[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 970 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 970

    Denouncing the practices of female genital mutilation, domestic 
  violence, ``honor'' killings, acid burning, dowry deaths, and other 
  gender-based persecutions and expressing the sense of the House of 
   Representatives that participation, protection, recognition, and 
   independence of women is crucial to achieving a just, moral, and 
                           honorable society.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2006

Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas (for herself, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Lee, Ms. 
Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. Solis, Ms. 
 Kaptur, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Millender-McDonald, 
 Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Crowley, 
Mr. Conyers, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Harman, Mrs. Tauscher, and Ms. McCollum 
of Minnesota) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Denouncing the practices of female genital mutilation, domestic 
  violence, ``honor'' killings, acid burning, dowry deaths, and other 
  gender-based persecutions and expressing the sense of the House of 
   Representatives that participation, protection, recognition, and 
   independence of women is crucial to achieving a just, moral, and 
                           honorable society.

Whereas human rights violations have occurred on six continents, have not been 
        limited to times of war, and have been committed for political gain, 
        personal advantage, ethnic hatred, and in the name of deities and 
        fundamentalist religious zeal;
Whereas, in many parts of the world, there is a culture of violence and 
        discrimination which denies women rights equal to those of men and which 
        legitimizes the exploitation of women for personal gratification or 
        political purposes and gain;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary General has declared that rape is a 
        recognized tool of war;
Whereas 200 women in Bangladesh are horribly disfigured when their spurned 
        husbands or suitors burn them with acid each year;
Whereas in North Africa, 6,000 women are genitally mutilated each day;
Whereas more than 7,000 women in India will be killed by their families and in-
        laws in disputes over dowries each year;
Whereas more than 15,000 women will be sold as sexual slaves in China this year;
Whereas in the United States, a woman is raped every six minutes and a woman is 
        battered every 15 seconds;
Whereas the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against 
        Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, 
        defines discrimination against women as ``any distinction, exclusion or 
        restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of 
        impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, 
        irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and 
        women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, 
        economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field'';
Whereas the United States has yet to ratify CEDAW;
Whereas the intent of CEDAW is ``to incorporate the principle of equality of men 
        and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and 
        adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women; to 
        establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the 
        effective protection of women against discrimination; and to ensure 
        elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, 
        organizations or enterprises'';
Whereas 183 countries, representing more than 90 percent of the Member States of 
        the United Nations, are signatories to CEDAW;
Whereas women are not chattel, may not be trafficked, or sold for services, and 
        must not be denied the right to own property or the right of ownership;
Whereas women perform two-thirds of the world's work, but receive less than ten 
        percent of the world's income and own less than one percent of the 
        world's assets;
Whereas the inalienable rights to freedom of worship, expression, association, 
        and conscience, as well as the pursuit of happiness, must never be 
        threatened or brutalized by violence, oppression, slavery, or 
        manipulation;
Whereas the leadership of women has led to social justice, economic prosperity, 
        political stability, peaceful relations, and a healthy population;
Whereas self-sufficiency, economic progress, and democracy are dependent on the 
        welfare of women and children; Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) denounces the barbaric practices of female 
                genital mutilation, domestic violence, ``honor'' 
                killings, acid burning, dowry deaths, and other gender-
                based persecutions;
                    (B) demands the cessation of these barbaric 
                practices; and
                    (C) condemns the perpetrators of these barbaric 
                practices; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
                    (A) participation, protection, recognition, and 
                independence of women is crucial to achieving a just, 
                moral, and honorable society;
                    (B) regardless of religion, geography, or form of 
                government, women should not be denied equal rights, 
                which should be defended when they are abridged, 
                challenged, or violated; and
                    (C) the United States should renew consideration of 
                and ratify its signature on the Convention on the 
                Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against 
                Women (CEDAW).
                                 <all>