Women, Peace, and Security Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – On Thursday, Co-Chairs of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Caucus U.S. Reps. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) and Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) released the following statement on the newly-published implementation plans for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and the importance of women’s inclusion in security efforts to maintain peace worldwide:

“In societies where women are healthy, educated, thriving economically and participants in important decisions, their communities are safer and more secure. The Women, Peace, and Security Caucus is grateful to see the United States proceed with implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017. We look forward to carefully reviewing these implementation plans to ensure that progress towards women’s empowerment and inclusion is a strong priority of U.S. foreign policy.”

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 WPS Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-68).

On Thursday, the White House released finalized WPS Implementation Plans for the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and the United States Agency for International Development. As directed by the WPS Act of 2017, these Implementation Plans focus on increasing women’s participation in political, civic and security endeavors within the departments and their global partnerships.

Waltz and Frankel created the WPS Caucus in March. The caucus supports the implementation of the WPS agenda to ensure the WPS goals are considered national security and foreign policy priorities for the United States. The Caucus is committed to working with the interagency to ensure that these critical goals become a reality for women and girls all over the world.