Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls in the Republic of Haiti is critical to the success of Haiti's transition from crisis and its future stability, condemning the failure to center women's leadership and distinct needs to date, and calling for urgent measures to secure all human rights of women and girls in Haiti.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 1018
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-22: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-09T20:04:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
H. Res. 1018 is a non-binding resolution from the U.S. House of Representatives that expresses strong support for protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls in Haiti. It emphasizes that doing so is essential for Haiti's recovery from its ongoing security, governance, and humanitarian crisis, and for long-term stability. The resolution condemns past failures to prioritize women's leadership and needs, and urges immediate actions to uphold their human rights under Haitian and international law.
Key Provisions Outlined
The resolution includes a detailed preamble highlighting the challenges faced by women and girls in Haiti, such as discrimination, gender-based violence (acts of harm targeted at someone because of their gender, like sexual assault), exclusion from leadership, and limited access to support services. It references Haiti's constitution, which requires at least 30% of government positions to be held by women, and international agreements on women's rights.
The core "Resolved" section outlines 13 specific points:
- Condemnations (Points 1-4): Denounces sexual violence and lack of protections in Haiti; exclusion of women from transitional government roles (e.g., no women on the Transitional Presidential Council); failure by international partners to address women's needs; and U.S. government actions to dismantle offices focused on women's issues, like the Office of Global Women's Issues at the State Department and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program at the Defense Department.
- Findings (Points 5-7): States that ignoring women's inclusion and needs undermines Haiti's security and democracy; addressing gender-based violence is key to stability; and failing to tackle deep-rooted inequalities could worsen them.
- Calls for Action (Points 8-12): Urges implementation of policies and funding to:
- Ensure at least 30% women in leadership roles, with real power and resources.
- Protect against gender-based violence through prevention, survivor services (e.g., medical care, shelter), investigations, and prosecutions.
- Secure displacement sites (temporary shelters for those forced from homes) with measures like specialized investigations and involvement of women's groups.
- Integrate women's needs into all security, election, governance, and aid programs, including gender-specific data collection.
- Adopt a "feminist policy" approach centered on equality, based on Haitian civil society's recommendations.
- Comply with the WPS Agenda (a U.N.-backed framework promoting women's roles in peace and security).
- Consult and fund Haitian civil society, especially women's and feminist groups, for policy-making.
- Invest in long-term changes for gender equality through laws and institutions.
- U.S.-Specific Commitment (Point 13): Calls to restore the dismantled U.S. offices and programs on women's issues to support human rights defenders in Haiti and globally.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
This resolution does not introduce or amend any laws, as it is a "sense of the House" measure, which is symbolic and non-enforceable. It reinforces existing U.S. laws like the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (which promotes women's participation in conflict resolution) and the 2019 U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, but criticizes recent U.S. efforts to reduce related programs.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could pressure the U.S. Departments of State and Defense to reverse cuts to women's programs and integrate gender considerations into Haiti aid and security efforts, potentially affecting budgeting and policy priorities.
- On Citizens: Haitian women and girls may benefit from increased focus on protections against violence, better access to services, and greater political inclusion, aiding crisis recovery. U.S. citizens involved in foreign policy or advocacy could see heightened emphasis on gender equality in U.S. international work.
- On International Relations: May influence U.S. diplomacy with Haiti and partners (e.g., U.N., other nations aiding Haiti) to prioritize the WPS Agenda, potentially strengthening ties with women's rights groups but straining relations if seen as interference in Haiti's internal affairs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Women and Girls in Haiti: Primary beneficiaries, facing direct risks from violence and exclusion; the resolution aims to amplify their voices and protections.
- Haitian Government and Transitional Council: Targeted for failing constitutional gender quotas and human rights obligations; urged to include more women in leadership.
- U.S. Government Agencies: State and Defense Departments criticized for program cuts; civil society and women's organizations praised and called for support.
- International Partners: U.N., donor nations, and aid groups encouraged to center women's needs in Haiti interventions.
- Haitian Civil Society: Especially feminist and grassroots women's groups, recognized for advocacy and recommended for funding and consultation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Highlights breaches of Haiti's constitution (e.g., 30% gender quota) and international treaties like the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (a global agreement to end gender bias). It ties these to the WPS Agenda, framing gender-based violence as a threat to international peace.
- Constitutional: Reinforces U.S. foreign policy commitments under laws like the 2017 WPS Act, potentially challenging executive actions to dismantle related programs without congressional approval.
- Political: Serves as a bipartisan signal (introduced by Democrats but referencing actions under both parties) to prioritize gender equality in U.S. foreign aid and security strategy. It could shape future appropriations or resolutions on Haiti, emphasizing "feminist" approaches to crisis response, but its non-binding nature limits direct enforcement.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
Cosponsors (47)
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-22: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-01-22: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-01-22: Submitted in House
- 2026-01-22: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls in the Republic of Haiti is critical to the success of Haiti’s transition from crisis and its future stability, condemning the failure to center women’s leadership and distinct needs to date, and calling for urgent measures to secure all human rights of women and girls in Haiti. — issued 2026-01-22 — PDF (11 pages)