S.1001 - WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN CONFLICT PROTECTION ACT OF 2003

Also H.R. 2536

A bill to make the protection of women and children who are affected by a complex humanitarian emergency a priority of the United States Government, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Biden Jr., Joseph R. [DE] (introduced 5/6/2003)
Cosponsors

This bill addresses the debilitating and exploitative positions that women and children are placed into after and during wars, including internal displacement, involuntary servitude, sexual abuse and slavery, forced military inscription and loss of freedom. Traditional humanitarian response has focused on providing food and shelter, placing less emphasis on the safety and security of those affected by a humanitarian emergency, and few well-coordinated efforts exist to prevent and respond to violence against women and children as refugees or internally displaced persons.

While the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Department of State are charged with protecting refugees, there is no United States Government agency or international body with a clear mandate to protect internally displaced persons and those at risk of displacement as a result of a complex humanitarian emergency.

This bill calls for the development of an integrated strategy for the protection of women and children in these situations by accomplishing the following goals:

• ensuring that the United States Government has adequate capabilities to support programs that provide for the protection of women and children who are affected by a complex humanitarian emergency

• building the capacities of United States Government agencies, multilateral institutions, international nongovernmental organizations, local nongovernmental organizations, and local communities to prevent and respond effectively to gender-based violence and exploitation of children that occur during a complex humanitarian emergency

• providing increased funding for the protection of women and children affected by a complex humanitarian emergency.

The international community has a responsibility pursuant to the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees done at New York October 4, 1967 (19 UST 6223), the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva July 28, 1951, and the Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War done at Geneva August 12, 1949 (6 UST 3516), to take preventive action that would improve preparedness and reduce the vulnerability of women and children to violence and exploitation.

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