Legislation Requires Department of Defense and Department of State to Produce a Report and Recommendations on Efforts to Promote the Security of Women and Girls in Afghanistan
Women’s Security is a Key Indicator of Overall Security
Washington, DC — Legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) to help Afghan women and girls passed Congress and will become law with the President’s signature as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Afghan Women and Girls Security Promotion Act requires the Department of Defense and the Department of State to produce a detailed report and recommendations on efforts to promote the security of Afghan women and girls during the process of transferring security responsibility to Afghan forces.
“Making women’s security a priority during the transition period will go a long way toward achieving our overall goal of a secure and stable Afghanistan,” said Senator Casey. “Afghan women are not willing to give up on their rights, and we need to demonstrate our commitment to supporting them over the long term. This legislation is an important step toward that goal, and I look forward to continuing to work on this important issue in the coming year.”
The legislation requires a detailed report on current efforts to promote the security of Afghan women and girls, including monitoring and responding to changes in women’s security, improving gender sensitivity and responsiveness among Afghan National Security personnel, and increasing the recruitment and retention of women in the Afghan National Security Forces. The report will also include recommendations for additional steps to improve the situation for women in Afghanistan during the remainder of the transition process.
Senator Casey and Senator Hutchison’s legislation was co-sponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lisa Murkowski (I-AK), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).
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