I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 5941 To require that activities carried out by the United States in South Sudan relating to governance, reconstruction and development, and refugee relief and assistance will support the basic human rights of women and wom- en’s participation and leadership in these areas. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 21, 2020 Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To require that activities carried out by the United States in South Sudan relating to governance, reconstruction and development, and refugee relief and assistance will support the basic human rights of women and women’s participation and leadership in these areas. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equal Rights and Ac- 4 cess for the Women of South Sudan Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress makes the following findings: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5941 IH (1) Despite the 2011 referendum for secession 1 that established the independent state of South 2 Sudan, South Sudanese women continue to experi- 3 ence brutal violation of their human rights. 4 (2) Strong and continued United States support 5 can ensure that the advances made by South Suda- 6 nese women since July 2011 when the Republic of 7 South Sudan gained its independence will continue 8 and grow, rather than recede. 9 (3) The United States has made a substantial 10 contribution to the emergency relief and humani- 11 tarian efforts for South Sudan. Completing the 12 United States mission in South Sudan will also re- 13 quire significant and long-term investments in devel- 14 opment and reconstruction assistance. 15 (4) An inadequate healthcare system has re- 16 sulted in high maternal and infant mortality rates. 17 The maternal mortality rate is 1,054 deaths per 18 100,000 live births, making it one of the highest in 19 the world. 20 (5) South Sudan faces many difficulties with its 21 lack of infrastructure and lacks significant human 22 development factors, which can further marginalize 23 women. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5941 IH (6) Over 80 percent of women and girls in 1 South Sudan are illiterate, and thus it is imperative 2 to both secure and inform women’s rights within the 3 national development. 4 (7) With the assistance of internal aid and the 5 proliferation of local women’s organizations, wom- 6 en’s equality can be integrated into South Sudan’s 7 nation-building efforts. 8 (8) South Sudan has made gains in incor- 9 porating women into the new regime with efforts 10 such as inclusion in the legislative assembly, thus 11 additional support from the United States serves to 12 reinforce these ideals and implementations. 13 (9) The women of South Sudan are taking the 14 initiative to reach across the conflict divide and fos- 15 ter peace. Women’s perspectives and experiences in 16 seeking solutions to conflicts are necessary to ensure 17 lasting peace. 18 (10) Adequate security in both urban and rural 19 areas, particularly on military borders, is essential if 20 women and girls are to exercise their human rights, 21 work, attend school, and otherwise participate in and 22 benefit from humanitarian and development pro- 23 grams sponsored by the United States. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5941 IH SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO UNITED STATES AC- 1 TIVITIES RELATING TO SOUTH SUDAN. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Activities described in subsections 3 (b) through (e) that are carried out by the United States 4 in South Sudan shall comply with the applicable require- 5 ments contained in such subsections. 6 (b) GOVERNANCE OF SOUTH SUDAN.—With respect 7 to the governance of South Sudan, the applicable require- 8 ments are the following: 9 (1) Include the perspectives and advice from 10 South Sudanese women’s organizations, networks, 11 and leaders in United States policymaking related to 12 the governance of South Sudan. 13 (2) Promote the inclusion of a significant num- 14 ber of women in the National Legislature and future 15 legislative bodies to ensure that women’s full range 16 of human rights are included and upheld in any con- 17 stitution or legal structures of South Sudan. 18 (3) Promote the continuation and strengthening 19 of the rights of women as the South Sudan Govern- 20 ment transitions to a long-term government struc- 21 ture, and encourage the appointment of women to 22 high-level positions within South Sudanese Govern- 23 ment. 24 (c) POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVEL- 25 OPMENT.—With respect to activities relating to post-con- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 5941 IH flict stability in South Sudan, the applicable requirements 1 are the following: 2 (1) Ensure that a significant portion of United 3 States development, humanitarian, and relief assist- 4 ance is channeled to local and United States-based 5 South Sudanese organizations, particularly South 6 Sudanese women’s organizations. Provide technical 7 assistance, training, and capacity-building for local 8 organizations to ensure that United States-funded 9 efforts will be both effective and sustainable. 10 (2) Encourage United States organizations that 11 receive funds authorized by this Act to partner with 12 or create South Sudanese-led counterpart organiza- 13 tions and provide these organizations with signifi- 14 cant financial resources, technical assistance, and 15 capacity building. 16 (3) Provide direct financial and programmatic 17 assistance to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs ade- 18 quate to ensure that the Ministry is able to fulfill its 19 mandate. 20 (4) Promote multiyear women-centered eco- 21 nomic development programs, including programs to 22 assist widows, female heads of household, women in 23 rural areas, and disabled women. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 5941 IH (5) Increase women’s access to or ownership of 1 productive assets such as land, water, agricultural 2 inputs, credit, and property. 3 (6) Provide long-term financial assistance for 4 primary, secondary, higher, nontraditional, and voca- 5 tional education for South Sudanese girls, women, 6 boys, and men. 7 (7) Provide financial assistance to build the 8 health infrastructure and to deliver high-quality 9 comprehensive health care programs, including pri- 10 mary, maternal, child, reproductive, and mental 11 health care. 12 (8) Integrate education and training programs 13 for former combatants with economic development 14 programs to encourage their reintegration into soci- 15 ety and to promote post-conflict stability. 16 (9) Provide assistance to rehabilitate children 17 affected by the conflict, particularly child soldiers. 18 (10) Support educational efforts to increase 19 awareness with respect to landmines, facilitate the 20 removal of landmines, and provide services to indi- 21 viduals with disabilities caused by landmines. 22 (11) Include programs to prevent trafficking in 23 persons, assist victims, and apprehend and prosecute 24 traffickers in persons. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 5941 IH (d) SOUTH SUDANESE MILITARY AND POLICE.— 1 With respect to training for military and police forces in 2 South Sudan, the applicable requirements are the fol- 3 lowing: 4 (1) Include training on the protection, rights, 5 and the particular needs of women and emphasize 6 that violations of women’s rights are intolerable and 7 should be prosecuted. 8 (2) Encourage such trainers who will carry out 9 the activities in paragraph (1) to consult with wom- 10 en’s organizations in South Sudan to ensure that 11 training content and materials are adequate, appro- 12 priate, and comprehensive. 13 (e) RELIEF, RESETTLEMENT, AND REPATRIATION OF 14 REFUGEES AND THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED.—With re- 15 spect to the relief, resettlement, and repatriation of refu- 16 gees and internally displaced in South Sudan, the applica- 17 ble requirements are the following: 18 (1) Take all necessary steps to ensure that 19 women refugees and internally displaced in camps, 20 urban areas, and villages are directly receiving food 21 aid, shelter, relief supplies, and other services from 22 United States-sponsored programs. 23 (2) Take all necessary steps to ensure that 24 women refugees in camps, urban areas, and villages 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 5941 IH are accessing high-quality health and medical serv- 1 ices, including primary, maternal, child, and mental 2 health services. 3 (3) Take all necessary steps to ensure that 4 women and children in refugee camps are protected 5 from sexual exploitation. 6 (4) Take all necessary steps to ensure refugees 7 and internally displaced persons that seek to return 8 to their place of origin can do so voluntarily, safely, 9 and with the full protection of their rights. United 10 States-sponsored efforts shall not coerce refugees or 11 internally displaced persons to return to their places 12 of origin. 13 SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 14 Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 15 of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall 16 prepare and transmit to Congress a report that contains 17 documentation of the progress in implementing the re- 18 quirements of section 3. All data shall be disaggregated 19 by sex. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:08 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5941.IH H5941 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS