,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #faag ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #e1 #bjbj,mr4 ,mc,caul 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,wagner1 ,ms4 ,houlahan1 and ,ms4 ,frankel7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to promote the empowerment1 development1 and prosperity of women globally1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,women's ,global ,development and ,prosperity ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,establishment of the ,women's ,global ,development and ,prosperity ,initiative 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,state shall establish an office for the ,women's ,global ,development and ,prosperity ,initiative 7,w-,,gdp7 under the office established in section #f7;a7 to lead and coordinate efforts related to the objectives set forth in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,objectives ,the ,w-,,gdp ,initiative should be based on the following three pillars3 7#a7 ,women prospering in the workforce ,advance women in the workforce by improving access to quality vocational education and skills training1 enabling women to secure jobs in their local economies4 7#b7 ,women succeeding as entrepreneurs ,promote women's entrepreneurship and increase access to capital1 markets1 technical assistance1 and mentorship4 7#c7 ,women enabled in the economy ,identify and reduce the legal1 regulatory1 and social barriers1 including disproportionate burdens of unpaid care1 gender-based violence and abuse1 and underinvestment in education1 that constrain women's full and free participation in the global economy and promote improved practices4 7c7 ,sense of ,congress on enabling women in the economy ,it is the sense of ,congress that1 recognizing the breadth of work necessary to address the overall enabling environment and supporting efforts related to the third pillar set forth under subsection 7b77#c71 it should be the policy of the ,united ,states to ensure that the ,united ,states ,government promotes the following five types of foundational legal reforms3 7#a7 ,accessing institutions ,lifting barriers that prevent women from fully participating in the work force1 ensuring women's authority to sign legal documents such as contracts and court documents1 and addressing unequal access to courts and administrative bodies for women1 whether officially1 through lack of proper enforcement1 or through the unequal access of education that may prevent women's literacy4 7#b7 ,building credit ,ensuring women's equal access to credit and capital to start and grow their businesses1 and prohibiting discrimination in access to credit on the basis of gender or marital status4 7#c7 ,owning and managing property ,lifting restrictions on women's possessing and managing property1 including limitations on inheritance and the ability to transfer1 purchase1 or lease property4 7#d7 ,traveling freely ,addressing constraints on women's freedom of movement1 including restrictions on obtaining passports on the basis of gender4 7#e7 ,removing restrictions on employment ,eliminating barriers that limit working hours1 occupations1 or tasks on the basis of gender4 7d7 ,policy alignment ,the ,women's ,global ,development and ,prosperity ,initiative shall be closely aligned and coordinated with ongoing ,united ,states ,government efforts to advance women's empowerment globally1 including requirements under the ,women1 ,peace1 and ,security ,act of #bjag 7,public ,law #aae-fh7 and the ,women's ,entrepreneurship and ,economic ,empowerment ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dbh74 #c4 ,leveraging ,united ,states assistance ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,ambassador-at-,large for ,women's ,empowerment and the heads of relevant ,federal agencies1 including those set forth in section #e7;b71 may work with the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to leverage public and private capital to complement ,w-,,gdp ,initiative programs and related efforts4 #d4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated not less than #bjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjba through #bjbe for a ,w-,,gdp ,fund1 established at the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 with a focus on sourcing and scaling the most impactful programs for women's economic empowerment and ensuring there is not duplication of effort with other departments and agencies4 7b7 ,appropriations requirement ,funds authorized to be appropriated by this section shall only be made available subject to the availability of appropriations4 7c7 ,oversight ,funds authorized to be appropriated by this section shall be jointly overseen by the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development and the ,ambassador for ,women's ,empowerment4 #e4 ,interagency steering group and advisory council 7a7 ,establishment of an ,interagency ,steering ,group 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president shall establish a steering group 7the ,steering ,group71 with representation from appropriate ,federal departments and agencies1 to carry out the policy goals of this ,act4 ,the ,president shall designate a chair or co-chairs to lead the activities of the ,steering ,group in coordination with the ,ambassador-at-,large for ,women's ,empowerment4 7#b7 ,membership ,the ,steering ,group shall include representatives from-- 7,a7 the ,department of ,state2 7,b7 the ,department of the ,treasury2 7,c7 the ,department of ,commerce2 7,d7 the ,department of ,labor2 7,e7 the ,department of ,defense2 7,f7 the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7,,usaid72 7,g7 the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation2 7,h7 the ,peace ,corps2 7,i7 the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation 7,,dfc72 7,j7 the ,inter-,american ,foundation2 7,k7 the ,united ,states ,african ,development ,foundation2 7,l7 the components of the executive offices of the ,president1 including the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 and the ,office of the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative2 and 7,m7 other ,federal agencies1 as determined appropriate by guidelines developed by the co-chairs4 7b7 ,establishment of an ,advisory ,council 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president may establish a ,w-,,gdp ,advisory ,council 7in this subsection referred to as the ,council7 to advise the ,secretary of ,state1 and others as appropriate4 7#b7 ,membership ,members of the ,council should be appointed by the ,secretary of ,state and may consist of up to #af members that includes representation from non-governmental organizations1 think tanks1 advocacy organizations1 foundations1 the private sector1 faith-based organizations1 women's organizations1 and other institutions engaged in promoting women's economic empowerment globally4 7#c7 ,functions ,the ,secretary of ,state should call upon members of the ,council1 either collectively or individually1 to advise the ,interagency ,steering ,group regarding the extent to which the ,w-,,gdp ,initiative is meeting its objectives and any suggestions for improvements with respect to meeting those objectives1 including implementation challenges and opportunities4 7#d7 ,federal advisory committee act ,the ,council shall not be subject to the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474 #f4 ,office of ,women's ,empowerment 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,state should establish in the ,office of the ,secretary of the ,department of ,state the ,office of ,women's ,empowerment4 ,the ,office should be headed by an ,ambassador-at-,large for ,women's ,empowerment1 who should be appointed by the ,president1 by and with the advice and consent of the ,senate4 ,the ,ambassador-at-,large should report directly to the ,secretary4 7b7 ,purpose ,in addition to the duties described in this ,act and duties determined by the ,secretary of ,state1 the ,ambassador should coordinate efforts of the ,united ,states ,government as directed by the ,secretary regarding approaches that promote equality and advance the status and development of women and girls in ,united ,states foreign policy4 7c7 ,duties 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,ambassador should-- 7,a7 direct activities1 policies1 programs1 and funding relating to gender equality and the advancement of women and girls internationally2 7,b7 work to ensure the integration of gender analysis into the formulation of policy1 programs1 structures1 process1 and capacities throughout the bureaus and offices of the ,department of ,state and in the international programs of other ,federal agencies2 7,c7 direct ,united ,states ,government resources1 as appropriate1 to respond to needs for promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women in ,united ,states ,government foreign policies and international programs2 7,d7 design1 support1 and implement activities regarding-- 7i7 the empowerment of women internationally1 including for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence internationally2 7ii7 the policies and goals of the ,women1 ,peace1 and ,security ,act of #bjag 7,public ,law #aae-fh7 and the ,women's ,entrepreneurship and ,economic ,empowerment ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dbh72 7iii7 the ,women's ,global ,development and ,prosperity 7,w-,,gdp7 ,initiative as described in section #b2 and 7iv7 the reduction of legal1 regulatory1 and social barriers that constrain women worldwide2 7,e7 ensure that programs1 projects1 and activities designed to promote and empower women internationally are subject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation1 and oversee the development of indicators and standards for such monitoring and evaluation1 with the intent of using these across relevant ,federal agencies2 7,f7 partner1 consult1 and coordinate with other governments1 bilateral and multilateral institutions1 nongovernmental organizations1 and private-sector partners1 and represent the ,united ,states in diplomatic and multilateral fora as appropriate1 to advance the objectives of this ,act2 7,g7 serve as the principal advisor to the ,secretary of ,state regarding gender equality1 women's empowerment1 and gender-based violence as a foreign policy matter2 and 7,h7 undertake other relevant duties that the ,secretary of ,state shall determine1 as appropriate4 7#b7 ,information sharing and transparency ,the ,office of ,women's ,empowerment should1 as appropriate-- 7,a7 be the central repository of data on all ,united ,states programs1 projects1 and activities that relate to empowering1 promoting1 including1 and advancing women worldwide2 and 7,b7 produce a full accounting of ,united ,states ,government spending on such programs1 projects1 and activities not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7d7 ,service of current senior official ,a senior official with experience in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls1 appointed by the ,president as an ,ambassador-at-,large and confirmed by the ,senate for a position that addresses global women's issues1 shall also serve in the ,ambassador-at-,large position established under this section4 #g4 ,senior ,coordinator for ,gender ,equality and ,women's ,empowerment 7a7 ,establishment ,there should be established in the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development the position of ,senior ,coordinator for ,gender ,equality and ,women's ,empowerment4 ,the ,senior ,coordinator should-- 7#a7 report to the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development2 and 7#b7 conduct duties as directed by the ,administrator to promote the purposes of this ,act4 7b7 ,in general ,the ,senior ,coordinator should-- 7#a7 in consultation with the ,ambassador-at-,large for ,women's ,empowerment described in section #f1 coordinate activities1 policies1 programs1 and funding of the ,agency relating to gender equality and women's empowerment2 7#b7 work to ensure the integration of gender analysis into the programs1 structures1 processes1 and capacities of all bureaus and offices of the ,agency as mandated by the ,women's ,entrepreneurship and ,economic ,empowerment ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dbh72 7#c7 design1 support1 and implement activities led by the ,agency regarding gender equality and women's empowerment1 including for the prevention and response to gender-based violence internationally2 7#d7 serve as the principal advisor to the ,administrator on gender equality1 women's empowerment1 and gender-based violence2 7#e7 track and analyze monitoring and evaluation data and findings on gender equality and women's empowerment programs of the ,agency2 and 7#f7 partner1 consult1 and coordinate with other governments1 bilateral and multilateral institutions1 nongovernmental organizations1 and private-sector partners to advance the objectives of this ,act4 #h4 ,reporting to ,congress ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter until #bjbe1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that-- 7#a7 summarizes and evaluates the implementation of ,united ,states diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs1 projects1 and activities to advance the policy objectives set forth in section #b2 7#b7 describes the nature and extent of the coordination among the relevant departments and agencies2 7#c7 describes the monitoring and evaluation tools1 mechanisms1 and common indicators to assess progress made on the policy objectives of this ,act2 7#d7 describes partnerships and collaborations with the private sector1 including amount of funding leveraged by ,united ,states contributions to support the objectives described in section #b2 and 7#e7 describes partnerships1 consultation1 and coordination being undertaken with other governments1 bilateral and multilateral institutions1 and nongovernmental organizations4 #i4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,agency ,the term ,agency means the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development4 7#b7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,d7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,gender analysis ,the term gender analysis refers to the definition as outlined in the ,women's ,entrepreneurship and ,economic ,empowerment ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dbh71 namely to undertake analysis of quantitative and qualitative information to identify1 understand1 and explain gaps between men and women4