Ayotte, Kloburchar Lead Women Senators in Urging U.S. to do More to Protect Syrian Women and Girls

Press Release

U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a bipartisan group of women Senators in urging the U.S. and the international community to do more to protect and empower Syrian women and girls, who have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis in Syria. In a letter Tuesday to Secretary of State John Kerry, the senators underscored the dangers that women and girls in Syria continue to face in the midst of violence and an escalating humanitarian crisis, and called for the U.S. to increase support for the participation of women in Syrian civil society.

"We are proud that the United States is the single largest donor of humanitarian aid for those affected by the Syria crisis, with total assistance now more than $3 billion, but we believe the U.S. and the international community can do more to protect Syrian women and girls. It is vital that we work to assist women and girls in their efforts to repair and reform their society. This can be done by strengthening meaningful participation of women and girls in humanitarian response programs, and ultimately, by finding a political solution to the conflict that ensures women have a more active role in a political process and expands the role of local women's civil society groups," the senators wrote.

In addition to Ayotte and Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

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