text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Military and Police 
  Operations through Women's Engagement and Recruitment Act of 2016''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) The United States National Action Plan On Women, Peace 
          and Security expresses the unqualified commitment of the United 
          States to integrating women's perspectives fully into our 
          diplomatic, defense, and development efforts not simply as 
          beneficiaries, but as agents of peace, security, 
          reconciliation, development, growth, and stability. The plan 
          also specifies the following priorities:
                      (A) Providing assistance to support women's 
                  participation, integration, and leadership in the 
                  security sector.
                      (B) Working with partner nations to increase 
                  women's participation in United States-funded training 
                  programs for foreign police, judicial, and military 
                  personnel, including professional military education, 
                  as well as exchange programs, conferences, and 
                  seminars.
                      (C) Utilizing the participation of female members 
                  of the United States Armed Forces to encourage and 
                  model gender integration in the armed forces of partner 
                  nations.
              (2) The Department of State's 2015 Quadrennial Diplomacy 
          and Development Review states that--
                      (A) the United States is promoting initiatives 
                  based on the unique roles that women and girls play in 
                  preventing and responding to conflict; and
                      (B) gender equality is a core element in policy 
                  development, strategy and budget planning, policy and 
                  program implementation, management and training, and 
                  monitoring and evaluation of results.
              (3) United States security sector assistance is a key 
          engagement tool with our foreign partners. Security sector 
          assistance helps further United States interests by seeking to 
          professionalize and develop the police and militaries of our 
          foreign partners, shaping the security sector policies of 
          foreign governments, and building sustainable and legitimate 
          institutions to provide security and justice and respond to the 
          needs of populations. Security sector assistance can also 
          support broad United States policy goals, including respect for 
          human rights, civilian control of the military, and the rule of 
          law.
              (4) To support these efforts, the United States Department 
          of State provides funding for a number of training programs for 
          military forces, police and other security forces, and 
          international peacekeeping operations.
              (5) Women are underrepresented in security forces 
          worldwide. For instance, in South Asia--
                      (A) women make up less than 1 percent of Pakistan's 
                  total police force;
                      (B) women make up less than 5 percent of 
                  Bangladesh's total police force; and
                      (C) women make up less than 7 percent of India's 
                  total police force.
              (6) As demonstrated by United States Female Engagement 
          Teams deployed to Afghanistan, female soldiers can enhance the 
          operational effectiveness of security operations and gather 
          information and provide access to local populations that all-
          male units cannot engage or search.
              (7) Female military and police can provide critical 
          contributions to security. For Afghanistan's 2014 presidential 
          elections, Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior recruited and 
          trained 13,000 females to provide security and conduct searches 
          of women at checkpoints and polling stations. Female police 
          facilitated the participation of women in elections.
              (8) The International Military Education and Training 
          (IMET) program, funded by the United States Department of 
          State, provides professional military training for the future 
          leaders of our foreign partners, enhances interoperability with 
          the United States Armed Forces, builds relationships among 
          international and United States military students, and conveys 
          United States customs and cultural norms.
              (9) Of the 141 countries that received IMET funding from 
          Fiscal Year 2011 through Fiscal Year 2015, only approximately 7 
          percent of IMET program participants from those countries were 
          women.
              (10) United States international police training programs 
          that are specifically focused on women have proven effective in 
          recruiting and retaining women. In Lebanon, for instance, a 
          Department of State-funded basic cadet course for women was 
          instrumental in helping Lebanon's Internal Security Forces 
          increase the number of police officers from two to 610.
              (11) United States security assistance for peacekeeping 
          builds the capabilities of our partner countries, increases the 
          number of military and police personnel available for 
          deployment to support peace operations, and facilitates the 
          logistical support and deployment of units to peace operations.
              (12) Studies demonstrate that the inclusion of higher 
          proportions of female peacekeepers is associated with fewer 
          allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation, as is the 
          inclusion of personnel from countries with better records of 
          gender equality.
              (13) Female peacekeepers are uniquely capable of assisting 
          female survivors of sexual violence. Reports demonstrate that 
          victims are more likely to report incidents of abuse to women 
          in the police or military. In Liberia, the presence of a female 
          Indian peacekeeping unit increased reporting of sexual abuse 
          and encouraged the recruitment of women to the national police.
              (14) Despite the recognition of the importance of 
          increasing the number of women in peacekeeping operations, 
          according to the United Nations, as of February 2016--
                      (A) women comprised only 3 percent of total 
                  military forces deployed to peacekeeping missions; and
                      (B) women comprised only 9 percent of total police 
                  forces deployed to peacekeeping missions.
              (15) The Global Peace Operations Initiative is a United 
          States security assistance program to train, deploy, and build 
          the capacity of peacekeepers worldwide. Through the Global 
          Peace Operations Initiative, the United States has worked to 
          increase the participation of female peacekeepers in United 
          Nations operations. With dedicated United States assistance, 
          over the last five years, the countries that received 
          assistance under the Global Peace Operations Initiative nearly 
          doubled the number of deployed female military peacekeepers 
          from 1,396 to 2,539. Of the countries that received assistance 
          under the Global Peace Operations Initiative that deploy 
          personnel to peacekeeping missions, as of January 2016--
                      (A) women comprised approximately 4 percent of 
                  total military forces deployed to peace operations; and
                      (B) women comprised approximately 7 percent of 
                  formed police units and 10 percent of total police 
                  forces deployed to peace operations.
  
  SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
  
      It is the policy of the United States--
              (1) to recognize and respond to the significant shortage of 
          women at all levels in foreign military and police forces;
              (2) to prioritize the identification, engagement, and 
          support of women leaders at all levels in foreign security 
          sectors;
              (3) to increase the recruitment, retention, 
          professionalization, and promotion of women in foreign security 
          sectors, specifically in the military and police forces;
              (4) to promote the meaningful inclusion and deployment of 
          women in security operations; and
              (5) to enhance and expand United States training 
          opportunities for women at all levels in foreign militaries and 
          police forces.
  
  SEC. 4. FOREIGN MILITARY EXCHANGES.
  
      The Department of State, in coordination with the Department of 
  Defense, shall seek to increase the participation of women receiving 
  training under the International Military Education and Training 
  program at United States military schools and training institutions, 
  with the goal of doubling female participation in such programs 
  globally by September 30, 2019.
  
  SEC. 5. COUNTERING TERRORISM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM.
  
      (a) In General.--The Department of State shall seek to increase the 
  participation of women receiving training under the Department of 
  State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) programs, with the goal of 
  doubling the total women receiving such training by September 30, 2019.
      (b) Mandate.--The Department of State shall make explicit in its 
  mandate for ATA programs its priority to increase the participation of 
  women.
  
  SEC. 6. PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Department of State shall work with partner 
  countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to prioritize the 
  integration, training, and deployment of qualified female peacekeepers 
  in peace operations. The Department of State shall work with partner 
  countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to prioritize the 
  employment, development, and integration of female peacekeeping 
  trainers.
      (b) United Nations Peacekeeping Missions.--Through the United 
  States Mission to the United Nations, the Department of State shall 
  promote an increase in the recruitment, retention, and leadership roles 
  of female personnel assigned to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
      (c) Increased Deployment of Female Peacekeepers.--The Department of 
  State may work with partner countries receiving United States 
  peacekeeping training assistance to double the number of qualified 
  women deployed to peace operations not later than 5 years after the 
  date of the enactment of this Act.
  
  SEC. 7. LAW ENFORCEMENT.
  
      (a) Participation Requirement.--The Department of State shall 
  establish female participation requirements for its police training 
  programs and work with partner countries to ensure that women account 
  for not less than 10 percent of nominees for United States-funded 
  police training programs.
      (b) Communication of Requirement.--The Department shall make 
  explicit its priority to increase the participation of women in the 
  design and implementation of all police training programs.
  
  SEC. 8. MONITORING AND EVALUATION.
  
      The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and 
  representatives of other relevant Federal agencies and departments, as 
  appropriate, shall develop a plan for the monitoring and independent 
  evaluation of programs, projects, and activities carried out under this 
  Act.
  
  SEC. 9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in conjunction with the 
  Secretary of Defense, shall designate appropriate officials to brief 
  the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 1 year after 
  the date of the enactment of this Act, on--
              (1) the existing, enhanced, and newly established training 
          carried out pursuant to this Act;
              (2) diplomatic actions undertaken to promote the targets 
          set forth in this Act;
              (3) the guidelines established for overseas United States 
          diplomatic and military personnel to engage with foreign 
          counterparts pursuant to this Act;
              (4) progress towards the targets set forth in this Act; and
              (5) actions to address the structural and systemic barriers 
          to women's recruitment, retention, and professionalization for 
          the largest recipients of United States security sector 
          assistance.
      (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
  the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
              (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
          Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
          Senate; and
              (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
          Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
          House of Representatives.
target: Enhancing Military and Police Operations through Women's Engagement and Recruitment Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Defense (DOD), to seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under the International Military Education and Training program at U.S. military schools and training institutions, with the goal of doubling female participation globally by September 30, 2019. The State Department shall seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under its Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) programs, with the goal of doubling the total women receiving such training by September 30, 2019, and make explicit in its mandate for ATA programs its priority to increase women's participation. State shall work with partner countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to: (1) prioritize the integration, training, and deployment of qualified female peacekeepers in peace operations; (2) prioritize the employment, development, and integration of female peacekeeping trainers; and (3) double the number of qualified women deployed to peace operations within five years. State also shall:    promote an increase in the recruitment, retention, and leadership roles of female personnel assigned to United Nations peacekeeping missions;  establish female participation requirements for its police training programs and work with partner countries to ensure that women account for at least 10% of nominees for U.S.-funded police training programs; make explicit its priority to increase women's participation in the design and implementation of all police training programs; develop a plan for the monitoring and independent evaluation of programs, projects, and activities carried out under this bill; and  designate officials to brief Congress regarding actions taken under this Act. 
feat_title: Enhancing Military and Police Operations through Women's Engagement and Recruitment Act of 2016