[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 91 (Monday, June 24, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5027-S5028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 184--RECOGNIZING REFUGEE WOMEN AND GIRLS ON WORLD 
                              REFUGEE DAY

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Cardin, 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:

                              S. Res. 184

       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;

[[Page S5028]]

       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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