[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 296 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 296

  Expressing the sense of Congress that there is no honor in ``honor 
                              killings''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 10, 2005

  Mr. Nadler submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that there is no honor in ``honor 
                              killings''.

Whereas so-called ``honor crimes'' are acts of violence, usually murder, 
        committed by male family members against female family members who are 
        perceived to have brought dishonor upon the family;
Whereas thousands of women and girls around the world are stabbed, shot, beaten, 
        burned, or maimed every year by male relatives, including husbands, 
        fathers, and brothers, who accuse them of dishonoring their families by 
        not abiding by tribal or religious traditions, being unfaithful, seeking 
        a divorce, refusing an arranged marriage, or marrying according to their 
        will;
Whereas the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 61st Session, March-April 
        2005, working with the Special Rapporteurs on violence against women and 
        extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, received reports of so-
        called honor killings from numerous countries;
Whereas although honor killings may be outlawed, law enforcement and judicial 
        systems often fail properly to investigate, arrest, and prosecute 
        offenders, and laws frequently permit reduction in sentences or 
        exemptions from prosecution for those who ``kill in the name of honor'', 
        typically resulting in a token punishment, impunity, and continued 
        violence against women; and
Whereas the right to exist is the most fundamental of all rights and must be 
        guaranteed to every individual without discrimination, and the 
        perpetuation of honor killings and dowry deaths is a deliberate 
        violation of women's human rights that should be universally condemned: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the United States Agency for International Development 
        should--
                    (A) work with foreign law enforcement and judicial 
                agencies to enact legal system reforms to address more 
                effectively the investigation and prosecution of so-
                called ``honor crimes'';
                    (B) make resources available to local organizations 
                to provide refuge and rehabilitation for women who are 
                victims of honor crimes and the children of such women; 
                and
                    (C) encourage public awareness and education of 
                human rights and women's rights;
            (2) the Department of State, in preparing the annual 
        Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, should include--
                    (A) information relating to the incidence of honor 
                crimes in foreign countries;
                    (B) the steps taken by foreign governments to 
                address the problem of honor crimes; and
                    (C) all relevant actions taken by the United 
                States, whether through diplomacy or foreign assistance 
                programs, to reduce the incidence of honor crimes and 
                to increase investigations and prosecutions of such 
                crimes;
            (3) the President should direct the United States Permanent 
        Representative to the United Nations to communicate to the 
        United Nations the concern of the United States regarding the 
        high rate of honor-related violence toward women worldwide and 
        request that the appropriate United Nations bodies, in 
        consultation with relevant nongovernmental organizations, 
        propose actions to be taken to encourage these countries to 
        demonstrate strong efforts to end such violence; and
            (4) the President and the Secretary of State should--
                    (A) communicate directly with leaders of foreign 
                countries in which honor crimes, including honor 
                killings, dowry deaths, and related practices, are 
                endemic, in order to convey the most serious concerns 
                of the United States regarding these gross violations 
                of human rights; and
                    (B) urge such foreign leaders to adequately 
                investigate and prosecute all honor crimes, including 
                honor killings, dowry deaths, and related practices, 
                with appropriate penalties.
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