Stephanie Hammond, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for stability and humanitarian affairs, testifies at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s subcommittee on national security on empowering women and girls and promoting international security in Washington, D.C., July 23, 2020.
Transcript
The committee will come to order without objection that shares authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time. I now recognize myself In opening statement today, our committee subcommittee will examine the role of women and girls in overseas crisis prevention, diplomacy, peacekeeping in post conflict reconciliation, according to an October 2016 report from the Council on Foreign Relations. The substantial inclusion of women and civil society groups in a peace negotiation makes that peace negotiation 64% less likely to fail, Close quote. Moreover, several studies have shown that higher levels of gender equality are associated with a lower propensity for conflict both between and within states. The consequences for U. S. National security policy a clear not only do women deserve a seat at the table, but meaningful consideration of their voices and interest will lead to greater security and stability in fragile states and post conflict environments around the world. To that end, in October 2017 Congress passed the Women Peace and Security Act, which requires the administration the Trump Administration to produce a strategy to support the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict prevention, management and resolution and post conflict relief and recovery efforts. In June 2019 the Trump Administration released the U. S. Women Peace and Security strategy, and on June 11 2020 the departments of State Defense, Homeland Security and the U. S. Agency for International Development each released implementation plans to support the women Peace and Security Strategy, While the women peace and Security strategy looks good on paper, the administration has repeatedly refused to demonstrate a firm commitment to defending the rights of women and girls, notably by attacking access to sexual and reproductive health and then by signed lighting women during conflict resolutions and peace negotiations. For example, the peace deal negotiated between United States and the Taliban earlier this year does nothing to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls, threatening to reverse nearly 20 years of progress, helping them to become successful participants of Afghan political and civic life. The administration has also repeatedly attacked global women’s access to sexual and reproductive health. In April 2017 the Trump Administration announced it would suspend funding to the U. N. Population Fund, which provides family planning and reproductive health services in over 150 countries in September 2019. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex’s are told the U. S. General Assembly that the U. S. Does not support quote references to ambiguous terms and expressions such a sexual and reproductive health rights in U. S. U. N documents. Close quote. I’m also concerned that the administration may not have the political will to invest. The necessary commitment and resource is to advance the ideals enshrined in the women peace and security strategy. In fact, the document kneecaps itself in its opening pages, cautioning that the United States will quote, engage selectively close quote and will likely not be able to advance women peace and security principles in every corner of the globe. We should also take this opportunity to seriously examine whether the United States is doing enough to promote encourage women to serve in senior leadership positions within our own government. For decades, the national security field has been dominated by men, and I look forward to hearing from today’s witnesses about how their departments are working to address gender disparities and inequalities within their own ranks. Finally, I would like to thank our witnesses for testifying before us today. The subcommittee previously invited the Department of State Defense, Homeland Security and the U. S. Agency for International Development to testify at a virtual hearing in June, but the agencies refused, citing quote White House, O M B Guide and sent to all House and Senate committees on May 29th. Close quote. So let me be clear. Congress. Congress does not. It is Congress, not the executive branch that determines how to conduct its own business. But the subcommittee is pleased to accommodate the administration in this case, given the importance of the subject matter at hand. With that, I will now turn the floor over to Congressman Grothman, R ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin for the Great State of Wisconsin for his opening remarks. Thank you. And thank you for having this hearing. First of all, point out, at least far as I’m concerned, I don’t. This is the first or second hearing that I’ve had since I’ve been here, in which all four of our witnesses sent over by the administration are women. So just pointing that out here a little bit historical to me anyway. Second thing Ah, a little bit concerned about a letter here. It won’t bring this up that you and Carolyn Maloney signed toe the secretary of state and secretary of defense, being critical of the administration. And in this letter, I think you’re kind of holding them toe and absurdly high standard. You’re a little bit upset that we didn’t get more rights for women in Afghanistan, and I’ll point out, I think it is true, rightfully or wrongfully, and I’m not a big fan of interfering in Afghanistan. But if the United States gets involved in other countries, wherever it is, Iraq, Afghanistan probably human rights, rights of women and human rights in general go up. And when the United States leaves, country’s human rights probably go down, and I think that’s probably true of Afghanistan. Um, at least I think among the majority of Americans felt that we probably had a lot of people in Afghanistan for a long time, disrupting their families, sometimes dying, and are pleased that President Trump is drawing down the number of troops in Afghanistan. But I think one has to respect. I understand that is, one pulls down the number of troops in Afghanistan. Our influence in Afghanistan wanes and we have to be aware that’s a little bit hypocritical on one hand to say American troops out of Iraq, American troops out of Afghanistan and then complain when the human rights of people in general women in particular drop because most countries around the world historically are not like the Westernized United States. So it just you know, this this letter is obviously I’m concerned about the rights of women in Afghanistan by I want you to be aware there’s kind of a contradiction between saying I want us out of Afghanistan and then saying I want the US toe westernize Afghanistan with the gentleman yield for 30 seconds. Sure, the letter is informed by the fact that myself and a bipartisan group of members of Congress I met with the negotiating team at the Munich security conference and we asked the negotiating team if they had put writes off Afghan women and and girls on the negotiating table with in their negotiations with the with the Taliban. So it was the U. S. Government and the Taliban negotiating bilaterally. I asked if we had put the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan on the negotiation table. they said they did not, and they would not. That that is what the letter is referring to. You don’t have to stay in the in Afghanistan with a heavy troop presence in order to to proffer the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan as an issue in the peace negotiations. And that that’s what we were complaining will sell you back. I thank the gentleman first courtesy. Okay, Um, just one other comment we talk a lot about, you know, I guess the right of choice or whatever. And I will point out that right now, the United States is, I believe, one of seven countries in the world, according to the Washington Post toe, allow what it would amount to a late term abortion or at least unfettered, rightto late term abortion. And I don’t think it is necessarily a positive thing for the United States to throw our substantial economic might around and impose that belief in other countries around the world And some of people a little concerned that the U. S. May do it. But now I’ll give my opening comment here. Thank you, Mr Chairman, for allowing this important hearing and thank you for all the witnesses here today. I’m grateful that this hearing is taking place in person. Thank you for allowing us to do that. And I now acknowledge the current public health crisis but think it’s equally important that we hear from the witnesses directly. I always get a little bit more out of the live hearing on um, you have insinuated the administration by advocating for in person hearings, is intentionally putting workers and Jeff in jeopardy. And that’s a while that accusation. I do not feel right now that I’m being threatened in this hearing. Um, quite frankly, I’m closer to people whenever I get home, usually in a retail setting or whatever. I hope we can work together in the future to ensure hearings are in person while abiding by the safety protocols. It’s an important topic in an effort by the by the Trump administration that should be heralded. In October of 2017 President Trump signed the Historic Women Peace and Security Act. In fact, this long made us the first country in the world with a comprehensive law on women peace and security. The act embolden the president to set unprecedented US policies promoting global equality by recognizing the contribution that women and girls make to the world security and stability, the president released the first U. S. Strategy on Women, Peace and Security in 2019 in June. The strategy focuses on both increasing women’s participation in political, civic and security endeavors and creates conditions for long term peace. Both goals are noble and unequivocally bipartisan. It’s clear from past experiences that promoting women and girls and government leads to a more robust global harmony, the president said. President Trump Nations that empower women are much wealthier, safer and more politically stable. We’re here today to learn what each of these agencies are doing. To advance the cause of the Department of State is increasing women’s participation in decision making, protecting against gender based violence and counter by on extremism. The Department of Defense is promoting the safety of women and girls during conflicts. US. Aid is strategically investing in international programs that promote women’s leadership and empowerment, and Homeland Security is acting in support of all the other agencies missions. This is a global effort led by the Trump administration to make a safer and the world more prosperous. The administration is committed to expanding the role of women in peace and security. These efforts work, and we commend the Trump administration. Thank you, Mr Chairman, and I yield back the gentleman heels back. This’ll point. I’d like to introduce our witnesses. First witness today is the honorable carry Kelly Currie, who was the ambassador at large for global women’s issues at the Department of State. We will also hear from the honorable Michelle Bickering, who is the assistant administrator at the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment, the US Agency for International Development. We’ll also hear from Stephanie Hammond, who was the acting deputy secretary. Excuse me, deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for stability and humanitarian affairs at the Department of Defense. And finally, we will hear from Cameron Quinn, who was the officer for civil rights and civil liberties at the Department of Homeland Security. It is the custom of this subcommittee to swear our witnesses, so I would ask our witnesses to please rise. Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Okay, let the record show that the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. Please be seated without objection. Your written statements will be made part of the record with that Ambassador Curry, you are now recognized for your for a summary of your testimony. Thank you, Mr Chairman, and thank you, Ranking member growth hman and thank you, Chairwoman Maloney, for joining us today and important hearing and to the other members of the subcommittee. I’m delighted to be here to share with you the successes the United States has achieved since the passage of the bipartisan Woman Peace and Security Act of 2017 and to talk about how the United States continues to lead the effort to empower women worldwide. I’d like to take a moment to recognize the great contributions and support that we received from the Women Peace and Security Caucus here in Congress that was recently formed and especially note it’s coach here’s Congresswoman Lois Frankel and Congressman Mike Walz, who have been really important leaders on this issue and people that we turn to for support and encouragement as we continue toe move this effort forward. I also want to think say that thanks to the in court incredible bipartisan support and cooperation between President Trump and Congress as we head into the 20th anniversary of United States United Nations Security Council Resolution 13 25 which established the Women Peace and Security Agenda item on the Security Council agenda. The United States remains the world’s leading voice for women’s empowerment politically, economically and socially. When Congress passed and the president signed the WPS the WPS Act in 2017 we became the first and still the only country in the world to enshrine these commitments. International legislation. This is a remarkable bipartisan achievement and it’s one that we take very seriously and we hold as a strong as a n’importe trust as we carry this workout. In 2019 the United States reaffirmed our commitment with the release of the US National Strategy on Women, peace and Security by the White House. This whole of government approach charged the four leading agencies represented here today with women pieces to develop women peace and security implementation plans that were mission specific, innovative and perhaps most importantly, measurable. The State Department is uniquely positioned to reinforce Americans global leadership on women peace and security in four key areas. Policy, diplomacy, partnerships and innovation through m sorry, innovative programs through the departments Global Presence. We have a structural comparative advantage to engage partners on the ground through our actions, with nearly 300 embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions all around the world, as well as through our robots presence here in Washington and are excellent mission in New York. Last month, the State Department released are Women Peace and Security Implementation Plan, which provides a roadmap to achieve measured problem measurable progress. By 2023. The department’s work has been in close partnership with the interagency our allies and partners, and undertaken an extensive consultation with women’s groups, civil society organizations and local implementing partners. Our efforts are laser focused on countries that are currently experiencing armed conflict, violent extremism or gross systematic abuses of women and girls. We are also looking at those nations that are emerging for come from conflict and those that are most at risk of falling into conflict or crisis. Through our partnership with CSS, the Conflict and Stabilization Bureau that is working on the Global Fragility Act, these two complementary pieces of legislation have given us excellent tools to tackle these problems. The department’s also monitoring and engaging countries with a history of atrocities, especially those with a pattern of of inflating systemic abuse against women and girls, including sexual violence. And again, this is in response to the Ely was sell Act that Congress passed. And so we have Billy again great partnership through congressional action and administration implementation. The department’s women Peace and Security Agenda is at work in more than 30 countries in conjunction with more than 10 regional and international organizations. Here at home, the department offers nearly 50 training programs to ensure state and state personnel have the tools they need to bring WPS into US diplomacy. I’d like to highlight one specific example of our women peace and security work in action that demonstrates America’s leadership on this issue as well as tangible results of US engagement led by the Department of State. And here I’m referring to our commitment to Afghanistan, which has been remarked upon before all of us recognize how much is at stake if women are not able to participate meaningfully at the negotiating table in Afghanistan. Now, more than ever, women’s voices must be heard to define not only their futures but the future of their nation. Afghanistan still has far to go on women’s meaningful inclusion in decision making and put and political processes. But the Afghan government took an important step earlier this month and announcing that it will appoint one female deputy governor in each of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Seven of them are already in place. Following Sustains US Engagement Weaken do They also report that four women have been named to the government’s negotiating team for intra Afghan negotiations, representing nearly 20% of the negotiating team. Finally, I’d like to end with one thought about something that has has been threaded through my work here in the administration for the past 3.5 years. And that’s regarding the malign influence that we’re seeing from Russia and the People’s Republic of China through the United Nations and other international organizations and, more broadly, how they are attacking the fundamental human rights that we all hold dear in this country and the normative framework that upholds them through international organizations and joint action. The United States remains strongly committed to ending the horrible scourge of sexual violence in armed conflict, holding perpetrators accountable and supporting survivors. The US has been the leading supporter, both politically and financially, of the United Nations Secretary general. Special Representative on Special on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict Since the creation of this mandate, which the United States led, I’ve personally worked with the SRS G on sexual violence in armed conflict. Pramila Patten over the past three years toe advance the remarkable work of her office. By contrast, malign actors such as Russia and China threatened global peace and security by weakening international norms and manipulating legitimate security concerns to justify denial of human rights. And they do this in the Security Council in the General Assembly and everywhere else they can. We will continue to fight these influences by empowering women and girls worldwide and promoting and protecting the human rights and dignity of all. Diplomacy in the 21st Century demands effective, creative and innovative foreign policy that spurs diversity of thought and inclusive durable solutions. Women, peace and security is an example of how the United States has adapted to this imperative. And as I looked down this beautiful witness panel today and see my fellow leaders in this important effort, I know that we’re doing what we need to be doing in this area. We’re building a strong foundation for worldwide consensus, including through effective multilateral fora advance genuine, sustainable and prosperous opportunities for women. While we may not always agree on every aspect of the implementation of this agenda, I firmly believe we must focus on the critical work we can do together in those areas that enjoys strong consensus to build effective initiatives that yield meaningful and results. The women of the world are counting on us to do this. The United States will continue to be a champion champion for women and human rights worldwide. It’s in support of these foundational principles that together we have the opportunity to change the futures for millions of women and girls around the world. Thank you. And I look forward to your questions. Thank you, Ambassador. Now we will turn to administrative bickering, administrative bickering. You are now recognized for five minutes. Well, thank you. Chairman Lynch, ranking member Grantham, Chairwoman Maloney and the other distinguished members of this subcommittee. I, too, am grateful to be here today to testify before you on this critical national security issue of women peace and security and the role that the U. S. Agency for International Development plays in supporting US governments. WPS strategy Along with our success to date, it is an honor as well to join my colleagues from the US Department of State, Defense and Homeland Security. And I, too, would like to think this opportunity to take this opportunity to recognize the newly formed WPS Caucus and expressed sincere appreciation to Representives Waltz and Frankel for their long standing commitment to the WPS agenda. Women leaders are often at the forefront of movements to demand greater political freedoms, peace and justice. Yet they’re frequently excluded from meaningful participation in the very peace negotiations and political settlements where their country’s futures and there’s are being shaped. Studies show that when women participate in peace processes, the resulting agreement is 35% more likely to last at least 15 years at U. S. C. I. D. We understand that investing in women’s leadership and empowerment is critical for breaking the cycles of conflict and instability that threaten our global security and for advancing our mission of supporting our partner countries on their own journeys to sell for lines, U. S. A I. D s new implementation plan is an important opportunity to focus our efforts on women peace and security through effective, coordinated action across our development and humanitarian assistance efforts. Since 2017 U. S. A. I D. Activities have offended the participation of 70,000 women in political and peace building processes while providing critical care, psychosocial support, legal aid and economic services to more than six million survivors of gender based violence in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 the agency invested over $200 million in programming to empower and protect women and girls affected by crisis and conflict. U. S. A. I. D works to implement all four lines of effort in the WPS strategy, and I’d like to highlight just a few examples of these efforts. We continue to support programs which increased women’s meaningful participation and leadership, and in peace and political processes, and the Republic of Guinea U. S. A. I D works through local partners to empower women to serve as young peace ambassadors and his members of local peace building platforms. The agency has also expanded our programming to address the needs of women and girls affected by violent extremism and to increase women’s participation and preventing and responding to radicalization in their communities and the Kingdom of Morocco. Programming will interrupt recruitment activities and bolster the resilience of women to counter act the influence of violent extremism organizations. We also continue to prioritize activities to protect women and girls from violence and humanitarian emergencies, with $178 million in programming designed to improve the safety and well being of women and girls and other vulnerable populations who are at risk for gender based violence. We are also investing in our internal capabilities to ensure our personnel have the skills to integrate women’s empowerment priorities and strategies and programs. In the last two fiscal years, U. S. A. I D has offered 80 training sessions or courses aligned with the requirements at the WPS Act of 2017 which reached more than 10,000 of our staff. We also encourage our partner countries to improve the meaningful participation of women in peace and security decision making and institutions through support for Continental results. Framework USA Ideas partnership with the African Union has contributed to an increase in the number of member states that have adopted national and regional action plans for the implementation of the WPS agenda. And finally, we are consistently seeking innovative, better ways to measure our results. U S A. I d remains committed to monitoring and evaluating our efforts to ensure the effective stewardship of taxpayer resources. I look forward to our continued collaboration with Congress, including the WPS Caucus, this committee, the inter agency in all of our partners to advance this important agenda. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today and I welcome your questions. Thank you. Next from the Department of Defense, we will have Assistant Secretary Hammond Secretary Hammond, You’re now recognized for five minutes. Good morning. Chairman Lynch and ranking member Grothman distinguished members of the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security. It is an honor to testify before you today on the Department of Defense implementation of the U. S. Strategy on women Peace and Security, or WPS, d o. D supports the whole of government implementation of the WPS act and strategy and views this effort as essential to our national security. Global conflict is evolving and the need to identify sustainable security solutions that meet the needs of an entire population is greater than ever. As our adversaries and competitors continue to seek a strategic advantage, the United States and our partners must be better prepared to meet security challenges by recognizing the diverse roles women playing conflict and by incorporating their perspectives throughout our plans and our operations. The dist able izing effects of malign actors highlight the importance off the global WPS agenda and upholding international human rights and the rules based international order. The United States and our allies and partners seek to maintain advancing the U. S. Strategy, and WPS provides a unique engage my opportunity to strengthen relationships with our allies and partners through collective efforts to reinforce women’s empowerment. Meaningful participation in decision making, protection from violence and access to resource is Earlier this month, in accordance with the WPS Act of 2017 and the U. S. Strategy on WPS, the Department of Defense alongside our interagency partners launched its WPS strategic Framework and Implementation Plan. This document is the first department wide implementation plan that outlines how we will support the intent off the U. S. Strategy and WPS their attention to the composition of our personnel and the development of our policies, plans, doctrine, training, education operations and exercises. This approach will support the national defense strategy and increase our operational effectiveness by helping the department to strengthen alliances and attract new partners by demonstrating US commitment to human rights and women’s empowerment, making the US the partner of choice and Teoh reform the department for greater performance and affordability by developing more effective strategies to mitigate risks and optimize mission success. This plan details three overarching defense objectives to orient the department’s implementation of the U. S. Strategy and WPS, which are as follows. First. The Department of Defense exemplifies a diverse organization that allows for women’s meaningful participation across the development, management and employment of the joint force. Second, women and partner nations meaningful Lee participate in serve at all ranks and in all occupations in the defense and security sectors and third partner nation, defence and security sectors, and sure, women and girls air safe and secure, and that their human rights are protected, especially during conflict in crisis. Recognizing these objectives cannot be accomplished overnight. The plan also includes intermediate defense objectives achievable over the life of the plan. This plan will support and advance the department’s ongoing activities to implement of UPS, which have significantly increased since the enactment of the WPS Act. With the support of funding from Congress, the department currently has an active network of WPS advisers. At the Combatant Commands is well Azzan, the Joint Staff and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Thes personnel advised commanders and staff on how to integrate gender perspectives into operations and organize engagements with our partner nations. To date, we have engaged more than 50 partner nations to demonstrate the value of women’s meaningful participation in parliament in safety to our national security, to share best practices on the recruitment, employment, development, retention and promotion of women in our military forces. These engagements have included conferences, training events, standard operating procedure, development and integration, WPS principles and military operations, and multilateral exercises such as flintlock conquest and Pacific Century. One example of a partner nation engagement is in ***, where D O. D is working to help their armed forces adopt their recruitment methods to increase the number of women in their ranks and to promote women into leadership positions. In fact, Niger’s Air force now has its first female pilot, who was trained by the United States, is a part of a program to combat Boko Haram. She is now an operational squadron commander and his conducted multiple combat deployments. Another example is in the Indo Pacific Command, where WPS advisers have engaged with local organisations and countries such as Mongolia toe work with women in rural areas in building their resiliency and leadership skills, such as in disaster response and in relief efforts with the department’s own forces. Formal training programs are being developed and piloted, beginning with WPS advisers and senior leaders. We have also worked to integrate WPS into training modules such as training on combating trafficking in persons. Now, with the launch of the department’s WPS Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan, the department will further institutionalize and expand on this critical WPS engagement across all components and continue to coordinate closely with our interagency partners on this initiative to make the United States safer and more secure. We’re grateful for the congressional support this important initiative and are particularly grateful for the WPS funding that D O. D has so generously received from Congress over the past several years. Thank you very much for this opportunity to testify. Thank you very much. We will now hear from the Department of Homeland Security officer for civil rights and civil liberties, Miss Cameron Quinn, When you’re recognized, microphone and thank you as well. Chairwoman Maloney, ranking member Comer ranking member. Grothman on other distinguished members of the committee for this opportunity to speak for you today on department Homeland Security’s Implementation of the Homeland Security See me implementation of the Homeland Security Implementation Plan. Also a pleasure to be here today on such panel with my key colleagues for implementing one piece of security across the entire U. S. Government. Aziz, the nation’s largest law enforcement and security agency. The department Homeland Security recognizes well the importance and the impact that women have in senior leadership positions and really helping to value of those aspects that they bring. The part works systemically to advance the inclusion of women across the department as well as other underrepresented populations to reflect the United States. Gartman also has extensive contacts with foreign partners in trying Teoh advance It’s admission and to provide as a result, provides training and exchange opportunities that position DHS to influence in a focused way. International efforts to improve women’s inclusion in foreign security partners activities. While Department’s official efforts related to in peace and security are just getting started, we’ve been able to identify across the department already a number of initiatives underway that really do help advance women, peace and security. And this act brings a welcome focus on being able to capture the metrics to actually demonstrate what the department’s been doing under women peace and security. Since January, the department’s focus has been to identify baseline efforts that are already underway and to identify a really key group of working partners across the department of various components that can help us support the WPS skulls. The focus for a first reporting period next year will be the collection of data showing what it is that’s already been occurring across the department and what kind of funding is being spent whether the departments or other partner agencies funding to support this training using this baseline will then be able to develop better sort of our plans for promoting when peace, security and improving what we’re doing over the future. DHS leaders, including executive leadership, really are very excited about this opportunity to partner with our fellow agencies across the in government to really significantly impact the women peace and security strategy that had such strong bipartisan support. They recognize as I do, that women, peace and security helps the department to achieve its goal of safeguarding the American people, our homeland and our values. The department’s mission. On a personal note, I will share that very early in my federal career. I spent a little bit of Time I with the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, Um, where the only federal agency that’s actually mandated to represent the needs of wage earning women in public policy. About a decade later, I was at the U. S. Merit System Protection Board and was very involved in the first ever Women’s or excuse me glass ceiling study. Um, somehow, it seems a fitting capstone to have the opportunity now to be the first woman leading department Homeland Security’s efforts and Whitney Houston security. So I really appreciate this opportunity, and I thank you again for the chance to appear today and look forward to answer any questions you have. Thank you very much. Thank you. And thank you for your service at this time. That concludes the witness testimony. At this point, I would like to recognize the full chairwoman for the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the Gentle lady from New York, Miss Bologna for five minutes. Thank thank you so much, Mr Chairman and ranking member Grothman. I appreciate your steadfast leadership on this issue, and especially regarding the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. And this is one of many hearings that Chairman Lynch’s head on women F in Afghanistan we know the story, the cruel treatment not allowed to be educated. Ah, terrible treatment of women. And, ah, the research noted by the Panelists today, Thank you all for your service in your testimony that in countries where women are respected and empowered, there’s more stability. There’s less terrorism. It’s an investment in peace to invest in the empowerment of women. So I I do want to put this hearing in perspective. Last week, the full Camilli committee held a hearing to examine whether the United States should create a national cyber director to coordinate our national cybersecurity policy. It was bipartisan, and we’re moving together to make that happen. I think Congress should consider establishing a similar position or Council at the White House to advance women peace and security principles like the one now that President Obama had advanced. This would send a strong signal about the United States commitment to empowering women and girls in political and civic life, both overseas and here at home, while coordinating AH whole of government implementation of women peace and security strategy. I also think it’s very important that the department and agency officials tasked with this implementation of peace and security report directly to the secretary and best of curry. The Office of Global Women’s issues at the State Department is within the office of the secretary. Is that correct? Can you briefly speak to how that direct access to the secretary is beneficial to your ability to advance the women peace and security agenda? I certainly can thank you for the question being ableto work directly for The secretary is actually and I’ve worked in other positions in the department. And as some of you who have worked in federal agencies, no bureaucracy is often a impediment to getting things done quickly. I am able to move things very quickly through the system because I do enjoy direct access to the secretary, work directly with his team on these issues and can move, move paper and move ideas and initiatives through very quickly. And it gives us an added and perimeter of authority that we are working directly under the secretary. So I think it is a very beneficial structure. This is the way the office was set up by the Obama administration and we retained it. And the White House strongly supports keeping the Office of Global Women’s issues directly reporting to the secretary. Thank you. I also think it’s very important that senior agency officials tasked with implementing the women’s peace and security agenda are focused exclusively on that mission. So Miss Quinn, in addition to your role in implementing the women’s peace and security strategy for DHS, can you describe some of your other responsibilities as officer for civil rights and civil liberties? Miss Quinn, Madam Chairman, The in addition to that, we are responsible for the EU programmes cross the department were responsible for the public complaint system across the department working in conjunction with our component agencies, and we also proactively provide advice and assistance and secretary and other senior leaders across the department on civil rights and civil liberties, of which we feel women’s peace and security fits very nicely. Okay, Miss Hammond, I’d like to ask you the same question. Can you describe some of your duties as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for stability and humanitarian affairs? In addition to your responsibilities related to women, Peace and security Strategy. Implementation. Well, thank you very much for being here today in highlighting the importance of the WPS initiative within the office of Secretary of Defense, where I said so I to have that media access to Secretary Esper, who has been very supportive of our WPS implementation plan within the Office of Stability and Humanitarian Affairs. The office in which I lied. We coordinate all the International Cove in 19 Assistant. So working very closely with our State Department in U. S. Aid colleagues on the robust interagency off response on behalf of our allies and partners in their desperate time of need for Cove in 19 assistance. We also work on humanitarian affairs issues in general, especially coming alongside our USA Humanitarian affairs colleagues Teoh coordinate logistical support where there’s a unique d o d capability need that can be met to come alongside the robust efforts of US aid and state in natural disasters or chronic runny G responses. Stabilization piece. Keep them. So it’s a robust portfolio. Okay, create Miss Beckett. Bridge of my time is up on Anna. I’d ask you to submit the same answer to the record, and I thank all of you. And I’m sure you’re all wonderful and capable and talented and hard work. But I think a senior officer responsible for implementing the women’s peace and security strategy at each department should be focused on that exclusively while also having direct access to the secretary. So I’ll be submitting legislation to achieve that. I hope Chairman Lynch and ranking member Grothman will join us. Ah, the record is very clear in all research. If if women succeed, the country succeeds, there’s less terrorism. There’s more stability again. I thank you, Mr Chairman, for your extraordinary sensitivity, really and leadership on so many areas in national defense, but also the role important role of women that they can play in helping to achieve security and national defense. Thank you. I yield back. I think the gentle lady for her kind remarks lady yields back share now recognizes the ranking member for the subcommittee. The distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr Grossman. Five minutes. Sure. Thank you for all your testimony. They’re always part of the testimony. We should flush out a little bit more because they Ah, and I’ll start with you, Miss Curry. I think you were the ones talking about the problems we had with China and Russia and how they were trying to kind of muck up our our goals. Could you elaborate on that a little bit? Certainly. During my time in this administration, I’ve had a front row seat at how these countries which do not share our values on human rights, do not share our commitment to the core principles that underpin human international human rights law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the the advancement of women. Economically, socially, politically on, in the use of multilateral fora to accomplish these goals, they are the fundamentals of human rights are really under attack within the multilateral system. You have countries that are in particular, the People’s Republic of China, seeking to replace the established norms that again have a root and our declaration of independence and our founding documents and our and reflect a commitment to human rights attaching at the individual level that belonged to a spy birth of our own humanity. And they want to replace that. That concept, with a concept of human rights for the government, is responsible for deciding which rights you get toe have and how long you get to hold them and how how expansive they are without any check on that, Thies writes, don’t attach at the individual level and they don’t belong to individual people. Bye bye, Birthright. So it’s a completely different ideological vision of human rights, and they are using every tool in their playbook to try to implement this vision. Yeah, they’re always a lot of Americans who kind of buy into the idea that Marxism it’s wonderful, of course. And of course, there many different times in our history where a lot of Americans like two views, you know, Communist China or Communist Russia is the wave of the future, Um, and it kind of interest me that those the two countries you single out as being the biggest problem when there was a time when so many Americans thought that was the answer to all human suffering. Could you give us some more examples of all they trample on human rights in China, things that this communist country does that we would never think of doing in this country? Well, I can. In the context of the Security Council, where we’ve seen it very profoundly, they try to step, strip out any human rights, language and Security Council resolutions. They try to remove language to protection of women and girls from sexual violence and Security Council resolutions, and they try to keep the Security Council from talking about human rights or even holding sessions where we hear from the U. N. Human rights experts. And I saw this firsthand when I was serving in New York. Most recently, you have probably seen reports coming from Xinjiang about enforced population control of Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims, where the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China are enforcing extreme draconian measures toe limit the births of weaker and other Muslim minorities in this area of China. And it is the the reports are profoundly disturbing. The secretary has spoken out very strongly about this, and we have the department are taking action on this more than just talking about it. We’re sanctioning individuals in the U. S. The U. S. Government is working together with Treasury and with commerce to sanction individuals and entities that are involved in these gross violations of human rights. Okay, I remember when I was just first involved in pod to expect in the seventies or interested, you know, hearing all the young college kids thinking that China was the wave of the future. Son. Glad we had had your test one here, his hand. But I think you were the one who talked a little bit about human trafficking. Was that you? I think it could. You elaborate on that. What? Ah, into a lot of times, human trafficking is another word for just playing prostitution. But you can tell me, is that what you mean by human trafficking and could give us some examples there? Sure. We at d o d believe that WPS promotion is integral to our work and combating human trafficking. So we incorporate this human trafficking. Is that another word for prostitution? Sometimes there’s a more slave labor. What is it? Um, we incorporate the U. S. Government definition of human trafficking within the Department of Defense. What? What is that? What? Debbie? Human trafficking. What these people do with their traffic, it would involve sexual trafficking. Labor trafficking. Yes, eso we in which country to slavery happened in the United States in this world today we see that happening throughout Southeast Asia, for instance, in which African countries, Burma, there’s a huge trafficking issue there. So with the training that we’ve undertaken with WPS and combat slavery in Burma, left wing country is a kind of another left wing country. Um, what we’ve been doing there is working I know is Burma. I’m under the impression it’s more of a left wing country, right? It’s very corrupt. Unfortunately, there are, like to say, left wing. I know. Okay, Thank you for giving us all the time. Thank you. German yields back. I’ll now recognize myself for five minutes and again. I want to thank you all for testifying today. Really appreciate the work that you do. And I know that your commitment is sincere, deeply felt and solid in terms off the work that you do, uh, to follow and pursue that the objectives of the women’s peace and security strategy I know you take that work very seriously. I am less convinced that that the work that you do in the passion that you feel for your your cause and your mission in your jobs is necessarily reflected in in the administration policy. And that’s where the that’s where the gap exists. For my own part, I came into office. I was elected in the Democratic primary in Massachusetts on September 11th so Afghanistan loomed large when I first came into office. I have been there about 20 times, you know, initially on defense related initiatives. But Aziz time went on more and mawr, uh, with this committee and members of this committee from both sides of the aisle looking at Theis efforts to stabilize the country and the work that’s being done around the role of women and girls in Afghan society. Um, I think one of the best programs that I’ve seen over there, and one that I think if you look back 50 years from now, one that gets no notices, a program that we adopted with the Italians and the French and the Germans to teach Afghan women to read it only went up to the third grade, but we talked about 1/2 a 1,000,000 Afghan women to read, and, uh, and I think what will happen now? And they all want to go to the fourth grade after the after they completed the program. But it planted the seeds, and those women, I am sure, are teaching their Children how to read. And in Afghanistan, which had 11% of the women in Afghanistan, knew how to read, could read. Um, that will be a huge game changer, I think. But, um, I know the Taliban position that program Women would have been subject to the death penalty for from the Taliban leadership if they sought to be educated in in Afghanistan before, uh, before we went in and removed the Taliban. So I’m deeply disappointed that the peace agreement signed between the United States and the Taliban earlier this year does nothing. It’s really silent on the issue of protecting the rights of Afghan women and girls following the eventual withdrawal of of U. S forces on. And I’m not the only 11 of the people I’ve had the pleasure to work with both in Afghanistan, but also in Syria was General John Allen, who commanded the NATO International Security Assistance Forces. And he had. I think he said it best, he said. This is a quote toe Leave. The fate of Afghan women and girls to the Afghan government and Taliban dialogue is a massive abdication of American and international responsibility to support universal human rights. We should all be very clear on something The Taliban will never accord Afghan women and girls. The respect and the place in the future Afghan society that they deserve for the U. S. Government to believe otherwise is either the height of naivete or the wilful abandonment off these women or perhaps both. Ambassador Curry, you’re the ambassador at large for global women’s issues at the State Department. You think Afghan women and girls will be better off, or at least be able to retain the rights and privileges they they have right now with U. S. Forces protecting those rights once the once the US leaves Afghanistan. I think that, as you know, and I’m sure you have spoken to many Afghan women over the years and seen what? How resilient and tough and, um and just and I have personally been amazed by the toughness and strength of these women, what they’ve endured and how they’ve lived through it and come out on the other side as just made of steel. And I know that the United States investment and the investment or other partners in these women over the past 20 years has put them in a position that it won’t be up to the Afghan government and the Taliban to secure those rights. Because thes women will not let these rights go away. And it’s at the end of the day, you know, that it’s never been great to be a woman in Afghanistan. Let’s be honest, and it was not. It was a terrible place to be a woman on September 1st, 2001 and it’s still a tough place to be a woman. But today, more than out of nine million students that are enrolled in school and you talk about the importance of this 39% or girls and the life expectancy, I just have to interject. We’ve done a tremendous Yeah, yeah. So we’re amount of work. I only have five minutes and you eaten up all my time. Okay, so I’ve had an opportunity. Like I said, been there about 20 times driven through Taliban country. Women aren’t even allowed to leave the house. Women are not even allowed to leave the house unless they’re in the company of a a, their husband or a male spouse. Excuse me? A male sibling. Excuse me. Uh, so they’re not even allowed to leave the house? They are, you know, and from head to toe covered completely. It’s It’s a different world. So I do not believe that the women in Afghanistan will have the ability to fight their own fight. If they had, they wouldn’t be in. This is predicament. And just I just think that we had we had an opportunity here, And, uh, I greatly regret that that I’ve seen that commitment to women and girls in Afghanistan slip with that, I’ll yield back, uh, now recognize Ah, the gentleman from Tennessee, my friend Mr Green for five minutes. Thank you, Mr Chairman. And I appreciate your leadership of the subcommittee and the opportunities that you and I had to get together and do some joint legislation. Really excited about the amendment getting added to the n d a. I think it’s the right thing to do to take care of those soldiers. Um, I don’t think Chairman Maloney, too, for coming in today. And if it hadn’t been for her here we are talking about advancing the rights of women. And you got a bunch of guys here and a bunch of girls. Just the look isn’t that great? So I was very grateful to see that the chair chairwoman came in and shared a few thoughts. Um, thanks Todo the ranking member for his, uh, his presence and wisdom as a nation and as people, the United States recognizes the dignity of each and every human being. Each one of us. Man, Woman, child possesses natural rights granted to us by God, not my government. The purpose of government, of course, our founders knew well is to protect the rights of its citizens. People suffering under oppression around the world looked to America as a beacon of hope, that shining city on a hill. When the brave people of Hong Kong stand up to the communist regime in Beijing and demonstrate for freedom, they looked to America for inspiration and moral support there, waving the American flag and holding up small statues of the Statue of Liberty. America’s commitment to human rights doesn’t not just stop at our borders. It is a key aspect of our foreign policy, and the Trump administration recognizes how important it is that human rights, including the rights of women’s and women and girls, be promoted and protected. Indeed, the president’s national security strategy states that, and I quote governments that fail to treat women equally do not allow their societies to reach their full potential, while sign societies that empower women to participate fully and civic and economic life are more prosperous and peaceful. End quote. This isn’t just a platitude. President Trump has backed his policies with action. As we have seen over the past four years, the Trump Administration is mounted an extensive, concerted effort to promote the rights of women and girls abroad. United States Strategy on Women Peace and Security details the various avenues that the Trump Administration is taking to promote the dignity and well being of women across the world through the promotion of women’s participation in civic life, too robust efforts to combat the evils of sex trafficking, as has been mentioned. Each of the agencies before us is working to fulfill the aims of the strategy. The Trump administration has also sought to help women across the globe in power themselves to better their economic condition. In 2019 the president established the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, spearheaded by adviser to the president Ivanka Trump, which aims to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025. It’s the first ever whole of government approach focused on women’s full and free participation in the global economy. The W G P seeks to enhance opportunities for women participate, meaningful in the economy in advance, both prosperity and national security. Debbie GDP focuses on three pillars. Women prospering in the work force, women succeeding as entrepreneurs and women enabled in the economy. This groundbreaking initiative recognizes the fact that free market policies for the key to empowering women across the globe. These actions stand in powerful contrast to bad actors in the world who use oppression and injustice is tools of power. It is no accident that our greatest adversaries in the world are among the worst violators of human rights. That theocratic regime in Iran prosecutes religious minorities and restricts the rights of women all while funding terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. We have also seen shocking actions by China’s totalitarian regime and now blast through this because it’s already been amply noted by some of our witnesses. One thing that wasn’t mentioned Christians, Christian churches in China. Right now, they’re actually forcing them to take down the image of Christ and the cross and replace it with a picture of XI Jingping, the state that state will suffer. No other guide members from both sides of the aisle are boldly and un seeks ceasing. Lee, speaking out against the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party as well as other oppressive governments, have used the rights of their own. People, especially women, were blessed to live in a country that protects women’s rights and the rights of human beings. And I hope this committee will continue its work in a bipartisan fashion. I appreciate the leadership of our chairman working closely with the Trump administration to promote human rights abroad. One quick question in five seconds. What can we do? Better, But not I opened that to anyone. First of all, I want to say that we do need our male colleagues to help advance this agenda. We’re not gonna hold that against you on. And it’s not enough for women to advocate on behalf of these issues. But we need everybody in our society and and it’s just like in Afghanistan. We need the male leaders in Afghanistan to recognize an advocate for the rights of women. It won’t be enough to have the female negotiators doing that. So we’re really working on that. Um, then, as far as what we can do better, I think that we’re very fortunate that we do have such robust bipartisan support around this issue. And in this age of divisive, everything being politicized all the time, I would just make a plea that we keep this as an area of strong bipartisan cooperation because it’s an area where we have so much in common and so much consensus where we can really do good in the world and work together in this way. Thank you. Gentleman’s time is expired. Now, the chair now recognize the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr Rood of five minutes. Thank you, Chairman Lynch, for organizing this meeting in this hearing, uh, like to start out and say that I do agree with my colleagues across the aisle that the United States has been a beacon for democracy for other countries to look Teoh, including demonstrators in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, though, in there under this administration, when we see an administration, a president of the United States ah, use federal troops to literally walk over innocent protesters for a photo op in front of a church and descend federal police, a term not typically associate ID here in the United States to again attack peaceful protesters without any identification whatsoever. Unfortunately, we no longer hold that mantle that we have held for so long as a beacon of democracy for many countries across the nation. And I look forward to the day when we can get back to being that beacon. I appreciate the comments that the ambassador made earlier about human rights and on I know that all of us hold those near and dear here in this room and across our country. According to the office of the U. N. High Commissioner for Human Rights quote, women’s sexual and reproductive health is related to multiple human rights, including the right to life, the right to be free from torture, the right to health, the right to privacy, the right to education and the prohibition of discrimination. Is there anybody here that disagrees with that comment from our witnesses? Great, thank you. Unfortunately, since assuming office in 2017 the Trump administration has restricted access to sexual and reproductive health for women and girls around the world, limiting their ability to meaningfully engage in political and civic life. Three days after his inauguration, President Trump reinstated the Mexico City policy, also known as the global Gag Rule, which prohibits international NGOs receiving US funding from performing or promoting abortions. This includes NGOs that also seek to expand access to contraception, prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, combat malaria and improve maternal and child health. Or recently, the Trump administration has sought toe weaken, if not outright remove language and United Nations documents that refer to women’s sexual and reproductive health. In fact, the Trump administration has also sought to remove sexual and reproductive rights language from U N. Security Council resolutions. In September 2019 U. S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Out Cesar told the U. N. General Assembly that the U. S. Does not support quote references to ambiguous terms and expressions such as sexual and reproductive health and rights in U. N. Documents unquote. In May, 2019 U. S representatives reportedly attempted to remove references of sexual and reproductive health in a G seven communication that described how improved health care access quote is critical to women’s empowerment unquote. Ambassador Curry is the ambassador at large for global women’s issues. Will you commit today to speak truth to power and call out the administration when its agenda is actually harmful for women and girls around the world? Um, thank you for your question, Congressman. Sorry. Um, first of all, I wanted to clarify that there is no internationally recognized human right to an abortion that is not a recognized right. It’s not in the Beijing 25. It wasn’t codified in Beijing 25 years ago, and under us all under the Kemp Kasten amendment, which has been included in every foreign operations appropriation acts since 1985 the administration is required to ensure that no U. S taxpayer funds be made available to any organisational program. It is your position in the Trump administration that applies to contraceptives as well we do not restrict access to contraceptives. The United States is the world’s largest provider of family planning assistance, and I’m sure my colleague from U. S. A. D can provide you with the exact figures on that. We remain the world’s largest provider of family planning assistance and continue to do that through a massive expenditures of bilateral and multilateral assistance. We will not, however, provide funds to the United Nations family planning, it says agency, because they continue to have a cooperative relationship with China’s family planning associate UM, administration. China’s Family Planning Administration continues to use course of family planning that that we have done a comprehensive finding on this and as a result, we cannot provide funding to U. N F. P. A. And again, as I mentioned earlier when we were talking about the Security Council, the Security Council negotiations are very complicated, and I think that there has been a gross oversimplification of what happened last year in the sexual assault and not in conflict resolution. There were a lot of process issues involved with that, but I assure you that we did not remove language because that language has never appeared in any on skirt on that topic, and we have been the pen holder on that Oscar for since its creation. So I know that we we I feel very strongly and our role is a permanent member of the Security Council that we have to protect. The consensus around this, from countries such as Russia and China are trying to remove this agenda item from the Security Council’s agenda, and we’re very protective of it. And it’s unfortunate that this has become politicized issue where it never was before. Thank you, thank you. And actions always do speak louder than words. And with that, I yield back to the chair. Thank you, gentlemen. Heels back. The chair now recognizes the ranking member for the full committee. The gentleman from Kentucky, Mr Calmer for five minutes. Thank you as chairman and I would like to begin talking about Afghanistan. Many members in Congress, including myself, are pretty adamant about wanting to pull back most if not all of our troops in Afghanistan. But one of the things that we need to talk about here in today’s hearing is the successes we’ve had in Afghanistan from the Bush administration, Obama administration, Trump administration with respect to women and Ambassador Curry. Over the past 17 years, I have Afghan women gained significantly more rights in Afghanistan than before, such as ability to participate in entrepreneurship and political leadership. Yes, sir. Can you list some of the advantages? Their rights are constitutionally protected. Now their rights are enshrined in the Constitution of Afghanistan. You have more than 100,000 women enrolled in in universities in Afghanistan, and you have to female ministers in the government now nine female deputy minister’s four female ambassadors, including our ambassador here in Washington, who I work very closely with and is a good friend and Afghanistan’s ambassador to the U. N. Two of their most senior and important roles. 28% of women in the lower house of 28% lower house of Parliament is women, which beats us, thank you very much and 26% in the upper house of Parliament, also better than our record. So I think that you can say that women have made substantial progress in Afghanistan. Is Afghanistan still a very difficult place to be a woman? Absolutely. And the further you get from Kabul, the more difficult it gets. If you’re out in Helmand, your life is terrible. I’m not gonna lie about it or even try to sugarcoat it, because it’s pretty awful. But the goal here piece is going to be better for women in Afghanistan than continued conflict and coming to a place where they’re creating their own future and charting it on their own and on their own path. Self reliance without having to rely on the United States for security is a better deal for the Afghan women in the long run. That’s what we’re working towards. That’s good to hear. Let’s switch gears and talk about the Taliban. What what’s the Taliban’s record with respect to women drives abysmal. So there was agreement in February that stated on March 10th the Taliban would start intra Afghan negotiations for peace and master career. Are women involved in those negotiations? Yes, sir, they represent 20% of the negotiating team from the government side. Well, I know the Trump administration is committed to defending the long fought for and earned rights of women in Afghanistan. Protecting these rights will not only lead to stronger and safer Afghanistan, but also a stronger and safer America I look forward, Toa continuing the discussion with all of you all today. Please keep the committee updated on negotiations as they continue. And Mr Chairman, I yield back filming years back. The chair now recognizes the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr Grossman, for any closing remarks. Sure. I’d like to thank you all for being here today. I appreciate all your work. Um, my couple comments or, as far, suggestions, you mentioned that so much of our problem comes from China and Russia, which are, you know, maybe the two most dominant Communist or Marxist countries in the world. And the reason I wanted you to repeat that or bring it up again is we always have a danger here in this country that are young people will be told that if only we adapted a more Marxist line of things the things to get better here. And I think it’s important to educate people around the world. Um, where Marxism leads in the absolute power of the state. Um, I noticed people on the other side of the aisle when they look at women’s rights, they primarily associated with reproduction. Um, and I’ll caution you because there’s some things the United States that I don’t think we should be proud of. And I don’t think we should be exporting around the world. They’re always coming. Politicians who are gonna be try to be pushing them. Um, I mentioned the United States is one of seven countries in the world that allows late term abortion. I don’t think we should. Is United States be using our economic might to be imposing those lives around the world? I know in this country we fund Planned Parenthood, which may put young gales 14 or 15 years old on the pill without their parents knowledge. I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing. I think a lot of Americans would be concerned if they found out that American dollars. We’re gonna oppose those values on young girls around the world. But I appreciate you all being here today. Eyes really refreshing to see is to get so many people from the administration people were enthusiastic about their job and so knowledgeable. So I learned a lot today and I guess the most enjoyable thing I learned was meeting you guys. So thanks much for being here. The Johnny is back in closing. I do want to thank you for your testimony here today and for participating in this hearing and also for the work that you do. Uh, we deeply appreciate that. I also want to commend my calling for participating in this important conversation in this hearing. With that, without objection, all members will have five legislative days within which to submit additional written testimony questions to the witnesses to the chair and which will be provided to the witnesses for their response. I ask our witnesses if you do receive such requests to please respond as promptly as you are able, uh, this hearing is now adjourned thinking, John.