,,iv #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #hid ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #aj1 #bjbj,mr4 ,keating submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,,resolution ,expressing the continued commitment of the ,house of ,representatives to condemn and prevent the use of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict as a weapon of war and fully implement the ,women1 ,peace1 and ,security ,agenda4 ,whereas1 in ,april #bjai1 the ,republic of ,germany submitted a draft version of ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #bdfg1 reaffirming its commitment to the continuation and full implementation of resolutions #acbe 7#bjjj71 #ahbj 7#bjjh71 #ahhh 7#bjji71 #ahhi 7#bjji71 #aifj 7#bjaj71 #bajf 7#bjac71 #babb 7#bjac71 and #bbdb 7#bjae7 on women1 peace1 and security2 ,whereas1 as reported by the ,guardian and other news outlets1 the ,united ,states delegation opposed the original draft language on the grounds that ambiguity in the language could be interpreted as supporting abortion1 and threatened to veto the resolution unless the paragraph was eliminated entirely2 ,whereas this is not the first instance in which the ,trump administration has attempted to dilute human rights language and reporting related to reproductive health2 ,whereas the resolution was intended to be a declaration of global opposition to the use of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict2 ,whereas the resolution was intended to strengthen the ,women1 ,peace1 and ,security ,agenda in the lead up to ,october #bjbj1 the #bjth anniversary of ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #acbe 7#bjjj7 on women1 peace1 and security1 which recognized the disproportional impact that armed conflict has had on women and girls and called for the inclusion of a gender perspective in conflict resolution2 ,whereas ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #acbe was the first recommendation by the ,united ,nations ,security ,council to parties involved in an armed conflict to prevent the use of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict as well as ensure the inclusion of women in peace negotiations and postconflict reconstruction2 ,whereas the initial draft resolution submitted by ,germany in ,april #bjai urged ,united ,nations entities and donors to provide nondiscriminatory and comprehensive health services1 including sexual and reproductive health1 psychosocial1 legal1 and livelihood support and other multisectoral services for survivors of sexual violence1 taking into account the specific needs of persons with disabilities42 ,whereas the language included in the initial draft resolution was previously agreed by consensus in the ,united ,nations ,security ,council and was intended to send a clear message of the need to support survivors and that the use of rape as a weapon of war is not condoned by the global community2 ,whereas the inclusion of reproductive health care data as an indicator of a broader human rights assessment signals the purposeful inclusion of women and girls1 as well as their health1 in the global human rights conversation2 ,whereas1 in spring #bjai1 for the second year in a row1 the ,trump administration omitted data on reproductive health care previously included in the ,department of ,state's annual report on human rights globally2 ,whereas1 in ,september #bjai1 the ,united ,states led a joint statement delivered at the ,united ,nations ,high-,level ,meeting on ,universal ,health ,coverage attacking sexual and reproductive health and rights1 misrepresenting the term as an attack on the family2 ,whereas women's security has been a priority of the ,house of ,representatives of the #aafth ,congress1 having recently reintroduced the ,international ,violence ,against ,women ,act2 ,whereas the work of human rights defenders1 including women human rights defenders1 in promoting civil1 political1 economic1 social1 and cultural rights positively impacts the lives of women and girls around the world2 ,whereas women human rights defenders are at risk of and suffer from violations and abuses1 including systematic violations and abuses of their fundamental rights to life1 liberty1 and security of person1 to psychological and physical integrity1 to privacy and respect for private and family life1 and to freedom of opinion and expression1 association1 and peaceful assembly1 and in addition these defenders can experience gender-based violence1 rape1 and other forms of sexual violence1 harassment1 and verbal abuse and attacks on reputation1 online and offline1 by state actors1 including law enforcement personnel and security forces1 and nonstate actors1 such as those related to family and community1 in both public and private spheres2 ,whereas historical and structural inequalities in power relations and discrimination against women1 as well as various forms of extremism1 have direct implications for the status and treatment of women2 and ,whereas1 as documented in the ,united ,nations ,declaration on ,human ,rights ,defenders1 the rights of women human rights defenders1 including those working on sexual and reproductive health and rights1 have been violated or abused and their work stigmatized owing to discriminatory practices and social norms or patterns that serve to condone violence against women or perpetuate practices involving such violence3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that it is the sense of the ,house of ,representatives that-- 7#a7 it is the policy of the ,united ,states to ensure and promote the full1 equal1 meaningful1 and effective participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict prevention1 management1 and resolution1 and postconflict relief and recovery efforts2 7#b7 it is the policy of the ,united ,states to work toward preventing the use of gender-based violence in armed conflict and work toward ensuring accountability for victims and survivors of gender-based violence2 7#c7 it is the policy of the ,united ,states to promote the principles espoused in ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #acbe 7#bjjj7 on women1 peace1 and security1 and all subsequent ,united ,nations ,security ,council resolutions on women1 peace1 and security2 7#d7 the ,united ,states should adopt1 as a precondition for the achievement of our wider foreign development1 assistance1 and security policy objectives1 a feminist foreign policy1 defined as a strategy that places the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls at the center of its initiatives and investment and that focuses on promoting the rights of women and girls1 challenging gender-based discrimination1 and fighting gender inequality1 which includes preventing gender-based violence and all forms of conflict-related sexual violence2 and 7#e7 the ,united ,states should-- 7,a7 respect1 protect1 and fulfill the rights of women and girls to bodily autonomy2 7,b7 support all future efforts by international institutions and organizations to ensure universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services1 free of discrimination1 coercion1 and violence2 7,c7 update and implement the ,united ,states ,national ,action ,plan on ,women1 ,peace1 and ,security1 to include an increased focus on the full health of women and girls1 including sexual and reproductive health and rights2 7,d7 actively support and promote international efforts to prioritize the rights and needs of women and girls and ensure their full1 equal1 meaningful1 and effective participation in all areas that affect them2 and 7,e7 create an enabling environment to-- 7i7 ensure that women and girls human rights defenders can perform their important role of holding the government accountable to its legal obligations under international law1 including under international human rights law2 7ii7 prevent violations1 abuses1 threats1 harassment1 and violence against women and girls human rights defenders1 who face particular risk because of their gender and their work2 7iii7 combat impunity by ensuring that those responsible for violations and abuses1 including gender-based violence and threats against women and girls human rights defenders1 committed by state and nonstate actors1 including online1 are promptly brought to justice through impartial investigations2 and 7iv7 ensure accountability by respecting1 protecting1 and fulfilling victims' and survivors' right to an effective remedy4