Women, Peace, and Security Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, U.S. Reps. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) launched the Women, Peace, and Security Caucus, which will focus on the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda and the importance of women’s inclusion in security efforts to maintain peace worldwide.

The bipartisan caucus aims to support the implementation of the WPS agenda and ensure the WPS goals are considered national security and foreign policy priorities for the United States. In 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1325, linking gender equality to the maintenance of international peace and security. Last Congress, the United States became the first country to put the priorities of the UN Resolution into law by passing the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-68). As directed through the WPS Act, the White House released the National Strategy last June to achieve the policy goals set forth in the Act. The strategy aims to increase women’s participation in political, civic and security endeavors to prevent and resolve conflicts and create conditions for long-term peace around the globe.

“In societies where women thrive, governments, economies and communities are stronger,” said Rep. Waltz. “As a Green Beret, I’ve seen the importance of women in peace processes all around the world. Peace agreements last longer when women are included in negotiations – and our world is ultimately a safer place because of gender equality.”

“Social and political marginalization of women strongly correlates with the likelihood a country will experience conflict. When girls and women are healthy, educated, and financially secure, their communities are more prosperous and peaceful,” said Rep. Frankel. “As mothers, wives, women are uniquely situated to detect early signs of radicalization in youth. And research shows that when women and civil society groups participate in a peace process, the resulting agreement is much less likely to fail and more likely to last at least fifteen years.”

The bipartisan caucus is open to all members of Congress dedicated to fully implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Act (P.L. 115-68) and the White House’s National Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security. The caucus is widely supported by peace-promoting groups around the world.

“We in civil society are extremely grateful for Congresswoman Frankel’s and Congressman Waltz’s incredible leadership on Women, Peace, and Security,” said Sahana Dharmapuri, Director of the Our Secure Future. “The Co-Chairs will lead Members on both sides of the aisle who are extremely supportive of advancing the role of women in building peaceful, stable societies around the world. We will fully support the Caucus and its  efforts to seek better national security policies and to provide the necessary Congressional oversight. Our Secure Future is happy to help strengthen the links between Congress and their staff and civil society organizations working on this issue.”