I
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5548
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 7, 2006
Mrs. Maloney (for herself, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mrs. Davis of California, and Mrs. McCarthy) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
To authorize assistance for women and girls in Iraq, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Empowerment of Iraqi Women Act of 2006
.
Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
The Saddam Hussein regime committed human rights atrocities against the citizens of Iraq.
In the past, women in Iraq played important roles in public and private industries, including the government.
Iraqi women currently are serving in the National Assembly, government ministries, and local governments.
The reconstruction of Iraq and the writing of the permanent Iraqi Constitution provide a unique opportunity to continue this success and to affirm women’s human rights under law.
For women to fully participate in Iraqi society, they must have the guaranteed right to vote, the guaranteed right to run for office, guaranteed equality of opportunity, guaranteed equality in family law, guaranteed equal access to the civil courts, protection from gender-motivated violence, and guaranteed access to health care, education, and employment.
The United States, through its involvement in Iraq, must be actively working toward guaranteeing the full inclusion and participation of Iraqi women in the political and economic life of their country, and must continue to do so throughout the reconstruction process.
The United States must be actively working to ensure that the lives of Iraqi women are made better, not worse, because of United States intervention.
Establishment of Iraqi Women’s fund
Establishment
The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall establish a fund for the purpose of assisting women and girls in Iraq in the areas of political, legal, and human rights, health care, education, training, security, and shelter.
Activities Supported
The fund established under subsection (a) shall support the following activities:
Direct financial
and programmatic assistance to the Iraq Ministry of Women’s Affairs (hereafter
in this section referred to as the Ministry
) to promote the
strengthening of the Ministry as the Government of Iraq continues its
transition to a long-term government structure. The Ministry may use such
assistance to support activities such as the following:
Multiyear women-centered economic development programs, including programs to assist widows, female heads of household, women in rural areas, and disabled women.
Collaboration with the Iraq Ministry of Health to construct health infrastructure and delivery of high-quality comprehensive health care programs, including primary, maternal, child, reproductive, and mental health care.
Programs to prevent trafficking in persons, assist victims, and apprehend and prosecute traffickers in persons.
Programs to prevent gender-motivated violence targeted at women, including domestic violence.
Collaboration with the Iraq Ministry of Education to construct women’s educational facilities in Iraq and promote the education of Iraqi girls beyond primary school.
Report
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that contains documentation of activities of the United States Agency for International Development, the Iraq Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Iraq Ministry of Health, and the Iraq Ministry of Education to implement the requirements of this section.
Authorization of Appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $22,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009 and such sums as are necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
Assistance to Iraq
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not less than 15 percent of the aggregate amount of economic and humanitarian assistance authorized to be made available to Iraq for each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009 shall be made available for assistance directly to Iraqi-led local nongovernmental organizations, including not less than 5 percent of that 15 percent for Iraqi women-led organizations, with demonstrated experience in delivering services to Iraqi women and children to support their programmatic activities and organizational development. In recognition of the appreciating capacity of Iraqi-led local nongovernmental organizations, including Iraqi women-led organizations, an appropriate percentage of the aggregate amount of economic and humanitarian assistance authorized to be made available to Iraq for fiscal year 2010 and each subsequent fiscal year shall be made available for assistance directly to Iraqi-led local nongovernmental organizations, including Iraqi women-led organizations.
Requirements relating to United States activities in Iraq
In General
Activities described in subsections (b) through (d) that are carried out by the United States in Iraq shall comply with the applicable requirements contained in such subsections.
Governance of Iraq
With respect to the governance of Iraq, the applicable requirements are the following:
Include the perspectives and advice of Iraqi women’s organizations, networks, and leaders in United States policymaking related to the governance of Iraq.
Promote the achievement of 25 percent of the seats in the National Assembly to be held by Iraqi women to ensure that women’s full range of human rights are included and upheld in any constitution or legal structures of Iraq.
Encourage the appointment of women to high level positions within Iraqi Ministries.
Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development
With respect to activities relating to post-conflict stability in Iraq, the applicable requirements are the following:
Encourage United States organizations that receive funds authorized by this Act to partner with or create Iraqi-led counterpart organizations and provide these organizations with significant financial resources, technical assistance, and capacity building.
Increase women’s access to or ownership of productive assets such as land, water, agricultural inputs, credit, and property.
Provide long-term financial assistance for primary, secondary, higher, nontraditional, and vocational education for Iraqi girls, women, boys, and men.
Integrate education and training programs for former combatants with economic development programs to encourage their reintegration into society and to promote post-conflict stability.
Iraqi Military and Police
With respect to training for military and police forces in Iraq, the applicable requirements are the following:
Include training on the protection, rights, and the particular needs of women and emphasize that violations of women’s rights are intolerable and should be prosecuted.
Encourage such trainers who will carry out the activities in paragraph (1) to consult with women’s organizations in Iraq to ensure that training content and materials are adequate, appropriate, and comprehensive.
Reporting requirements
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report that contains documentation of activities of the United States to guarantee the rights of Iraqi women, including progress in implementing the requirements of section 5 and on the status of women’s rights in Iraq. All data in the report shall be disaggregated by gender.