On May 25, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the Women, Peace, and Security Act, S. 1141 and H.R. 2484, respectively.
The bills, sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), find that although women are underrepresented in conflict prevention and resolution and peace-building, they have been successful in moderating extremism, countering terrorism, resolving disputes nonviolently, and stabilizing societies.
Among other provisions, the legislation would require the United States to promote, as a matter of foreign policy, the “meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts.”
