowledge and skills needed to ensure effective 
physical security and meaningful participation of women in conflict 
prevention and peace building. 
SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
first submission of a strategy required under section 5, the Secretary 
of State, in conjunction with the Administrator of the United States 
Agency for International Development and the Secretary of Defense, 
shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on existing, 
enhanced, or newly established training carried out pursuant to 
section 6. 
(b) REPORT
ON WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY STRATEGY.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the submission of each 
strategy required under section 5, the President shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report that— 
(1) summarizes and evaluates the implementation of such 
strategy and the impact of United States diplomatic efforts 
and foreign assistance programs, projects, and activities to pro-
mote the meaningful participation of women; 
(2) describes the nature and extent of the coordination 
among the relevant Federal departments and agencies on the 
implementation of such strategy; 
(3) outlines the monitoring and evaluation tools, mecha-
nisms, and common indicators to assess progress made on 
the policy objectives set forth in section 4; and 
(4) describes the existing, enhanced, or newly established 
training carried out pursuant to section 6. 
President. 
22 USC 2152j-3. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
13:12 Jul 14, 2023
Jkt 069194
PO 00000
Frm 00363
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2017\PT1\RENAMED 32-90\69194PT1.003
69194PT1
jmbennett on LAPBW6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
131 STAT. 1206 
PUBLIC LAW 115–68—OCT. 6, 2017 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1141 (H.R. 2484): 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–93 (Comm. on Foreign Relations). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 
Aug. 3, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 25, considered and passed House. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appro-
priations of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations 
of the of the House of Representatives. 
(2) RELEVANT FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—The 
term ‘‘relevant Federal departments and agencies’’ means— 
(A) the United States Agency for International 
Development; 
(B) the Department of State; 
(C) the Department of Defense; 
(D) the Department of Homeland Security; and 
(E) any other department or agency specified by the 
President for purposes of this Act. 
(3) STAKEHOLDERS.—The term ‘‘stakeholders’’ means non- 
governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected 
by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, protec-
tion, security, transition initiatives, humanitarian response, or 
related efforts. 
Approved October 6, 2017. 
22 USC 2152j-4. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
13:12 Jul 14, 2023
Jkt 069194
PO 00000
Frm 00364
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
G:\STATUTES\2017\PT1\RENAMED 32-90\69194PT1.003
69194PT1
jmbennett on LAPBW6H6L3PROD with STATUTES