Sec. 605. Federal Interagency Working Group on Women and Climate Change
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There is established in the Department of State the Federal Interagency Working Group on Women and Climate Change. The Ambassador-at-Large, or the Special Coordinator, shall serve as the chairperson of the Working Group. The Working Group shall be composed of a senior-level representative from each of the Federal agencies and bureaus and offices of the Department of State described in paragraph (2), as selected by the head of the respective agency or subagency. The Federal agencies and bureaus and offices of the Department of State described in this paragraph are— the Department of State, including— the Office of Global Women’s Issues; the Office of Civil Rights; the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; and the Bureau of International Organization Affairs; the United States Agency for International Development; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the National Institutes of Health; the National Science Foundation; the Council on Environmental Quality; and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The Ambassador-at-Large, or the Special Coordinator, may request the participation of representatives of other relevant agencies or departments on a limited-time basis. The Working Group shall— coordinate and integrate the development of all policies and activities of the Federal Government relating to— combating the effects of climate change on women in the national and international sphere; and improving the response and strategy of the Federal Government to fight climate change for the security of the United States and the international community; allow each member of the Working Group to act as a representative for the Working Group within the Federal department or agency of such member to facilitate implementation of the Working Group policies within such department or agency; ensure that all relevant Federal departments and agencies comply with appropriate guidelines, policies, and directives from the Working Group pertaining to issues and responsibilities related to climate change and women; ensure that Federal departments or agencies, State governments, and relevant congressional committees, in consultation with nongovernmental organizations and policy experts in the field and State and local government officials who administer or direct policy for programs relating to climate change and women— have access to, receive, and appropriately disseminate best practices in the administration of such programs; have adequate resources to maximize the public awareness of such programs; increase the reach of such programs; collect and share relevant data, including sex and age disaggregated data; and issue relevant guidance; and identify and disseminate best practices to each relevant Federal department and agency regarding how to improve the collection of data relevant to the disparate impact of climate change on women (especially marginalized women), including— unpaid and paid care work; access to decent work opportunities; community advocacy, activism, and representation; access to education for women and girls; access to comprehensive health care, including reproductive health and rights; participation in professional trades, including agriculture; rights and access to resources, such as land, financial services and credit, training, and tools and equipment; abilities to achieve durable solutions to displacement, including integration, return, or resettlement; food insecurity and desertification; community infrastructure, multilevel government adaptability, and climate resilience; climate and weather-related crisis response, including safety from gender-based violence; and women’s involvement and leadership in the development of frameworks and policies for climate resilience.
The Working Group may consult and obtain recommendations from such independent nongovernmental policy experts, State and local government officials, independent groups and organizations, or other groups or organizations as the Ambassador-at-Large, or the Special Coordinator, determines will assist in carrying out the mission of the Working Group. The Working Group shall meet not less frequently than quarterly to discuss and develop policies, projects, and programs referred to in subsection (d).