,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ccgg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ba1 #bjaf ,mrs4 ,boxer 7for herself and ,mrs4 ,shaheen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to increase the participation of women in foreign security forces1 specifically the military and police1 with ,united ,states foreign assistance4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,enhancing ,military and ,police ,operations through ,women's ,engagement and ,recruitment ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states ,national ,action ,plan ,on ,women1 ,peace and ,security expresses the unqualified commitment of the ,united ,states to integrating women's perspectives fully into our diplomatic1 defense1 and development efforts not simply as beneficiaries1 but as agents of peace1 security1 reconciliation1 development1 growth1 and stability4 ,the plan also specifies the following priorities3 7,a7 ,providing assistance to support women's participation1 integration1 and leadership in the security sector4 7,b7 ,working with partner nations to increase women's participation in ,united ,states-funded training programs for foreign police1 judicial1 and military personnel1 including professional military education1 as well as exchange programs1 conferences1 and seminars4 7,c7 ,utilizing the participation of female members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces to encourage and model gender integration in the armed forces of partner nations4 7#b7 ,the ,department of ,state's #bjae ,quadrennial ,diplomacy and ,development ,review states that-- 7,a7 the ,united ,states is promoting initiatives based on the unique roles that women and girls play in preventing and responding to conflict2 and 7,b7 gender equality is a core element in policy development1 strategy and budget planning1 policy and program implementation1 management and training1 and monitoring and evaluation of results4 7#c7 ,united ,states security sector assistance is a key engagement tool with our foreign partners4 ,security sector assistance helps further ,united ,states interests by seeking to professionalize and develop the police and militaries of our foreign partners1 shaping the security sector policies of foreign governments1 and building sustainable and legitimate institutions to provide security and justice and respond to the needs of populations4 ,security sector assistance can also support broad ,united ,states policy goals1 including respect for human rights1 civilian control of the military1 and the rule of law4 7#d7 ,to support these efforts1 the ,united ,states ,department of ,state provides funding for a number of training programs for military forces1 police and other security forces1 and international peacekeeping operations4 7#e7 ,women are underrepresented in security forces worldwide4 ,for instance1 in ,south ,asia-- 7,a7 women make up less than #a percent of ,pakistan's total police force2 7,b7 women make up less than #e percent of ,bangladesh's total police force2 and 7,c7 women make up less than #g percent of ,india's total police force4 7#f7 ,as demonstrated by ,united ,states ,female ,engagement ,teams deployed to ,afghanistan1 female soldiers can enhance the operational effectiveness of security operations and gather information and provide access to local populations that all-male units cannot engage or search4 7#g7 ,female military and police can provide critical contributions to security4 ,for ,afghanistan's #bjad presidential elections1 ,afghanistan's ,ministry of ,interior recruited and trained #ac1jjj females to provide security and conduct searches of women at checkpoints and polling stations4 ,female police facilitated the participation of women in elections4 7#h7 ,the ,international ,military ,education and ,training 7,,imet7 program1 funded by the ,united ,states ,department of ,state1 provides professional military training for the future leaders of our foreign partners1 enhances interoperability with the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces1 builds relationships among international and ,united ,states military students1 and conveys ,united ,states customs and cultural norms4 7#i7 ,of the #ada countries that received ,,imet funding from ,fiscal ,year #bjaa through ,fiscal ,year #bjae1 only approximately #g percent of ,,imet program participants from those countries were women4 7#aj7 ,united ,states international police training programs that are specifically focused on women have proven effective in recruiting and retaining women4 ,in ,lebanon1 for instance1 a ,department of ,state-funded basic cadet course for women was instrumental in helping ,lebanon's ,internal ,security ,forces increase the number of police officers from two to #faj4 7#aa7 ,united ,states security assistance for peacekeeping builds the capabilities of our partner countries1 increases the number of military and police personnel available for deployment to support peace operations1 and facilitates the logistical support and deployment of units to peace operations4 7#ab7 ,studies demonstrate that the inclusion of higher proportions of female peacekeepers is associated with fewer allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation1 as is the inclusion of personnel from countries with better records of gender equality4 7#ac7 ,female peacekeepers are uniquely capable of assisting female survivors of sexual violence4 ,reports demonstrate that victims are more likely to report incidents of abuse to women in the police or military4 ,in ,liberia1 the presence of a female ,indian peacekeeping unit increased reporting of sexual abuse and encouraged the recruitment of women to the national police4 7#ad7 ,despite the recognition of the importance of increasing the number of women in peacekeeping operations1 according to the ,united ,nations1 as of ,february #bjaf-- 7,a7 women comprised only #c percent of total military forces deployed to peacekeeping missions2 and 7,b7 women comprised only #i percent of total police forces deployed to peacekeeping missions4 7#ae7 ,the ,global ,peace ,operations ,initiative is a ,united ,states security assistance program to train1 deploy1 and build the capacity of peacekeepers worldwide4 ,through the ,global ,peace ,operations ,initiative1 the ,united ,states has worked to increase the participation of female peacekeepers in ,united ,nations operations4 ,with dedicated ,united ,states assistance1 over the last five years1 the countries that received assistance under the ,global ,peace ,operations ,initiative nearly doubled the number of deployed female military peacekeepers from #a1cif to #b1eci4 ,of the countries that received assistance under the ,global ,peace ,operations ,initiative that deploy personnel to peacekeeping missions1 as of ,january #bjaf-- 7,a7 women comprised approximately #d percent of total military forces deployed to peace operations2 and 7,b7 women comprised approximately #g percent of formed police units and #aj percent of total police forces deployed to peace operations4 #c4 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to recognize and respond to the significant shortage of women at all levels in foreign military and police forces2 7#b7 to prioritize the identification1 engagement1 and support of women leaders at all levels in foreign security sectors2 7#c7 to increase the recruitment1 retention1 professionalization1 and promotion of women in foreign security sectors1 specifically in the military and police forces2 7#d7 to promote the meaningful inclusion and deployment of women in security operations2 and 7#e7 to enhance and expand ,united ,states training opportunities for women at all levels in foreign militaries and police forces4 #d4 ,foreign military exchanges ,the ,department of ,state1 in coordination with the ,department of ,defense1 shall seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under the ,international ,military ,education and ,training program at ,united ,states military schools and training institutions1 with the goal of doubling female participation in such programs globally by ,september #cj1 #bjai4 #e4 ,countering terrorism and violent extremism 7a7 ,in general ,the ,department of ,state shall seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under the ,department of ,state's ,anti-,terrorism ,assistance 7,,ata7 programs1 with the goal of doubling the total women receiving such training by ,september #cj1 #bjai4 7b7 ,mandate ,the ,department of ,state shall make explicit in its mandate for ,,ata programs its priority to increase the participation of women4 #f4 ,peacekeeping operations 7a7 ,in general ,the ,department of ,state shall work with partner countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to prioritize the integration1 training1 and deployment of qualified female peacekeepers in peace operations4 ,the ,department of ,state shall work with partner countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to prioritize the employment1 development1 and integration of female peacekeeping trainers4 7b7 ,united ,nations peacekeeping missions ,through the ,united ,states ,mission to the ,united ,nations1 the ,department of ,state shall promote an increase in the recruitment1 retention1 and leadership roles of female personnel assigned to ,united ,nations peacekeeping missions4 7c7 ,increased deployment of female peacekeepers ,the ,department of ,state may work with partner countries receiving ,united ,states peacekeeping training assistance to double the number of qualified women deployed to peace operations not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #g4 ,law enforcement 7a7 ,participation requirement ,the ,department of ,state shall establish female participation requirements for its police training programs and work with partner countries to ensure that women account for not less than #aj percent of nominees for ,united ,states-funded police training programs4 7b7 ,communication of requirement ,the ,department shall make explicit its priority to increase the participation of women in the design and implementation of all police training programs4 #h4 ,monitoring and evaluation ,the ,secretary of ,state1 the ,secretary of ,defense1 and representatives of other relevant ,federal agencies and departments1 as appropriate1 shall develop a plan for the monitoring and independent evaluation of programs1 projects1 and activities carried out under this ,act4 #i4 ,reporting requirements 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in conjunction with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall designate appropriate officials to brief the appropriate congressional committees1 not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 on-- 7#a7 the existing1 enhanced1 and newly established training carried out pursuant to this ,act2 7#b7 diplomatic actions undertaken to promote the targets set forth in this ,act2 7#c7 the guidelines established for overseas ,united ,states diplomatic and military personnel to engage with foreign counterparts pursuant to this ,act2 7#d7 progress towards the targets set forth in this ,act2 and 7#e7 actions to address the structural and systemic barriers to women's recruitment1 retention1 and professionalization for the largest recipients of ,united ,states security sector assistance4 7b7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4