[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 184 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 184

       Recognizing refugee women and girls on World Refugee Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2013

Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
 Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Warren, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. 
  Feinstein, Ms. Heitkamp, and Ms. Stabenow) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Recognizing refugee women and girls on World Refugee Day.

Whereas June 20 was established by the United Nations as World Refugee Day, a 
        global day to honor the courage, strength, and determination of women, 
        men, and children who are forced to flee their homes under threat of 
        conflict, violence, and persecution;
Whereas, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for 
        Refugees (in this preamble referred to as the ``UNHCR''), there are more 
        than 43,000,000 displaced people worldwide, including more than 
        15,000,000 refugees;
Whereas, according to the UNHCR, women and girls make up at least 50 percent of 
        any refugee population;
Whereas refugee women and girls work every day, often under the most difficult 
        circumstances, to care for their families, improve their prospects and 
        build a better future;
Whereas refugee women and girls are often at greater risk of sexual violence and 
        exploitation, forced or early marriage, human trafficking, and other 
        forms of gender-based violence;
Whereas refugee women and girls face barriers in accessing education, 
        healthcare, and economic opportunities in countries of asylum;
Whereas, according to the UNHCR, more than 1,600,000 refugees, \3/4\ of which 
        are women and children, have fled the ongoing violence in Syria;
Whereas, according to the UNHCR, an estimated 2,700,000 people in the Democratic 
        Republic of the Congo have been displaced, and an additional nearly 
        500,000 Congolese refugees have crossed the border into neighboring 
        countries;
Whereas refugee women and girls are frequently victims of gender-based violence 
        as their displaced status puts them at greater risk, coupled with 
        intense social and cultural stigmas that make actual statistics 
        extremely difficult to compile because underreporting is endemic;
Whereas refugee women and girls have a right to safe and equitable access to 
        humanitarian assistance, including food and cooking fuel, shelter, 
        education, health care, and economic opportunity;
Whereas the full and meaningful participation of refugee women and girls in 
        community decision-making is critical to the stability, security, and 
        prosperity of entire communities;
Whereas the full participation of refugee women and girls in the design and 
        implementation of assistance programs is vital to ensuring that those 
        programs are equitable, efficient and successful;
Whereas the United States is a leader on protection of and humanitarian 
        assistance for refugees, including refugee women and girls;
Whereas the United States has recognized the threat that gender-based violence 
        can pose to refugee women and girls by working to strengthen efforts to 
        protect them through the United States National Action Plan on Women, 
        Peace, and Security;
Whereas the United States is a leading advocate for the meaningful participation 
        of refugee women in humanitarian programs, peace processes, governance, 
        and recovery programs;
Whereas the United States provides critical resources and support to the UNHCR 
        and other international and nongovernmental organizations working with 
        refugees around the world; and
Whereas the United States has welcomed more than 3,000,000 refugees during the 
        last 30 years, who are resettled in communities across the country: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of World Refugee Day;
            (2) reaffirms its commitment to the protection, well-being, 
        and self-reliance of refugee women and girls and their families 
        in United States humanitarian policy, programs, and diplomacy 
        and recognizes the work of the United States Department of 
        State and the United States Agency for International 
        Development to this end;
            (3) emphasizes the importance of ensuring that humanitarian 
        assistance programs supported by the United States provide safe 
        and equitable access for women and girls and are designed and 
        implemented with their full participation;
            (4) reiterates the importance of targeted programs for 
        refugee women and girls that prevent and respond to gender-
        based violence, support self-reliance, and promote and develop 
        their participation and leadership skills;
            (5) recognizes the work of the Bureau of Population, 
        Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, the Office 
        of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the 
        Department of Homeland Security, nongovernmental organizations, 
        advocacy groups, and communities across the United States in 
        welcoming and resettling refugees in the United States;
            (6) celebrates the invaluable contributions that refugee 
        women and girls make to their families and communities; and
            (7) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        World Refugee Day with appropriate programs and activities.
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