IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1676 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 2010 Mr. Carnahan (for himself, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, and Mr. Delahunt) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Recognizing the 10th anniversary of the unanimous adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security.

Whereas October 31, 2010, marks the 10th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 calls for “the participation of women at all levels of decision-making; the protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence; the prevention of violence against women through the promotion of women’s rights, accountability and law enforcement; and the main­stream­ing of gender perspectives in peace operations”; Whereas the objectives of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 include involving women in conflict resolution, peace-building and peacekeeping efforts, protecting women in emergency and humanitarian situations, identifying sexual violence as a tool of war constituting a crime against humanity, strengthening women’s rights nationally and internationally, and incorporating the specific needs of women and girls into policy development and implementation; Whereas it is the position of the supporters of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 that it is essential for women to have a voice in decision making, and to be involved in conflict prevention, peace-making, and post conflict reconstruction as planners, implementers, and beneficiaries; Whereas the United States is a strong advocate of these principles and helped to secure United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, and subsequent resolutions 1820, 1888, and 1889, addressing gender-based violence and women’s participation in peace and reconstruction efforts as key components to lasting peace and security; Whereas President Obama’s National Security Strategy states that “experience shows that countries are more peaceful and prosperous when women are accorded full and equal rights and opportunity. . . . Furthermore, women and girls often disproportionately bear the burden of crises and conflict”; Whereas women involved in peace-building and decision-making activities develop leadership and other skills that also benefit them and contribute to more prosperous, more open societies in peacetime; Whereas the ten-year anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 provides an opportunity to assess the implementation of the goals of the Resolution over the past decade; Whereas the United States Government has been and continues to be committed to involving women in peace processes; Whereas countries in which women are oppressed and their human rights are denied also pose the greatest threats to international peace and security; Whereas in 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed that women have the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives, and women’s perspective and experiences are critical to stability and inclusive governance; Whereas the third United Nations Millennium Development Goal, to end poverty by 2015, is to promote gender equality and empower women, and all 8 Millennium Development Goals set universal targets for key issues in which women are disproportionately affected; Whereas the United States strategy for implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 involves working with governments of conflict areas to include women in peace-building, advocate for the concerns of women and families in peace and reconstruction efforts, include United States women in peace negotiations, engage nontraditional allies to prevent the isolation and oppression of women and girls, work with security forces, humanitarian actors, and United Nations peacekeepers to ensure that women and girls are protected from gender and sexually based violence and other violence, and partner with governments and civil society to strengthen judicial systems and ensure accountability and prosecute criminals; Whereas stabilization, peace-building, and reconciliation also include providing equal access to education, health care, political office, and economic and financial opportunities; Whereas women’s right are human rights and women’s progress is human progress; Whereas engaging men and boys in the effort to empower women and educating them on the universal benefits of gender equality is essential and male partnership has grown in the last 10 years; Whereas in 2009, the Obama administration created the White House Council on Women and Girls to promote the importance of the role of women and girls globally and focus on effective gender integrated strategies to address critical challenges; Whereas in 2009, the Office of Global Women’s Issues was established within the United States Department of State to promote the political, economic, and social empowerment of women; Whereas in 2010, the United Nations consolidated 4 agencies focused on women’s issues into the new Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women: United Nations Women, in order to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide; Whereas governmental and nongovernmental programs, grants, and initiatives to empower women globally, in the spirit of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, have increased significantly in the last 10 years; Whereas examples of successful United States Government programs focused on women and girls are present in countries such as Ecuador, Burundi, India, Namibia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Thailand, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and many others; and Whereas the United States Armed Forces has also incorporated programs focused on female engagement to strengthen relations with Afghan and Iraqi women: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes the 10th anniversary of the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; (2)recognizes the continued need for gender equality as a key strategic tool to ensure international security and prosperity, the positive contributions of women and girls worldwide toward these efforts, and the importance of emphasizing the image of women and girls as partners, leaders, and agents of change; (3)recognizes the dedicated work of United States officials, the United States Armed Forces, United Nations agencies, and international and nongovernmental organizations in advancing the goals and ideals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; and (4)reaffirms its strong commitment to advancing the goals and ideals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.