Bill Summary
The "Women and Countering Violent Extremism Act of 2019" is a comprehensive piece of legislation that aims to recognize and promote the important roles of women in preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism. It authorizes assistance to women-led and women's empowerment organizations and requires a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy to be included in the annual strategy report. It also requires research on the intersection of gender and terrorism and an annual gender analysis to be included in country reports on terrorism. This section of the legislation also defines key terms used throughout the Act, including "countering violent extremism" and "terrorism," and specifies which congressional committees are included in the Act's requirements.
Possible Impacts
1. Women-led and women's empowerment organizations will receive assistance and support through the implementation of this legislation, potentially leading to greater representation and opportunities for women in preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism.
2. The annual gender analysis included in the country reports on terrorism will provide important information on the impact of terrorism on women and how they can be better supported in efforts to counter it.
3. Through the inclusion of a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy in the annual strategy report and the requirement for research on the intersection of gender and terrorism, women's roles in preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism will be recognized and addressed.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1653 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1653
To ensure that the United States recognizes women's varied roles in all
aspects of violent extremism and terrorism and promotes their
meaningful participation as full partners in all efforts to prevent and
counter violent extremism and terrorism, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2019
Ms. Frankel (for herself, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Keating, Mr. Wilson of South
Carolina, Ms. Spanberger, Mr. Zeldin, Ms. Meng, Ms. Houlahan, Mr.
Cohen, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the
Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that the United States recognizes women's varied roles in all
aspects of violent extremism and terrorism and promotes their
meaningful participation as full partners in all efforts to prevent and
counter violent extremism and terrorism, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Women and Countering Violent
Extremism Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Women play diverse roles in violent extremist
organizations, including as victims, perpetrators, and
preventers.
(2) Extremist groups benefit strategically and financially
from the subjugation of women. Terrorist groups violate the
rights of women and girls, from sexual enslavement and forced
marriages to limiting their access to education and public
life. Violent extremist groups have used women and girls as
rewards for new recruits and as part of their recruitment
efforts. According to the 2016 U.S. State Department's Country
Reports on Terrorism, ``In 2015 and 2016, ISIS abducted,
systematically raped, and abused thousands of women and
children [in Iraq and Syria], some as young as eight years of
age. Women and children were sold and enslaved, distributed to
ISIS fighters as spoils of war, forced into marriage and
domestic servitude, or subjected to physical and sexual
abuse.''. In northern Nigeria, Boko Haram has kidnapped and
subjected thousands of women and girls to physical abuse,
forced labor, forced marriage and sexual abuse.
(3) As perpetrators of violent extremism and terrorism,
women adopt all roles, including as informants, facilitators,
recruiters, and suicide bombers. Empowering women may diminish
their support for violent extremist organizations by increasing
their sense of agency.
(4) Seeing women as partners empowers them to detect early
signs of radicalization, intervening before individuals become
violent and delegitimizing violent extremist narratives.
Analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations concluded that,
``Anti-terrorism messages are disseminated quite effectively
throughout families and communities by women, who can challenge
extremist narratives in homes, schools and social environments,
and have particular influence among youth populations.''.
(5) Extremist groups take strategic advantage of the
relative absence of women in police and military forces. As
security officials, women provide distinct insights,
information, and analyses that can be mission-critical in
keeping the peace. They may have access to populations and
sites that men do not, allowing them to gather critical
intelligence about potential security threats.
(6) Research has demonstrated a relationship between the
security of women and the security of states. According to a
Texas A&M study, less empowerment for women in the household
correlates with less stability nationwide, measured by
political instability, lack of freedoms, autocracy, corruption,
and internal conflict. Countries where women are less empowered
at the household level are also more likely to produce foreign
fighters going to territory controlled by terrorist
organizations.
(7) Counterterrorism policy has not been as effective at
understanding how women can improve security efforts. According
to the June 2016 U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and
Security, ``A narrow understanding of women's roles in CVE
[countering violent extremism] limits policy options and
perpetuates strategic blind spots, such as failing to recognize
women's agency as potential mitigators and perpetrators of
violence.''.
(8) According to a 2015 United States Agency for
International Development study of women's participation in
violent extremism, there has been ``a marked gap in CVE
[countering violent extremism] programming, which has focused
mostly on male participation, without a commensurate reflection
on and response to female-specific drivers and recruitment
strategies.''.
(9) The ``Department of State & USAID Joint Strategy on
Countering Violent Extremism'', dated May 2016, notes that
``women can play a critical role in identifying and addressing
drivers of violent extremism in their families, communities,
and broader society''; and commits to supporting programs that
engage women ``as key stakeholders in preventing and countering
violent extremism in their communities''. Women are on the
front lines of observing and countering extremist violence,
including as police officers engaging with local communities to
prevent violent extremism, imams and other religious leaders
preaching religious tolerance, and as those countering efforts
to radicalize their husbands, children, and communities.
(10) The Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (Public Law
115-68) established that ``Women in conflict-affected regions
have achieved significant success in moderating violent
extremism [and] countering terrorism.''.
(11) The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law
115-31) required the creation of a comprehensive, inter-agency
United States Government strategy to support women and girls at
risk from extremism and conflict. Congress has also allocated
$45,000,000 to support women and girls at risk from extremism
and conflict.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It shall be the policy of the United States to recognize women's
varied roles in all aspects of violent extremism and terrorism,
including as victims, perpetrators, and preventers, and to promote the
meaningful participation of women as full partners in all efforts to
prevent and counter violent extremism and terrorism.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN-LED AND WOMEN'S
EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
The President is authorized to provide assistance to non-United
States-based women-led and women's empowerment organizations in foreign
countries working on countering violent extremism and terrorism in such
countries, including for the following purposes:
(1) Supporting capacity-building efforts of such
organizations and of women preventing and countering violent
extremism and terrorism, including in the use of conflict
analysis tools and methodologies.
(2) Ensuring representation of women in working groups and
initiatives discussing countering violent extremism and
terrorism policies, strategies, and analyses, and seeking the
input of such working groups and initiatives in the design of
countering violent extremism and terrorism programs, including
policies and programs led by the security sector.
(3) Supporting projects that advance efforts to prevent or
counter violent extremism and terrorism.
(4) Encouraging national, regional, and local platforms for
information exchange between female activists from countries
facing violent extremism or terrorism so they can share
experiences and learn best practices.
SEC. 5. WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 5 of the Women, Peace,
and Security Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 2152j-1; Public Law 115-68) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) include a section on countering violent extremism and
terrorism that addresses--
``(A) women's contributions to preventing and
countering violent extremism and terrorism, including
through their community, religious, and security roles;
``(B) preventing, detecting, and countering women's
involvement in violent extremism and terrorism,
including their roles as informants, facilitators,
recruiters, and suicide bombers;
``(C) how violent extremist and terrorist groups
target women and infringe on their rights and safety,
and on the broader relationship between gender-based
violence and extremism and terrorism;
``(D) the gender dimensions of disarmament,
demobilization, and reintegration activities, including
women's positive engagement and participation in such
efforts and the disarmament of women combatants; and
``(E) such other considerations as are determined
appropriate by the President.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) of this
section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this section
and apply beginning with the first Women, Peace, and Security Strategy
that is required to be submitted pursuant to section 5 of the Women,
Peace, and Security Act of 2017 after such date of enactment.
SEC. 6. WOMEN AND GIRLS AT RISK FROM VIOLENT EXTREMISM AND CONFLICT
STRATEGY.
Paragraph (2) of section 7059(e) of the Department of State,
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017
(division J of Public Law 115-31; relating to the strategy to support
women and girls who are at risk from extremism and conflict) is amended
by inserting ``and every four years thereafter'' after ``Act''.
SEC. 7. TRAINING FOR UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
Section 6 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C.
2152j-2; Public Law 115-68) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(4) Preventing and countering violent extremism and
terrorism.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``preventing and
countering violent extremism,'' after ``resolution,''.
SEC. 8. TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall seek to increase the
participation of women receiving training under the Department of
State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) programs, with the goal of
doubling by the date that is three years after the date of the
enactment of this Act the total number of women receiving such training
as of such date of enactment.
(b) Antiterrorism Assistance.--Section 572 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2349aa-1) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) to encourage foreign countries to include women
participating in such activities.''.
SEC. 9. RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security
and the Director of National Intelligence, shall conduct research on
gender and countering violent extremism and terrorism, such as on the
following:
(1) The root and proximate causes of women's and men's
participation in terrorist and violent extremist organizations.
(2) How both violent extremism and countering violent
extremism differently impact women and girls versus men and
boys.
(3) Ways to engage women and girls who are vulnerable to
extremist and terrorist behavior.
(4) Ways women and girls can assist in identifying
individuals of concern.
(5) The intersection of violent extremism and terrorism and
the following:
(A) Gender-based violence.
(B) Women's empowerment at the household level,
such as property and inheritance rights, bride-price
and dowry, and the level of societal sanction for the
killing or harming of women.
(C) Adolescent girls' empowerment, such as the
level of early, child, and forced marriage, and of
girls' access to secondary education.
(6) Best practices to support women preventing and
countering violent extremism and terrorism.
(b) Utilization.--The Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development shall utilize the results of research required under
subsection (a) to inform programming, including by updating relevant
country, regional, and inter-agency strategies, projects, and
activities, of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and
the United States Agency for International Development, respectively.
(c) Submission to Congress.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary
of State, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development shall jointly submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the results of research required
under subsection (a).
SEC. 10. ANNUAL COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM.
Section 140 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal
Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as
subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new
subsection:
``(c) Gender Analysis.--
``(1) In general.--The report required under subsection (a)
of this section shall include, for not fewer than five foreign
countries considered in such report, a gender analysis of the
conflict drivers, power dynamics, and impacts that are relevant
to violent extremism in each such country, such as the
following:
``(A) Terrorist recruitment practices.
``(B) Drivers of radicalization.
``(C) Women's participation, status, and agency in
their homes, communities, and society, including
whether such women experience subordination, exclusion
or gender-based violence.
``(D) Access to resources and services.
``(2) Selection criteria.--Foreign countries shall be
selected for purposes of the gender analysis required under
paragraph (1) on the basis of the following:
``(A) Low levels of gender equality in such
country.
``(B) Access necessary to conduct such a gender
analysis in such country.
``(C) Engagement or attempted engagement of
organizations, including organizations led by women, to
empower women to prevent and counter violent extremism
and terrorism in such country.
``(D) Other criteria as determined by the Secretary
of State.''.
SEC. 11. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
and the Secretary of Defense, shall provide a briefing and submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation
of this Act.
(b) Public Availability.--The report required under subsection (a)
shall be posted and made available on a text-based, searchable, and
publicly available internet website.
SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee
on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security,
and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Countering violent extremism.--The term ``countering
violent extremism'' means proactive actions to counter efforts
by violent extremists to radicalize, recruit, and mobilize
followers to violence and to address specific factors that
facilitate violent extremist recruitment and radicalization to
violence.
(3) Terrorism.--The term ``terrorism'' has the meaning
given such term in subsection (d) of section 140 of the Foreign
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22
U.S.C. 2656f).
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