[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 465 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 465

Commending the efforts of women in the Republic of Colombia to promote 
                                 peace.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 24, 2004

Mr. McGovern (for himself, Ms. Schakowsky, and Mr. Honda) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Commending the efforts of women in the Republic of Colombia to promote 
                                 peace.

Whereas women comprise 51 percent of the population of the Republic of Colombia;
Whereas women represent the majority of the 2.5 million internally displaced 
        persons (IDPs) in Colombia, and women head more than 30 percent of IDP 
        households;
Whereas armed actors have threatened and assassinated leaders of organizations 
        working for peace, human rights, and stability in Colombia;
Whereas sexual violence and other forms of abuse have been used as weapons of 
        war against women in Colombia;
Whereas women in Colombia are taking leadership roles for peace at the local 
        level, establishing informal agreements with armed actors, and forming 
        ``peace zones'' to protect their communities;
Whereas women in Colombia represent diverse political parties and views, and are 
        involved in governmental and nongovernmental leadership positions at the 
        municipal, departmental, and national level;
Whereas women throughout Colombia are leading demands for an end to violence and 
        a return to dialogue and negotiation;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) mandates the 
        participation of women in peace processes and the representation of 
        women at all decisionmaking levels for the prevention, management, and 
        resolution of conflict; and
Whereas paragraph 2(h) of the Declaration of the Special Conference on Security 
        (2003) issued by the Organization of American States reaffirms the need 
        to increase the decisionmaking roles of women in conflict prevention, 
        management, and resolution, and to integrate a gender perspective in 
        matters of hemispheric security: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) commends the efforts by women and civil society in the 
        Republic of Colombia to mitigate violence in their communities, 
        to advocate for a negotiated solution to conflict, and to 
        develop a common agenda for peace;
            (2) reaffirms the importance of including the expertise, 
        knowledge, and experiences of women in Colombia in formal and 
        informal peace dialogues, negotiations, and in decisionmaking 
        roles to resolve conflict and promote peace and security in 
        Colombia, including the participation of women as planners, 
        implementers, and beneficiaries of disarmament, demobilization, 
        and reintegration programs and security policies in Colombia;
            (3) supports the protection of women and their 
        organizations and the defense of fundamental human rights in 
        Colombia; and
            (4) calls on the Department of State, including United 
        States Agency for International Development, the Department of 
        Defense, and other appropriate Federal departments and agencies 
        to integrate a gender perspective in United States policies, 
        programs, and activities regarding the situation in Colombia 
        and to support through funding, training, networking 
        opportunities, and other activities the efforts by women in 
        Colombia to promote peace, respect for human rights, and an end 
        to conflict and violence in Colombia.
                                 <all>