article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Access for Afghan Women Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) Despite the removal of the Taliban from power, Afghan women continue to experience brutal violation of their human rights, generally outside of Kabul where warlords are reexerting control. (2) Strong and continued United States support can ensure that the advances made by Afghan women since the fall of the Taliban will continue and grow, rather than recede. (3) The United States has made a substantial contribution to the emergency relief and humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan. Completing the United States mission in Afghanistan will also require significant and long-term investments in development and reconstruction assistance. (4) The maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan is one of the highest in the world, with recent reports estimating that every 30 minutes an Afghan women dies (about 15,000 women every year) of pregnancy related causes. The estimated maternal mortality rate of 1,700 deaths per 100,000 live births can be significantly and rapidly reduced through access to primary health care services, including safe birthing supplies, emergency obstetric care, prenatal and postnatal care, contraception, and prevention and treatment for the effects of sexual coercion and rape. (5) Women make up 75 percent or more of the refugees and internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages. (6) Eighty-five percent of Afghanistan's population lives in rural areas. The women in rural areas perform vital roles in food production, processing, and preparation. Successful reconstruction and development assistance must target rural women as part of any agricultural interventions. (7) Within Afghanistan and outside of Afghanistan, local women's organizations are delivering critical services and have the knowledge and experience to assist the United States in delivering effective relief aid. (8) The Afghan Ministry for Women's Affairs is an important new ministry that is essential for re-establishing women's human rights, ensuring that women are included in all development efforts, and delivering critical legal, health, education, and economic services to women throughout Afghanistan's 30 provinces. (9) Afghan women are taking the initiative to reach across the conflict divide and foster peace. Women's perspectives and experiences in seeking solutions to conflicts are necessary to ensure lasting peace. (10) Adequate security in both urban and rural areas is essential if women and girls are to exercise their human rights, work, attend school, and otherwise participate in and benefit from humanitarian and development programs sponsored by the United States. SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO UNITED STATES ACTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN. (a) In General.--Activities described in subsections (b) through (e) that are carried out by the United States in Afghanistan shall comply with the applicable requirements contained in such subsections. (b) Governance of Afghanistan.--With respect to the governance of Afghanistan, the applicable requirements are the following: (1) Include the perspectives and advice of Afghan women's organizations, networks, and leaders in United States policymaking related to the governance of Afghanistan. (2) Promote the inclusion of a significant number of women in the Loya Jirga and future legislative bodies to ensure that women's full range of human rights are included and upheld in any constitution or legal structures of Afghanistan. (3) Promote the continuation and strengthening of the Ministry for Women's Affairs as the Afghan Government transitions to a long-term government structure, and encourage the appointment of women to high level positions within Afghan ministries. (c) Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development.--With respect to activities relating to post-conflict stability in Afghanistan, the applicable requirements are the following: (1) Ensure that a significant portion of United States development, humanitarian, and relief assistance is channeled to local and United States-based Afghan organizations, particularly Afghan women's organizations. Provide technical assistance, training, and capacity-building for local organizations to ensure that United States funded efforts will be both effective and sustainable. (2) Encourage United States organizations that receive funds authorized by this Act to partner with or create Afghan- led counterpart organizations and provide these organizations with significant financial resources, technical assistance, and capacity building. (3) Provide direct financial and programmatic assistance to the Ministry of Women's Affairs adequate to ensure that the Ministry is able to fulfill its mandate. (4) Promote multiyear women-centered economic development programs, including programs to assist widows, female heads of household, women in rural areas, and disabled women. (5) Increase women's access to or ownership of productive assets such as land, water, agricultural inputs, credit, and property. (6) Provide long-term financial assistance for primary, secondary, higher, nontraditional, and vocational education for Afghan girls, women, boys, and men. (7) Provide financial assistance to build the health infrastructure and to deliver high-quality comprehensive health care programs, including primary, maternal, child, reproductive, and mental health care. (8) Integrate education and training programs for former combatants with economic development programs to encourage their reintegration into society and to promote post-conflict stability. (9) Provide assistance to rehabilitate children affected by the conflict, particularly child soldiers. (10) Support educational efforts to increase awareness with respect to landmines, facilitate the removal of landmines, and provide services to individuals with disabilities caused by landmines. (11) Include programs to prevent trafficking in persons, assist victims, and apprehend and prosecute traffickers in persons. (d) Afghan Military and Police.--With respect to training for military and police forces in Afghanistan, the applicable requirements are the following: (1) Include training on the protection, rights, and the particular needs of women and emphasize that violations of women's rights are intolerable and should be prosecuted. (2) Encourage such trainers who will carry out the activities in paragraph (1) to consult with women's organizations in Afghanistan to ensure that training content and materials are adequate, appropriate, and comprehensive. (e) Relief, Resettlement, and Repatriation of Refugees and the Internally Displaced.--With respect to the relief, resettlement, and repatriation of refugees and internally displaced in Afghanistan, the applicable requirements are the following: (1) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women refugees and internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages are directly receiving food aid, shelter, relief supplies, and other services from United States-sponsored programs. (2) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women refugees in camps, urban areas, and villages are accessing high-quality health and medical services, including primary, maternal, child, and mental health services. (3) Take all necessary steps to ensure that women and children in refugee camps are protected from sexual exploitation. (4) Take all necessary steps to ensure refugees and internally displaced persons that seek to return to their place of origin can do so voluntarily, safely, and with the full protection of their rights. United States-sponsored efforts shall not coerce refugees or internally displaced persons to return to their places of origin. SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report that contains documentation of the progress in implementing the requirements of section 3. All data shall be disaggregated by sex.
summary: Access for Afghan Women Act - Directs the United States to undertake a variety of measures to guard and enhance the quality of life of Afghan women, including: (1) incorporating the perspectives and advice of Afghan women's organizations and leaders in U.S. policymaking related to the governance of Afghanistan; (2) promoting the inclusion of a significant number of women in the Loya Jirga and future legislative bodies to ensure that women's human rights are included in any constitution for Afghanistan; (3) ensuring a significant portion of U.S. assistance is channeled to local and U.S.-based Afghan organizations, particularly Afghan women's organizations, and to high-quality comprehensive health care programs and education and training programs in Afghanistan; (4) training on the protection, rights, and the particular needs of women with respect to training for military and police forces in Afghanistan; and (5) ensuring that women refugees and those internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages are receiving food aid, health and medical services, and are free from sexual exploitation.