Instituting a National Action Plan On Women, Peace, And Security

Executive Order 13595 of December 19, 2011

Instituting a National Action Plan On Women,
Peace, And Security

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. (a) The United States recognizes
that promoting women's participation in conflict
prevention, management, and resolution, as well as in
post-conflict relief and recovery, advances peace,
national security, economic and social development, and
international cooperation.

    (b) The United States recognizes the responsibility
of all nations to protect their populations from
genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes
against humanity, including when implemented by means
of sexual violence. The United States further
recognizes that sexual violence, when used or
commissioned as a tactic of war or as a part of a
widespread or systematic attack against civilians, can
exacerbate and prolong armed conflict and impede the
restoration of peace and security.
    (c) It shall be the policy and practice of the
executive branch of the United States to have a
National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security
(National Action Plan).

Sec. 2. National Action Plan. A National Action Plan
shall be created pursuant to the process outlined in
Presidential Policy Directive 1 and shall identify and
develop activities and initiatives in the following
areas:

    (a) National integration and institutionalization.
Through interagency coordination, policy development,
enhanced professional training and education, and
evaluation, the United States Government will
institutionalize a gender-responsive approach to its
diplomatic, development, and defense-related work in
conflict-affected environments.
    (b) Participation in peace processes and
decisionmaking. The United States Government will
improve the prospects for inclusive, just, and
sustainable peace by promoting and strengthening
women's rights and effective leadership and substantive
participation in peace processes, conflict prevention,
peacebuilding, transitional processes, and
decisionmaking institutions in conflict-affected
environments.
    (c) Protection from violence. The United States
Government will strengthen its efforts to prevent--and
protect women and children from--harm, exploitation,
discrimination, and abuse, including sexual and gender-
based violence and trafficking in persons, and to hold
perpetrators accountable in conflict-affected
environments.
    (d) Conflict prevention. The United States
Government will promote women's roles in conflict
prevention, improve conflict early-warning and response
systems through the integration of gender perspectives,
and invest in women and girls' health, education, and
economic opportunity to create conditions for stable
societies and lasting peace.
    (e) Access to relief and recovery. The United
States Government will respond to the distinct needs of
women and children in conflict-affected disasters and
crises, including by providing safe, equitable access
to humanitarian assistance.

Sec. 3. Responsibility of Executive Departments and
Agencies. (a) Executive departments and agencies
(agencies) shall maintain a current awareness of U.S.
policy with regard to Women, Peace, and Security, as
set out in

the National Action Plan, as it is relevant to their
functions, and shall perform such functions so as to
respect and implement that policy fully, while
retaining their established institutional roles in the
implementation, interpretation, and enforcement of
Federal law.

    (b) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Defense, and the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development shall each:

(i) designate one or more officers, as appropriate, as responsible for
coordinating and implementing the National Action Plan;

(ii) within 150 days of the date of the release of the National Action
Plan, develop and submit to the Assistant to the President and National
Security Advisor an agency-specific implementation plan that will identify
the actions each agency plans to take to implement the National Action
Plan; and

(iii) execute their agency-specific implementation plans, and monitor and
report to the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor on
such execution.

Sec. 4. Interagency Process. The Assistant to the
President and National Security Advisor shall,
consistent with Presidential Policy Directive 1 or any
successor documents, establish an interagency process
for coordinating the implementation of this order,
which shall, inter alia:

    (a) coordinate implementation of the National
Action Plan and agency-specific implementation plans as
specified in section 3(b) of this order;
    (b) establish a mechanism for agencies to report
progress in implementing the National Action Plan and
agency-specific implementation plans, as appropriate
and as specified in section 3(b), and in meeting the
objectives of this order, which the Assistant to the
President and National Security Advisor shall draw upon
to provide an annual report to the President;
    (c) coordinate a comprehensive periodic review of,
and update to, the National Action Plan. The review of,
and update to, the National Action Plan will be
informed by consultation with relevant civil society
organizations. The first review will take place in
2015; and
    (d) consider and implement other revisions to the
National Action Plan, as necessary.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to
comply with this order.

    (d) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    December 19, 2011.