On June 16, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved, by voice vote, the Women, Peace, and Security Act (H.R. 5332). The committee held a hearing on female participation in peace negotiations in March (see The Source, 3/25/16).
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), would ensure, as a matter of U.S. policy, the participation of women in negotiations and mediation to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict. The bill would require the development of a government-wide strategy, known as the Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, to implement the policy.
