,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #hfh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #bf1         
#bjai,ms4 ,hirono introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,foreign 
,relations  ,a ,,bill  ,to address the  
disparate impact of climate change on   
women and support the efforts of women  
globally to address climate change1 and 
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title2  
table of contents  7a7 ,short title     
,this ,act may be cited as the ,women   
and ,climate ,change ,act of #bjai4  7b7
 ,table of contents ,the table of       
contents for this ,act is as follows3   
,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of        
contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,findings4 ,sec4 #c4
 ,definitions4 ,sec4 #d4 ,statement of  
policy4 ,,title ,i--,strategies1        
,policies1 and ,programs ,sec4 #aja4    
,federal ,interagency ,working ,group on
 ,women and ,climate ,change4 ,sec4     
#ajb4 ,development and implementation of
 strategy and policies to prevent and   

respond to the effects of climate change
 on women globally4 ,,title             
,,ii--,oversight and ,accountability    
,sec4 #bja4 ,senior ,coordinator for    
,women and ,climate ,change4 ,sec4 #bjb4
 ,briefing and report4  #b4 ,findings   
,congress makes the following findings3 
7#a7 ,women in the ,united ,states and  
around the world are the linchpin of    
families and communities and are often  
the first to feel the immediate and     
adverse effects of social1              
environmental1 and economic stresses on 
their families and communities4  7#b7   
,the ,united ,nations has recognized1 as
 one of the central organizing          
principles for its work1 that no        
enduring solution to society's most     
threatening social1 economic and        
political problems can be found without 
the full participation1 and the full    
empowerment1 of the world's women4  7#c7
 ,the ,united ,nations ,development     
,programme #bjac ,human ,development    
,report has found that the number of    

people living in extreme poverty could  
increase by up to #c1jjj1jjj1jjj by     
#bjej unless environmental disasters are
 averted by coordinated global action4  
7#d7 ,climate change is already forcing 
the most vulnerable communities and     
populations in developing countries to  
face unprecedented climate stress1      
including water scarcity and drought1 as
 well as severe weather events and      
floods1 which can lead to reduced       
agricultural productivity1 food         
insecurity1 and increased disease4  7#e7
 ,climate change exacerbates issues of  
scarcity and lack of accessibility to   
primary natural resources1 forest       
resources1 and arable land for food     
production1 thereby contributing to     
increased conflict and instability1 as  
well as the workload and stresses on    
women farmers1 who are estimated to     
produce #fj to #hj percent of the food  
in most developing countries4  7#f7     
,women will disproportionately face     
harmful impacts from climate change1    

particularly in poor and developing     
nations where women regularly assume    
increased responsibility for growing the
 family's food and collecting water1    
fuel1 and other resources4  7#g7        
,epidemics1 such as malaria and zika1   
are expected to worsen and spread due to
 variations in climate1 putting women   
7especially pregnant mothers and women  
who hope to become pregnant7 and        
children without access to prevention   
and medical services at risk4  7#h7 ,the
 direct and indirect effects of climate 
change have a disproportionate impact on
 marginalized women1 such as            
environmental refugees and displaced    
persons1 migrants1 religious1 racial1 or
 ethnic minorities1 adolescent girls1   
lesbian and trans women1 women living in
 poverty1 and women and girls with      
disabilities and those who are living   
with ,,hiv4  7#i7 ,conflict has a       
disproportionate impact on the most     
vulnerable communities and populations1 
including women1 and is fueled in the   

poorest regions of the world by harsher 
climates1 leading to migration1 refugee 
crises1 and conflicts over scarce       
natural resources1 including land and   
water4  7#aj7 ,displaced1 refugee1 and  
stateless women and girls face extreme  
violence and threats1 including-- 7,a7  
being forced to exchange sex for food   
and humanitarian supplies2  7,b7 being  
at increased risk of rape1 sexual       
exploitation1 and abuse2 and  7,c7 being
 at increased risk for ,,hiv1 sexually  
transmitted infections 7,s,t,is71       
unplanned pregnancy1 and poor           
reproductive health4  7#aa7 ,it is      
predicted that climate change will lead 
to increasing frequency and intensity of
 extreme weather conditions1            
precipitating the occurrence of natural 
disasters around the globe4  7#ab7 ,the 
relocation and death of women1 and      
especially mothers1 as a result of      
climate-related disasters often has     
devastating impacts on social support   
networks1 family ties1 and the coping   

capacity of families and communities4   
7#ac7 ,the ability of women to adapt to 
climate change is constrained by a lack 
of economic freedoms1 property and      
inheritance rights1 and access to       
financial resources1 education1 family  
planning and reproductive health1 and   
new tools1 equipment1 and technology4   
7#ad7 ,despite having a unique capacity 
and knowledge to promote and provide for
 adaptation to climate change1 women    
often have insufficient resources to    
undertake such adaptation4  7#ae7 ,women
 are shown to have a multiplier effect  
because women use their income and      
resources1 when given the necessary     
tools1 to increase the well-being of    
their children and families1 and thus   
play a critical role in reducing food   
insecurity1 poverty1 and socioeconomic  
effects of climate change4  7#af7 ,women
 are often underrepresented in the      
development and formulation of policy   
regarding mitigation and adaptation to  
climate change1 even though women are   

often in the best position to provide   
and consult on adaptive strategies4  #c4
 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7       
,appropriate congressional committees   
,the term appropriate congressional     
committees means--  7,a7 the ,committee 
on ,foreign ,relations and the          
,committee on ,appropriations of the    
,senate2 and  7,b7 the ,committee on    
,foreign ,affairs and the ,committee on 
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7#b7 ,climate change 
,the term climate change means a change 
of climate that is attributed directly  
or indirectly to-- 7,a7 human activity2 
and  7,b7 altering the composition of   
the global atmosphere4  7#c7 ,developing
 country ,the term developing country   
means a country classified by the ,world
 ,bank as having a low-income or        
lower-middle-income economy4  7#d7      
,disparate impact ,the term disparate   
impact refers to the historical and     
ongoing impacts of the pattern and      
practice of discrimination in           

employment1 education1 housing1 banking1
 health1 and nearly every other aspect  
of life in the economy1 society1 or     
culture that have an adverse impact on  
minorities1 women1 or other protected   
groups1 regardless of whether such      
practices were motivated by             
discriminatory intent4  7#e7            
,environmental disasters ,the term      
environmental disasters means specific  
events caused by human activity that    
result in seriously negative effects on 
the environment4  7#f7 ,environmental   
refugees ,the term environmental        
refugees means people displaced because 
of environmental causes1 notably land   
loss and degradation1 and natural       
disasters1 who have left their community
 or country of origin4  7#g7 ,extreme   
poverty ,the term extreme poverty means 
having an income level or living        
standard at a level of extreme          
deprivation based on living with income 
below #ej percent of the poverty line as
 established by the individual country  

at issue1 or below #a4ij per day as     
determined by the ,world ,bank4  7#h7   
,extreme weather ,the term extreme      
weather means unexpected1 unusual1      
unpredictable1 severe1 or unseasonal    
weather that is at the extremes of the  
historical distribution range that has  
been seen in the past4  7#i7 ,federal   
agency ,the term ,federal agency means  
any executive department1 ,government   
corporation1 ,government-controlled     
corporation1 or other establishment in  
the executive branch of the ,government 
7including the ,executive ,office of the
 ,president71 or any independent        
regulatory agency4  7#aj7 ,food         
insecurity ,the term food insecurity    
means a lack of consistent access to    
food4  7#aa7 ,most vulnerable           
communities and populations ,the term   
most vulnerable communities and         
populations means communities and       
populations1 including women1           
impoverished communities1 adolescent    
girls1 people with disabilities1        

indigenous peoples1 refugees1 displaced 
persons1 migrants1 religious1 racial1 or
 ethnic minorities1 lesbian and trans   
women1 women living in poverty1 women   
and girls with disabilities1 and those  
who are living with ,,hiv1 who are at   
risk of substantial adverse impacts of  
climate change and have limited capacity
 to respond to such impacts4  7#ab7     
,poverty ,the term poverty means an     
income level and living standard        
insufficient to meet basic needs4  #d4  
,statement of policy ,it is the policy  
of the ,united ,states1 in partnership  
with affected countries1 donor country  
governments1 international financial    
institutions1 international             
nongovernmental organizations1          
multilateral organizations1 and civil   
society groups1 especially those led by 
women1 to combat the leading causes of  
climate change1 mitigate the effects of 
climate change on women and girls1 and  
elevate the participation of women in   
policy1 program1 and community          

decision-making processes with respect  
to climate change1 by--  7#a7           
establishing the ,federal ,interagency  
,working ,group on ,women and ,climate  
,change1 the mission of which is to     
prevent and respond to the effects of   
climate change on women globally2 and   
7#b7 implementing a coordinated1        
integrated1 evidence-based1 and         
comprehensive strategy on women and     
climate change throughout ,united       
,states policies in the future4  ,i     
,strategies1 ,policies1 and ,programs   
#aja4 ,federal ,interagency ,working    
,group on ,women and ,climate ,change   
7a7 ,establishment ,there is established
 in the ,department of ,state a ,federal
 ,interagency ,working ,group on ,women 
and ,climate ,change 7in this ,act      
referred to as the ,working ,group74    
7b7 ,chairperson ,the ,senior           
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change designated pursuant to section  
#bja shall serve as the chairperson of  
the ,working ,group4  7c7 ,membership   

7#a7 ,in general ,the ,working ,group   
shall be composed of one senior-level   
representative from each of the ,federal
 agencies described in paragraph 7#b71  
as selected by the head of the          
respective agency from the senior ranks 
of that agency4  7#b7 ,agencies ,the    
agencies described in this paragraph are
 the following3 7,a7 ,the ,department of
 ,state1 including--  7i7 the ,office of
 ,global ,women's ,issues2  7ii7 the    
,office of ,civil ,rights2  7iii7 the   
,bureau of ,oceans and ,international   
,environmental and ,scientific ,affairs2
  7iv7 the ,bureau of ,population1      
,refugees1 and ,migration2  7v7 the     
,bureau of ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1  
and ,labor2 and  7vi7 the ,bureau of    
,international ,organization ,affairs4  
7,b7 ,the ,united ,states ,agency for   
,international ,development4  7,c7 ,the 
,centers for ,disease ,control and      
,prevention4  7,d7 ,the ,environmental  
,protection ,agency4  7,e7 ,the         
,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric     

,administration4  7,f7 ,the ,national   
,institutes of ,health4  7,g7 ,the      
,national ,science ,foundation4  7,h7   
,the ,council on ,environmental         
,quality4  7,i7 ,such other agencies as 
may be designated by the ,senior        
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change4  7d7 ,functions ,the ,working  
,group shall-- 7#a7 coordinate and      
integrate the development of all        
policies and activities of the ,federal 
,government across all agencies relating
 to--  7,a7 combating the effects of    
climate change on women in the national 
and international sphere2 and  7,b7     
improving the response and strategy of  
the ,federal ,government to fight       
climate change for the security of the  
,united ,states and the international   
community2  7#b7 allow each member of   
the ,working ,group to act as a         
representative for the ,working ,group  
within the ,federal department or agency
 of such member to facilitate           
implementation of the ,working ,group   

policies within such department or      
agency2  7#c7 ensure that all relevant  
,federal departments or agencies comply 
with appropriate guidelines1 policies1  
and directives from the ,working ,group1
 the ,department of ,state1 and other   
,federal departments or agencies with   
responsibilities relating to climate    
change2  7#d7 ensure that ,federal      
departments or agencies1 ,state         
governments1 and relevant congressional 
committees1 in consultation with        
nongovernmental organizations and policy
 experts in the field and ,state and    
local government officials who          
administer or direct policy for programs
 relating to climate change and women-- 
7,a7 have access to1 receive1 and       
appropriately disseminate best practices
 in the administration of such programs2
  7,b7 have adequate resources to       
maximize the public awareness of such   
programs2  7,c7 increase the reach of   
such programs2  7,d7 share relevant     
data2 and  7,e7 issue relevant guidance2

 and  7#e7 identify and disseminate best
 practices for improved collection on   
the part of each ,federal department or 
agency of data relevant to the disparate
 impact of climate change on women1     
including in--  7,a7 unpaid care work2  
7,b7 community advocacy1 activism1 and  
representation2  7,c7 women's and girls'
 access to education2  7,d7 access to   
comprehensive health care1 including    
reproductive health and rights2  7,e7   
desertification and food insecurity2    
7,f7 community infrastructure1          
multilevel ,government adaptability1 and
 climate resilience2  7,g7 climate and  
weather-related crisis response1        
including safety from gender-based      
violence2 and  7,h7 women's involvement 
and leadership in the development of    
frameworks and policies for climate     
resilience4  7e7 ,consultation ,the     
,working ,group may consult and obtain  
recommendations from such independent   
nongovernmental policy experts1 ,state  
and local government officials1         

independent groups and organizations1 or
 other groups or organizations as the   
,senior ,coordinator for ,women and     
,climate ,change determines will assist 
in carrying out the mission of the      
,working ,group4  7f7 ,frequency of     
meetings ,the ,working ,group shall--   
7#a7 meet not less frequently than once 
each quarter to discuss and develop     
policies1 projects1 and programs2 and   
7#b7 meet with the ,senior ,coordinator 
for ,women and ,climate ,change not less
 frequently than once each month to     
report on and discuss implementation of 
such policies1 projects1 and programs4  
#ajb4 ,development and implementation of
 strategy and policies to prevent and   
respond to the effects of climate change
 on women globally  7a7 ,initial        
strategy required ,not later than #ahj  
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 the ,senior ,coordinator for 
,women and ,climate ,change and the     
,ambassador-at-,large for the ,office of
 ,global ,women's ,issues of the        

,department of ,state1 in consultation  
with the ,working ,group1 shall develop 
and submit to the appropriate           
congressional committees a ,united      
,states ,national and ,international    
,strategy to prevent and respond to the 
effects of climate change on women4  7b7
 ,contents ,the strategy submitted under
 subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7    
recognizing the disparate impacts of    
climate change on women and the efforts 
of women globally to address climate    
change2  7#b7 taking effective action-- 
7,a7 to prevent and respond to climate  
change and mitigate the effects of      
climate change on women around the      
world2 and  7,b7 to promote gender      
equality1 economic growth1 public       
health1 racial justice1 and human       
rights2  7#c7 implementing the ,united  
,nations ,sustainable ,development      
,goals listed in subsection 7f71 through
 and beyond #bjcj1 as part of the       
strategy to prevent and respond to the  
effects of climate change on women      

globally2  7#d7 implementing balanced   
gender participation to avoid           
reinforcing binary roles1 especially    
among individuals from the communities  
most impacted1 in climate change        
adaptation and mitigation efforts1      
including in governance and diplomatic  
positions within the ,united ,states    
,government2  7#e7 working at the local1
 national1 and international levels1    
including with individuals1 families1   
and communities1 to prevent and respond 
to the effects of climate change on     
women2  7#f7 systematically integrating 
and coordinating efforts to prevent and 
respond to the effects of climate change
 on women internationally into ,united  
,states foreign policy and foreign      
assistance programs2  7#g7 investing in 
research on climate change through      
appropriate ,federal departments or     
agencies and funding of university and  
independent research groups on the      
various causes and effects of climate   
change2  7#h7 developing and            

implementing gender-sensitive frameworks
 in policies to address climate change  
that account for the specific impacts of
 climate change on women2  7#i7         
developing policies to support women who
 are particularly vulnerable to the     
impacts of climate change to prepare    
for1 build their resilience to1 and     
adapt to such impacts1 including a      
commitment to increase education and    
training opportunities for women to     
develop local resilience plans to       
address the effects of climate change2  
7#aj7 developing and investing in       
programs for the education and          
empowerment of women and girls in the   
,united ,states and across the global   
community1 including to gather          
information on how climate change is    
affecting their lives and for guidance  
on the needs of their families and      
communities in the face of climate      
change1 in coordination with the        
diplomatic missions of other countries2 
7#aa7 consulting with representatives of

 civil society1 including               
nongovernmental organizations1 community
 and faith-based organizations1         
multilateral organizations1 local and   
international civil society groups1 and 
local climate change organizations and  
their beneficiaries1 that have          
demonstrated experience in preventing   
and responding to the effects of climate
 change on women2  7#ab7 supporting and 
building local capacity in developing   
countries1 including with respect to    
governments at all levels and           
nongovernmental organizations           
7especially women-led71 to prevent and  
respond to the effects of climate change
 on women2  7#ac7 developing programs to
 empower women in communities to have a 
voice in the planning1 design1          
implementation1 and evaluation of       
strategies to address climate change so 
that their roles and resources are taken
 into account2  7#ad7 including women in
 economic development planning1         
policies1 and practices that directly   

improve conditions that result from     
climate change2  7#ae7 integrating a    
gender approach in all policies and     
programs in the ,united ,states that are
 globally related to climate change2 and
  7#af7 ensuring that such policies and 
programs support women globally to      
prepare for1 build resilience for1 and  
adapt to1 climate change4  7c7 ,updates 
,the ,senior ,coordinator for ,women and
 ,climate ,change shall--  7#a7 consult 
with the ,working ,group to collect     
information and feedback2 and  7#b7     
update the strategy and programs to     
prevent and respond to the effects of   
climate change on women globally1 as the
 ,senior ,coordinator for ,women and    
,climate ,change considers appropriate4 
7d7 ,implementation plan and budget     
required ,not later than #fj days after 
the date of the submittal of the        
strategy under subsection 7a71 the      
,senior ,coordinator for ,women and     
,climate ,change shall submit to the    
appropriate congressional committees an 

implementation plan and budget for the  
strategy4  7e7 ,assistance and          
consultation ,the ,senior ,coordinator  
for ,women and ,climate ,change shall   
assist and provide consultation to the  
,secretary of ,state in preventing and  
responding to the effects of climate    
change on women globally4  7f7 ,united  
,nations ,sustainable ,development      
,goals through and beyond #bjcj ,the    
,united ,nations ,sustainable           
,development ,goals listed in this      
subsection are the following3 7#a7      
,ending poverty in all its forms        
everywhere4  7#b7 ,ending hunger1       
achieving food security and improved    
nutrition1 and promoting sustainable    
agriculture4  7#c7 ,ensuring healthy    
lives and promoting well-being for all  
and at all ages4  7#d7 ,ensuring        
inclusive1 equitable1 and quality       
education and promoting lifelong        
learning opportunities for all4  7#e7   
,achieving gender equality and          
empowering all women and girls4  7#f7   

,ensuring the availability and          
sustainable management of water and     
sanitation for all4  7#g7 ,ensuring     
access to affordable1 reliable1         
sustainable1 and modern energy for all4 
7#h7 ,promoting sustained1 inclusive1   
and sustainable economic growth1 full   
and productive employment1 and decent   
work for all4  7#i7 ,building resilient 
infrastructure1 promoting inclusive and 
sustainable industrialization1 and      
fostering innovation4  7#aj7 ,reducing  
inequality within and among countries4  
7#aa7 ,making cities and human          
settlements inclusive1 safe1 resilient1 
and sustainable4  7#ab7 ,ensuring       
sustainable consumption and production  
patterns4  7#ac7 ,taking urgent action  
to combat climate change and its        
impacts4  7#ad7 ,conserving and         
sustainably using the oceans1 seas1 and 
marine resources for sustainable        
development4  7#ae7 ,protecting1        
restoring1 and promoting sustainable use
 of terrestrial ecosystems1 sustainably 

managing forests1 combating             
desertification1 and halting and        
reversing land degradation and          
biodiversity loss4  7#af7 ,promoting    
peaceful and inclusive societies for    
sustainable development1 providing      
access to justice for all1 and building 
effective1 accountable and inclusive    
institutions at all levels4  7#ag7      
,strengthening the means of policy      
implementation and revitalizing the     
global partnership for sustainable      
development4  ,,ii ,oversight and       
,accountability  #bja4 ,senior          
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change  7a7 ,establishment ,the        
,ambassador-at-,large of the ,office of 
,global ,women's ,issues of the         
,department of ,state shall designate an
 individual to serve as a ,senior       
,advisor1 or equivalent role1 who shall 
serve concurrently as the ,senior       
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change4  7b7 ,duties ,the ,senior      
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    

,change shall--  7#a7 direct the        
activities1 policies1 programs1 and     
funding of the ,department of ,state    
relating to the effects of climate      
change on women1 including with respect 
to efforts to prevent and respond to    
those effects2  7#b7 advise the         
,secretary of ,state1 the relevant heads
 of other ,federal departments and      
independent agencies1 and other entities
 within the ,executive ,office of the   
,president1 regarding the establishment 
of--  7,a7 policies1 goals1 objectives1 
and priorities for addressing and       
combating the effects of climate change 
on women2 and  7,b7 mechanisms to       
improve the effectiveness1 coordination1
 impact1 and outcomes of programs       
relating to addressing and combating the
 effects of climate change on women1 in 
coordination with experts in the field1 
nongovernmental organizations1 and      
foreign governments2 and  7#c7 identify 
and assist in the resolution of any     
disputes that arise between ,federal    

agencies relating to policies and       
programs to address and combat the      
effects of climate change on women or   
other matters within the responsibility 
of the ,office of ,global ,women's      
,issues4  7c7 ,reporting ,the ,senior   
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change shall report to the             
,ambassador-at-,large for the ,office of
 ,global ,women's ,issues and the       
,secretary of ,state4  #bjb4 ,briefing  
and report ,not later than #ahj days    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 and annually thereafter1 the      
,ambassador-at-,large and the ,senior   
,coordinator for ,women and ,climate    
,change shall jointly--  7#a7 brief the 
appropriate congressional committees    
on-- 7,a7 the effects of climate change 
on women2 and  7,b7 the prevention and  
response strategies1 programming1 and   
associated outcomes with respect to     
climate change2 and  7#b7 submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees an 
assessment of the human and financial   

resources necessary to fulfill the      
purposes of and carry out this ,act4